Remember to Use “Reef Safe” Sunscreen When Visiting the Beach

How are we unknowingly killing the reefs? – Sunscreen

The sunscreen that snorkelers, beachgoers and children romping in the waves lather on for protection is killing coral and reefs around the globe. A new study finds that a single drop in a small area is all it takes for the chemicals in the lotion to mount an attack. The study determined that a tiny amount of sunscreen is all it takes to begin damaging the delicate corals — the equivalent of a drop of water in a half-dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools — The ingredients Oxybenzone and Octinoxate breaks the coral down, robbing it of life-giving nutrients and turning it ghostly white.

Across the world each year, up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions are discharged into coral reef, and much of it “contains between 1 and 10 percent oxybenzone.”

Coral reefs are more than just exotic displays of color on the sea bed. They spawn the fish humans eat and protect miles of coast from storm surge. Local economies also receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based near reef ecosystems.

Oxybenzone is mixed in more than 3,500 sunscreen products worldwide, including popular brands such as Coppertone, Baby Blanket Faces, L’Oreal Paris, Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat. There are alternative sunscreens with no oxybenzone, including a product called Badger Natural Sunscreen and dozens of others.

Sunscreen ingredients to avoid;

Avoid sunscreens containing petrolatum, commonly known as mineral oil, which takes years to biodegrade, and are known to be harmful or fatal to aquatic life and waterfowl.
Avoid sunscreens with high content of Titanium Dioxide. This mineral does not biodegrade and is found to react in warm seawater to form hydrogen peroxide which is harmful to all sea life.
Oxybenzone and octinoxate, the two chemicals recently banned in Hawaii and are believed to cause coral bleaching.

Here is a list of sunscreens considered to be reef safe. Made in Hawaii sunscreens are marked with an *asterisks.

*Kokua Sun Care Hawaiian SPF 50 Natural Zinc Sunscreen
*Mama Kuleana Waterproof SPF 30 Reef-safe Sunscreen
*Little Hands Hawaii SPF 35+ All-natural and Organic Sunscreen
Manda Organic SPF 50 Sun Paste
*Raw Love SPF 35 All-natural Mineral Sunscreen
Thinksport SPF 50 Sunscreen
All Good SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen Lotion
Babo Botanicals SPF 30 Clear Zinc Lotion
Suntegrity Natural Mineral Sunscreen
Badger SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen Cream
Raw Elements SPF 30 Certified Natural Sunscreen
Stream2Sea SPF 30 Mineral Sunblock
Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ All-natural Sunscreen
Banana Boat Simply Protect SPF 50+ Sunscreen (spray, not lotion)
Olita Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

Not only is it a good idea to use “Reef Safe” Sunscreens, but Hawaii is the first state in the U.S. to Ban the sale of Sunscreens containing the coral-harming chemicals Oxybenzone and Octinoxate which took effect January 1, 2021.

Our Vacation Home is located on the sunny Southside of Kauai within 300 yards of the world-famous Poipu Beach and Brennecke’s Beach. See information about our home and what makes it a great alternative to a Hotel stay when you visit Kauai.

Reopening Hawaii – Visitors Welcome After Testing

Last Wednesday we finally received some welcomed news. Hawaii’s Governor, during his news conference at the Honolulu Airport announced that Hawaii is going to open to domestic and international travelers beginning August 1, 2020 with restrictions. Due to the efforts of many people, including those of you who postponed trips to Hawaii, and our fellow residents who abided by the earlier “Stay At Home” quarantine restrictions. Hawaii now gets to begin the process of re-opening the state to visitors.

Reopening Hawaii begins Saturday August 1, Travelers to Hawaii who have a valid negative COVID-19 polymerise chain reaction (PCR) test from a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified laboratory prior to arriving at a Hawaii airport will not be subject to the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine. This test result must be confirmed prior to arrival and the traveler must present evidence of this test upon arrival. Travelers are responsible for the cost of the pre-travel testing.

