Are you driven out of your mind by cabin fever right now, dying to hop on the next available flight to anywhere? The global pandemic of 2020 has got the world in a frenzied terror, but unfortunately the loss of wanderlust isn't a symptom of Covid-19. Before you impulsively book a flight somewhere, however, hold your horses: there’s no point travelling at great risk to your personal health, or if you’re going to enter a foreign country where life is so severely restricted you end up more stressed out than you are at home.
If you’d like to start planning for your next vacation in advance, though, here are Native’s top recommendations for 4 of the best destinations already open to Singaporeans for a relatively safe, relaxing holiday even during Covid's continuing reign of terror.
Taiwan
Taiwan has been a shining model example for the world when it comes to Covid-19 control: the island, though densely populated with over 20 million people, has thus far reported only around 500 cases of Covid-19 and has by now gone more than 200 days without a single new case resulting from local spread. Furthermore, the Taiwanese never had to undergo even a single lockdown process, due to the government’s speedy and efficient containment of the virus early on in April 2020.
Life in Taiwan is now completely normal (something that can be said for precious few other countries in the world) making it one of the safest destinations that Singaporeans can travel to in the near future. Expect to have to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to departure as well as submit to a quarantine period upon arrival, but once you’re done with all that you’d be able to enjoy the full spectrum of Taiwan’s attractions as if COVID-19 never existed.
Hong Kong
With a new travel bubble forming between Singapore and Hong Kong, Singaporeans may soon find themselves on the first flight out from one island to the other. Although it’s still a little early to tell, the travel bubble would most likely mean that Singaporeans will not have to submit themselves to a quarantine upon arrival in Hong Kong, or on their return to Singapore. Expect, however, to have to take multiple COVID-19 PCR tests prior to your departure, upon arrival there, and to repeat that whole process on your journey back home.
Hong Kong has emerged from the pandemic with only around 5,000 cases, and local spread has been reported to be almost entirely contained. Businesses are mostly back up and running, as are schools and offices. As such, there’s little that you won’t be able to do as long as you wear a mask.
United Arab Emirates
Like many Asian countries, the United Arab Emirates took COVID-19 firmly in hand early on with quick, decisive actions that has since saved the country from the devastation seen in Europe and the Americas. As such, COVID-19 risk in Dubai is now relatively low: though the country as a whole reported over 140,000 infections cases, deaths were capped at an extremely low 500. The country is now reopen for tourists from all around the world, as long as they’re able to present a printed certificate of a negative COVID‑19 PCR test (in English or Arabic) taken a maximum of 96 hours before departure, as well as subject themselves to further COVID-19 testing upon arrival. If their test results are all negative, no quarantine will be required.
Theme parks, hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses are all open. To further boost traveller confidence, certain businesses like luxury resort Atlantis, The Palm even offer free in-resort COVID-testing for visitors staying for 5 nights or more. Don’t be alarmed by strict policing on social distancing and mask-wearing in public, though - in some areas security guards and members of the police force have the power to intervene to separate strangers who are mingling too closely, or enforce mask-wearing on violators.
Thailand
Although one of the first few countries after China to report Covid-19 cases, Thailand was also remarkably quick in subduing the spread of the virus and has since reported only about 3,000 Covid-19 cases in total. Local viral spread has also been contained, businesses have been reopened, and the Thais are finding confidence mingling together in close proximity once more.
Such growing success has prompted the Thai government to reopen its borders and welcome foreign tourists into the country again, albeit with many more restrictions in place. Travellers from Singapore, identified as a low-risk destination, will now be able to apply for a Special Tourist Visa to enter the country. There’s a big catch, though: you will have to stay for a minimum of 90 days, as well as undergo a 14-day quarantine and submit proof of mandatory medical insurance. If you have time to kill and the ability to work remotely, however, a 3-month stint on a beach in Phuket doesn’t sound like the worst idea in the world.
