Kauai officially ending resort bubble experiment
Kauai's resort bubble is officially popped. Kauai will no longer require quarantine for visitors in a resort bubble. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami saying there is no longer a need since vaccine exemptions are going into effect.
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The major issued an amended emergency rule ending the program as the County of Kaua‘i enters "Tier 5" on Thursday, July 8. Hawaii is expected to reach 60% of residents vaccinated by this week.
Related: Everything you need to know about visiting a reopening Hawaii
Mayor Kawakami said, "As of Thursday, Tier 5 will allow gatherings of up to 75 people outdoors or 25 indoors. Restaurants, gyms, buses and attractions will be able to operate at 75 percent capacity."
He said Tier 6 isn't far behind, "Once Hawai‘i reaches 70 percent fully vaccinated, we will move to Tier 6 and eliminate all restrictions.”
Related: All inter-island restrictions lifted for Hawaii
The Hawaiian island had among the most restrictive COVID-19 restrictions of any of the Hawaiian Islands, as I reported back in January. In the early days of the pandemic, the island was off-limits to tourists altogether, but early this year, it instituted a mandatory 72-hour quarantine -- just one of the requirements of the island's then-new “resort bubble” concept.
Related: I spent three days wearing a tracking bracelet as part of Kauai's resort bubble
Kauai required a full 14-day quarantine before then since it decided not to participate in the state’s “test-out program.”
The program allowed tourists to book trips to one of six resorts on the island and stay in a “resort bubble” for three days before taking another COVID-19 test and then being released from quarantine.
Mayor Kawakami said, “The Resort Bubbles helped keep Kaua‘i safe from community spread of COVID-19 by isolating travelers until they could take a post-arrival test, as recommended by the CDC," but he said the program is no longer needed.
If you are planning a trip, you can even get vaccinated in Kauai. Most pharmacies and clinics on the island are even accepting walk-ins. Visit kauai.gov/vaccine.
Related: Fair warning, Hawaii is crowded again
Visitors to Hawaii will still need to take the following steps (from the state of Hawaii):
- Upload one of three vaccination documents to their Safe Travels Hawai‘i account prior to traveling to Hawaii. One of the following documents must be uploaded:
- A CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card
- VAMS (Vaccination Administration Management System) printout or
- DOD DD Form 2766C
- Sign the online legal attestations on Safe Travels Hawaiʻi, confirming the uploaded documentation is true and accurate.
- Bring a hard copy of the vaccination documentation to show screeners at the gate prior to boarding and/or upon arrival in Hawaii. Screeners will review/verify the vaccination documents, match photo IDs, name and date of birth, as well as confirm that the attestations are signed.
We’ve covered the full list of what you need to know prior to visiting Hawaii here.
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
- Excellent welcome offer worth 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Up to $300 in annual travel statement credits toward bookings make through Capital One Travel.
- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023