Kaua‘i is reopening after Hurricane Lowell. Here’s what travelers need to know about power outages, damaged areas, open hotels, and when to visit.
When Hurricane Lowell passed offshore of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau overnight on September 7, it significantly impacted the south shore community of Po‘ipū and the west shore communities of Port Allen, Hanapepe, Waimea, and Makaha. At least 18 homes were completely destroyed, and another 101 were severely damaged, according to reports received by Kaua‘i County as of Tuesday morning. The following morning, nearly 90% of Kaua‘i homes and businesses were without power.
Many parts of the island are recovering quickly. By late Tuesday, Kaua‘i County officials reported that power had been restored to 83% of the island’s users, and some county parks—including beaches—were reopening following the storm. Some hotels, including the Royal Sonesta Kaua‘i Resort and Koloa Landing Resort at Po‘ipū remain open for guest arrivals.
Many restaurants across the island also remain open—including many in heavily affected Po‘ipū Beach and nearby Kōloa. Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort & Spa expects to reopen September 20, and other hotels and resorts across the island are accepting reservations for arrivals in late September or early October. Some users also reported that travel insurers were not paying claims for canceled trips related to the hurricane if the accommodations themselves remained operational.
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Although some hotels and resorts are open, many travelers may have lingering hesitations over whether it’s appropriate or advisable to visit the island in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, while recovery operations are ongoing. Some bookers expressed frustration on social media that hotels or Airbnb hosts would not refund reservations booked for late September or October arrival dates.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state’s destination management organization, issued an update Tuesday morning that evolved from a recommendation that visitors with imminent plans to visit Kaua‘i rebook to another Hawaiian island, to a cautious acknowledgment that Kaua‘i has made steady recovery progress and many tourism-related businesses are operational, saying that “residents’ safety and well-being remain the priority. Visitors are asked to travel with patience, flexibility, and respect for ongoing recovery work.”
HTA recommends that visitors with upcoming confirmed plans check that their accommodations are available and able to host, reconfirm their flights, and also check with providers for any booked activities are still operational. Once completed, HTA advises, with emphasis: “If essential parts of your itinerary are unavailable, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority recommends rescheduling your Kauaʻi visit instead of canceling your Hawaiʻi trip.”
For travelers who ultimately elect to visit in the coming weeks, HTA further advises visitors not to enter heavily affected communities to view or photograph storm damage, and also to respect signage that indicates roads are only open to “local traffic.” Visitors should also yield to recovery crews, be patient with hospitality workers who may be operating limited hours or facing supply shortages, and be flexible if plans need to change because of ongoing community recovery efforts.
It’s worth noting that many parts of the island were impacted differently by the storm, and while businesses may be operating normally on some parts of the island, other more impacted parts of the island may need additional time to restore vital infrastructure for residents before turning to accommodate visitors.
The island’s north shore, including the communities of Princeville, Hanalei, and Wainiha, is still experiencing access and power grid issues, and may take longer to recover. The island’s utility company has called in workers from across Hawai‘i and even from California to help restore power to the remaining customers.
State officials seem keen not to have a repeat of the post-disaster mixed messaging that is still contributing to lower visitor traffic on the island of Maui more than two years after wildfires ravaged the town of Lahaina, but left tourism business on much of the rest of the island untouched and scrambling to retain visitors.
Travelers with upcoming plans to visit Kaua‘i can check the island’s overall status on the Go Hawai‘i website in addition to staying in contact with their accommodation provider for the most recent updates.