When Will We Be Able To Dive On Maui Again?
Many people ask when we think we’ll be going out diving again on Maui. Guaranteed, we want to be getting our fins wet as much as you do. Even though we still don’t have a firm timeline, we would like to provide you with some general guidance for future travel. Let’s start with what is currently affecting travel to Maui County due to COVID-19.
Current Travel to Maui
Our islands welcoming aloha spirit is legendary. However, with tourism shut down, the current focus is on the health and safety of our community and not over taxing our healthcare system.
Maui (and Hawaii) have particular challenges, being a relatively small, remote island community. Island residents are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis due to the normally high number of daily visitors from the U.S. mainland and globally. We also have limited health care facilities when faced with a large influx of health care emergencies.
As much as we want to explore the ocean around Maui with you, Now, unfortunately, is not the time to visit Maui or Hawaii.
There is a mandated a 14-day quarantine for all visitors and residents entering the state until further notice. In addition, Maui County is under a stay-at-home order.
All tourism activities are closed, and policies are being strictly enforced. Visitors are restricted to their lodging, except for emergency medical care.
- For more information about statements issued by Governor Ige, CLICK HERE.
- For more information about Maui County restrictions and information (Maui, Molokai, Lanai) – CLICK HERE
So When Can You Visit Maui?
If you have flexible travel plans, you might wait and see where we are at by the end of May for travel later in the summer. The state has a task force working on re-opening Hawaii’s economy, with more information coming out frequently. We expect to see local businesses start to re-open first, followed by tourism operations, including Lahaina Divers.
Expect fabulous prices on airfares when tourism does open up. You will also likely observe a continuation of social distancing and other health precautions as part of our “new normal.” Before quarantine, we proactively took steps to limit number of divers per charter, and implemented extra cleaning
You can check our COVID-19 update page, which is revised frequently, to see if travel is likely mid to late summer. Lahaina Divers has a flexible 48 hour cancellation policy on dive charters, so you can book in advance with confidence. It is also advised to check with the airlines to see what their change or refund policy is before booking.
Make Plans for Later Travel to Maui
While we do expect tourism to rebuild slowly, industry experts predict Maui will be a very desirable vacation location post-pandemic. Travelers that may have planned to go to Europe or other foreign destinations may feel safer choosing domestic travel to Maui. While exotic, we are part of the U.S., and have full advantage of our country’s COVID-19 recovery resources.
So, you may want to make charter reservations if you plan a trip to Maui late in 2020 or even next year. It is advisable book your dives in advance during holiday periods and other peak times like Spring Break and Summer to ensure the best availability.
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau.