We have all sacrificed to reach this point allowing the re-opening of travel and it is essential that we continue being vigilant. This process is going to allow visitors to return to Hawaii and to continue protect the health and safety of our communities. It needs to be a continued focus and priority.

Pre-Travel Testing Program for Out-of-State Travelers Beginning August 1

Beginning August 1, travelers arriving in Hawaii must have and bring proof of a Negative COVID-19 Test from an FDA certified laboratory to not be subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Be sure to bring proof of the Negative Test Results.
No testing will be provided upon arrival at the Airports in Hawaii.
The 14-day quarantine will remain in place for those who do not get pre-tested. If quarantine is refused, travelers will be able to make arrangements to depart Hawaii immediately. Departure from the airport is not permitted.
Temperature checks will also continue at the airports across the state. Anyone with a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees or is experiencing other symptoms will be required to undergo secondary screening at the airport by healthcare staff.
Travelers will be required to complete the State Travel and Health Declaration forms upon arrival.
Everyone will be required to wear face masks in Hawaii airports and businesses while staying in Hawaii.
It will be much better to travel into Hawaii with your pre-travel Negative COVID-19 test than face the 14-day quarantine. The quarantines are stringent. There are only few locations in Hawaii that are conducting the quarantines. Travelers are not allowed to leave their rooms, except for seeking medical care or to go to the airport to depart the island. Food is delivers to your door for the full 14-day period, and the costs are the responsibility of the traveler. Adherence is closely monitored, and violators are prosecuted ($5,000.00 and or a year in Jail).
Further Details are forthcoming; The timeframe of how far in advance a test can be taken, from what age children will need to be tested, how long the pre-arrival testing requirement and 14-day quarantine process will be in effect, whether this applies to only travel from mainland U.S. or does it apply to travelers from other countries, and how this effects returning residents.

We will continue to update this information as is gets closer to August 1. Additional Information about the entrance and quarantine process from Hawaii’s Department of Transportation Website. As of July 13, 2020 Governor Ige has announced that the plan to allow domestic visitors arrival with a COVID Negative test, “The state will now delay by at least a month the planned Aug. 1 reopening of Hawaii’s tourism industry with a traveler pre-testing program to at least September 1”. http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2020/07/13/governor-says-he-plans-extend-day-quarantine-all-trans-pacific-travelers-through-august/. This means that all individuals arriving to Hawaii will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine.

Once the reopening of Hawaii begins our Vacation Rental in Poipu will be “Vacation Ready.” We have implemented enhanced cleaning protocols for our guests health & safety. To view more about our Poipu Vacation Home and to check on our rates or to make a reservation for your trip to Kauai.

Vacation Rentals Safer Alternative to Hotels

Vacation Rentals Gain Popularity Amid Coronavirus

A recent Article on AARP.org Points to Vacation Rental Homes as an Alternative to Hotels

As a traveler, Theresa Blanding has always considered herself a hotel person. But in the age of coronavirus, a bustling hotel lobby and crowded elevators give her pause. “I’m confident that hotels will be careful about cleaning, but I’m not sure how it’s possible to avoid contact with other guests, not to mention staff,” says the 71-year-old Boulder, Colorado, resident.

As coronavirus lockdowns slowly begin to ease, people are slowly starting to contemplate future vacation plans.

Donna Racette, a 70-year-old retiree in Niwot, Colorado, was traveling in California in early March when the coronavirus-related travel alarms started. “I noticed the hotel staff weren’t cleaning the doorknobs,” she says. “I became fastidious about having my own wipes and would go into a hotel before my husband to wipe down the doorknobs and elevator buttons.” When she starts to travel again, Racette says she’ll definitely book through a Vacation Rental Home. “I like knowing I am in control of cleaning all the rooms and surfaces in a home during my stay,” she says. “I can’t have that control in a hotel.”

