Hawai’i Island, Post Covid Restrictions

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There have been a lot of developments since I last wrote for this site back on March 27th, 2020.

Hawai’i opened back up and lifted its “SAFE TRAVEL” restrictions in late March, of this year, and visitor numbers are on the uptick. People still need to be safe, yet, this resurgence has been good for small businesses, and public attractions. Most of the State Parks have reopened and the people are excited. When planning your visit, I would recommend contacting your desired destinations, on your itinerary, to find out if they have any restrictions such as; limits to group size, modified hours of operations, or whether the business or site requires guests to wear masks.

 Here is a shortlist of attraction ideas for Hawaii Island:

 Volcanos National Park

 Punalu’u Beach Park

Pu’ukoholā Heiau

Snorkel/Dive With Manta Rays

Kona Coffee Tour

Glassbottom Boat Tour

Snorkeling at Pae’a Beach aka “Two-Step” at Hōnaunau Bay

If you need a reliable, comfortable safe ride from the Kona or Hilo International Airports, don’t hesitate to book with us!

Hope to see you in the Kona sun!

Covid-19 F’d Up Your Hawaii Trip!

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Virus, DNA, Palm Tree, Breach
Officials suggest visitors postpone their Hawaiian vacation.

As the Covid-19 pandemic grips the globe, there’s a great deal of uncertainty.  When will they have a vaccine?  When will this lock down end? When will things get back to normal? When can I get to Hawaii?!

I don’t have the answers to those questions, but I can tell you this:  Chances are, if you’re reading this blog from your home, you have plenty to be grateful for.  Many people are stuck in a foreign country, far from their home. Some people are without a home entirely- exposed to the elements.  There are many people that are in poor health (Covid-19 or not).  And there are those that did not wake up this morning.  Yes, you, me, we all have a great deal to be thankful for.

The Governor does not have the power to stop flights from flying into Hawaii, but he has instituted measures to deter visitors from coming.  There is a mandatory 14 day self quarantine for all visitors as well as returning locals.  14 days?!  Who want’s to spend 14 days stuck in an empty hotel or air BnB (if you can find one)?  And even if you wait out your 14 days, what will you do after?  Nothing!  The beaches and parks are all closed.  Most restaurants are closed, and the ones that are open are only available for drive-through.  Traveling to Hawaii now, would not be a true Hawaii experience.  Postpone your visit until after this pandemic is in a box.

With the number of visitors coming to a virtual halt, most people working the front lines of Hawaii’s tourism industry, will surely experience financial hardship.  Financial hardship is better than a medical hardship.  We have our health.  We have each other.  We have hope.  I have a lot to be grateful for.

And… PS:
Is that dust mask that you’re wearing adequate in stopping the size of the stated virus?

Where are you from?!

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Pristine waters, breath-taking vistas, magnificent ocean creatures and warm people; it’s no wonder that Hawaii plays host to visitors from around the world!

One of the enriching aspects of working the Kona-Kohala coast, is that Kona is a popular destination so I have the wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with many of these national and international guests.

Just in the past week, I’ve had guests from Dubai, Canada, Japan, France, and Zimbabwe…  They all have questions like; “What’s a must do activity, while here?”, “Which restaurants have the best poke?”, and “What is a good beach for small children?”.  I give them some insight, and they’re thankful, but what most excites me is hearing about their perspective and culture.  Through our conversations and their stories, It’s kind of like the world coming to me!  Last month, I spent a day with a wonderful family visiting from Serbia.  They generously and passionately shared about the history of their country; Bosnian War, the dissolution of Yugoslavia and also the modern-day characteristics of the Serbian people and culture.  I enjoyed my time with them, while taking them to various Big Island locations such as South Point and Papakolea Beach (Popularly known as Green Sand Beach).

A lovely couple from Dubai expressed to me how much they were enjoying the sights and weather, here, on Hawaii Island. “It is simply beautiful here.” the wife said as if recalling the details of a dream.  I responded “Yes, it is.  I feel blessed each and every morning.”, I replied.  From the videos and photos, I’ve seen, Dubai is also beautiful.”, I continued.  “Yes, but Hawaii Island is the opposite of Dubai.”, the husband said.  “How so?”, I asked.  “As beautiful as Dubai is, it is all man-made… artificial.  Hawaii Island is mostly natural. You know?… Natural beauty.“, his wife added.  “Yes, that is a good point.” I said with a smile.  We went on to have an interesting conversation about renewable energy and Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.  I love this stuff Haha!

On  my website, and the Facebook page, there is a considerable amount of traffic from around the planet.  The website stats indicate the following countries as the top five visitors of my page:

1. United States
USA

2. Japan
Japan Flag

3. Canada
Canadian Flag

4. India
Indian Flag

5. Australia
Australians Enjoy Visiting Hawaii

Where are you reading this post from?  Please, rep your city and country in the comment section below!

When you finally make it to Hawaii Island (or return ;D), make sure you give me a shout!

I hope to see you in the Kona Sun! Peace!

Southwest Comes to Hawaii!

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Southwest Comes to Hawaii
Aloha, Southwest!

I’ve been hearing about Southwest Airlines’ plan to provide flights to Hawaii for over a year now.  They officially began marketing flights today!

Held up by the FAA approval process and, more recently, the government shutdown, Southwest has shown incredible resolve.  With the December approval of their Extended Operations manuals, there were just two major tasks left to do- simulations to test the carrier’s procedures for dealing with emergencies, and validation flights between the mainland and Hawaii with FAA inspectors on board.  This week, to the delight of many travelers, the airline announced that it finally received federal approval to begin making flights to Hawaii. Yeaah!!!

Starting with Cali cities; Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, and Oakland,  flights have been announced today!  How many flights per day, and to which islands will they be flying to?  I’m sure that information will be announced, shortly, as well.
“We have teams now finalizing our plans to offer service to Hawaii, and we’ll publicly announce our timing for inaugural flights and other services when we publish our schedule in the coming days.” Southwest officials stated earlier this week.

Less expensive flights to and from the “mainland”, is cool but what most excites ME is that the airline plans to provide inter-island flight service in the near future.  Finally, Hawaiian Airlines will have some healthy competition!  This should result in lower fares, making it easier for people to visit family and friends, on neighboring islands.  Not to mention visitors will be able to explore more of the unique beauty and culture each of the Hawaiian Islands has to offer, without being too cost prohibitive, during their visit.

So…  When are you coming to Hawaii?