Keen adventurers will be thrilled as more and more countries begin reopening their borders following a difficult two years. With the rise of the coronavirus in 2020, borders were closed to travellers as governments implemented nationwide lockdowns.
After a year and a half of travel misery, which saw thousands of people have their holidays cancelled because of lockdown and then further disappointment as strikes and cancellations caused chaos at airports, things are finally looking up. Most European countries are open to travellers as normal, with masks no longer required and mandatory testing abolished.
But what about those countries further afield, where Covid hit particularly hard? Many Asian countries have taken a little longer to get back up to full speed, though many are open to travellers, vaccinations or negative Covid tests are still required.
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So where on the map should you stick a pin in to get a taste of pre-pandemic travel? Here, we share five bucket-list destinations guaranteed to quench your wanderlust.
Japan
Yes, this beautiful nation is finally reopening to tourists properly. After being hit pretty heavily by the pandemic, Japan closed its borders in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus.
Back in June 2022, the country announced that it was rebooting its international tourism. However, when tourists arrived they were met with all sorts of requirements, from continuous tests, mandatory masks and compulsory travel insurance. By far the most controversial decision was that guests must be chaperoned by tour guides throughout their trip and were only allowed into select places.
However, that has now come to an end and the Land of the Rising Sun has rolled out the welcome mat for foreign visitors once again. The government has lifted its daily 50,000 visitor cap and reinstated visa-free entry for individual travellers.
While in the gorgeous country, take a trip to Mt Fuji, immerse yourself in the history at the Tokyo National Museum and treat your tastebuds at Nishiki Market. For anime fans, a trip to the iconic Ghibli Museum will be top of the list.
Flights from the UK can vary in cost with some airlines charging upwards of £800. Be sure to do your research first and be flexible with your dates, as this gives you the best chance to find a good deal.
Hong Kong
While China remains firmly shut to all visitors, Hong Kong is known as a Special Administrative Region (SAR), meaning that it is a relatively autonomous part of China with its own travel rules. Despite its borders being open to travellers, there are still some fairly strict rules in place for visitors, so if it's on your list then consider first if waiting a bit longer is better.
Previously, Hong Kong authorities required that any visitors to the region must quarantine in a specially selected hotel. However, this has been replaced with an arrangement they are calling the "0+3" system.
This means you must be fully vaccinated and you must produce a negative lateral flow antigen test within 24 hours prior to your departure. Travellers will also be required to fill in a health and quarantine information declaration.
Once you arrive in Hong Kong International Airport, you will be guided to an area where they will carry out a PCR test. The government is referring to this segment as the "test and go" arrangement, as you are not required to wait at the airport for the result.
Travellers will be given an "amber code" and can travel onwards to their homes or hotel via any method of transportation. Following a negative result, there will be three nights of medical surveillance where visitors are permitted to leave their accommodation but are not allowed to enter restaurants, bars, gyms etc. where the country's vaccine pass system is in operation.
After the medical surveillance, there is a further four-day self-monitoring period, making the process a week-long observation period in total. Following your day of arrival, which is marked as day zero, visitors are required to undergo further PCR tests on days two, four and six with a lateral flow, or antigen test, carried out on days one, three, five and seven.
Flights to both of these destinations are available from Bristol stopover connections in Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Dublin.
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