A recent survey conducted by market research company OmniTrak examined travel-related perceptions of risk related to the coronavirus pandemic and found that hotels (46 percent) were seen as a greater risk than a vacation rental (39 percent). The survey of 2,500 people did not ask participants to go into detail about their travel confidence, but it’s rather easy to surmise that respondents perceived home shares as less risky because the volume of travelers to a vacation rental is likely smaller than at a hotel. A vacation rental is also less likely to have common areas frequented by guests and staying at a vacation rental you don’t have to eat out every meal.

Increased safety precautions

Our enhanced cleaning protocols for our guests is being implemented where the cleaning protocol is based on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published standards, The new cleaning protocol includes using single-use cleaning products, bagless vacuums and, it also includes requirements for cleaning staff to wear masks, gloves and use certain disinfectants. It’s estimated that housekeeping is allotted just 45 minutes for hotel room cleaning. Within that time frame, they have a long list of responsibilities. This includes replacing toiletries, sheets, and comforters and removing the trash. Sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces and objects oftentimes is not a priority, putting guests and staff at risk for infection. In hotels, many people share the same surfaces, objects, and areas each day, which allows germs to spread easily. A recent study revealed that hotel elevator buttons have nearly 40 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, and a whopping 81% of surfaces in more than 100 hotel rooms tested positive for fecal bacteria during an inspection. Common infections guests acquire in unclean hotels and rooms include MRSA, Staph, influenza, rhinovirus (the common cold) and norovirus. As a precaution, along with our enhanced cleaning procedures, we will also observe at least a 24-hour waiting period before booking new guest to occupy our property. We have set up our system to keep in touch with our guests to 2 weeks after their departed to inquire about their current health so we may follow up on illnesses to help with contact tracing. (Hotel Cleaning Challenges & Statistics)

A More selective host

Travelers opting to stay with us can expect us to be more particular and inquisitive about our guests. We will be asking: “In the last two weeks, have you or anyone you live with traveled to any areas impacted by COVID-19?” and “Do you currently have any travel restrictions in your area due to COVID-19?” We’d prefer longer stays vs a shorter one to lessen the foot traffic and the extra time involved in the cleaning process for the next guest.

Guest-friendly rules

Compared to other resort properties, we as an owner of the property have the ability to have more guest-friendly rules when it comes to cancellations or rescheduling guest to future dates. Due to some of the Extenuating circumstances of the Pandemic we have given from 50% to 100% refunds to our guests, rescheduled guests stays up to 18 months into the future in the past, and anticipate if necessary due to a rise in Covid Cases or Government places restrictions on travel will continue these policies.

Still, no guarantees

Despite the extra cleaning measures, host-guest education and flexibility, companies like Airbnb, HomeAway and Vrbo aren’t liable in the same way hotels and we are, stresses David Sherwyn, a hospitality professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Ultimately, the homeowners, not the booking platform, decide how thoroughly they clean their home and whether to issue a refund, Sherwyn says. “Home rental companies can say, “We tell our people to follow these procedures,” but they cannot guarantee it,” he notes. “You are counting on the homeowner.” In this case My Kauai Vacation Rental will be standing by our commitment to cleanliness and enhanced cleaning protocols to help ensure our guests safety.

See the entire article on AARP.org https://www.aarp.org/travel/travel-tips/lodging/info-2020/vacation-rentals-amid-coronavirus.html

Guest Welcome Book & Local Travel Guide

My Kauai Vacation Rental introduces our very own Digital Guest Welcome Book & Island Travel Guide

Everything our guests will ever need to know before and during their stay. And all just a click away! Our Guest Welcome Book & Travel Guide will help our guests get comfortable and make our home their home. We used to use the same old binder ideas every other vacation owner tried, packed with the information we though they would need and hoped they would be able to find and use. I always wondered, would it be left so our next guest could even find it? Would they even read it?

Now I’ve found and built a resource, I know everyone will be able to actually use. It’s our Digital Guest Welcome Book and a Travel Guide. It’s something that I send them link to, they download it and it provides them what they need to know about our home, the local area with guiding information like where’s the beach, the grocery store, and all the sights they should not miss right at their finger tips. Save a copy on your phone and even if you loose cell signal it’ll still function providing a guiding hand to our island of Kauai.

With our welcome book & travel guide, we can now offer our guests not only a place to call home, but a truly amazing experience! It is packed with our local knowledge, leading our guests to the hidden gems off the beaten path, sharing our experience of local culture, our favorite restaurants and events right at their finger tips, We want our guests to thoroughly enjoy their stay and have every reason to return time and again. Book your stay at My Kauai Vacation Rental Today.

Our Digital Guest Welcome Book & Local Travel Guide is just the beginning of what make My Kauai Vacation Rental stand out. Added Services like:

Our Grocery Shopping Service. You don’t need to fly across country, 1/2 way across the Pacific Ocean, pick up a rental car and drive another 1/2 hour to the Rental Home; Then figure which one of you has to go to the store. Our Grocery Service will take your shopping list to the store, shop, and bring the groceries back to the rental, & fill the refrigerator all before you arrive.

Water Sports Equipment & Bike Rentals. Looking forward to spending time at the beach? Plan to or would like to take out and getting some exercise on a Stand Up Paddle Board, Don’t want to bring your own Snorkel, Mask & Fins or want to be able to exercise on a bike throughout your stay. Our knowledge, local friends and resources will be able to make sure you can have the equipment available when you want. Let us know that this is something you would like to do & we’ll help get equipment lined up during your stay. Looking forward to a relaxing stay, Schedule a Couple’s Massage. We’ll schedule the couple’s massage or even a solo massage and they’ll arrive at the condo ready to get your trip started the Aloha Way.

On the adventurous side? Enroll in Surf Lessons. Your choice in Group, Semi-Private or Private one-on-one Surf lessons to learn more faster. They are only a short distance from our Vacation Rental in Poipu. Discounted Rates for surf lessons when booked with your stay at My Kauai Vacation Rental.

Travel Insurance. Everyone that had a trips scheduled within the middle of 2020 has either wished they got a decent travel insurance policy for their trip or one that is the only one that paid out during the Covid-19 Pandemic, a Cancel For Any Reason of CFAR Travel Insurance Policy. We had one of the few companies working with us and providing our guest with this option and still do. Our Travel Policies can be obtained as part of your booking process, you will have the option to choose either a Standard Policy or a CFAR Policy.

As you are booking your stay, you have optional services you can also obtain, to get all of your on-island trip items scheduled and taken care of up front. If you need help, let us know.

We look forward to seeing you in Kauai!

Mahalo

Water Sports in Poipu Kauai

Water Sports Poipu = Hoku WaterSports

A trip to Kauai is all about the beach. While staying at our My Kauai Vacation Rental, we suggest Hoku Water Sports for all your beach gear rentals. Hoku Water Sports has all the equipment you may need for a fun and relaxing day at the beach, including snorkel gear, surfboards, boogie boards, Stand Up Paddleboards, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and anything else you may need for the perfect beach day. They also rent bikes if you want a fun and easy way to get from your vacation rental to the beach. Their office is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you can rent their equipment by the hour, day, or week.

Lessons & Canoe Trips

Hoku water sports, Kauai also offers surf and paddleboard lessons, as well as guided outrigger canoe trips. They offer group, semi-private, and private surf lessons for anyone over the age of 5 and under the weight of 225 pounds. Each lesson is led by an experienced instructor and lasts approximately 90 minutes. The first 25 minutes is spent on land learning the proper stance, getting up on your board, and how to catch a wave. Then the students and instructor spend an hour in the water catching some waves. Surf lessons are done off the waters of their shop in a small, protected cove with smaller waves that are perfect for the beginning surfer. Lessons are offered every day at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m., and each student is given a surfboard, booties, and a rash guard shirt to use during the lesson.

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