Vietnam has once again reopened for tourism purposes and now has the easiest entry requirements in Southeast Asia.
Following up on the news of Vietnam reopening and the minimal entry requirements that travelers need to adhere to in order to enter the country, it now seems that Vietnam is in fact the easiest country to enter in the region of Southeast Asia.
Why Vietnam Now Has The Easiest Entry Requirements In Southeast Asia
Firstly – unlike other nations in Southeast Asia that have also reopened for tourists – Vietnam does not require visitors to present a Covid-19 vaccine certificate, or certificate showing proof of recovery, when entering the country.
Also, there is no requirement to undergo any quarantine, whatsoever.
Basically, that now means that whether you are fully vaccinated – or not – all visitors follow the same guidelines for entry.
And, what is required of travelers is pretty minimal – with the following being all that you now need to do in order to enter Vietnam:
- take a Covid-19 RT-PCR or RT-LAMP test no more than three days (72 hours) prior to your departure, OR;
- take a Covid-19 rapid antigen test no more than one day (24 hours) prior to your departure.
However, this does not apply to visitors that are aged 2 and under.
With regards to visa requirements, Vietnam has reopened its E-visa website – where citizens from 80 countries can apply for a 30-day (single entry) tourist visa.
The country has also resumed its visa exemption scheme for nationals from thirteen nations – including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.
How Do Vietnam’s Entry Requirements Compare To Other Southeast Asian Countries?
The main reason why Vietnam is now considered to be the easiest country to enter in Southeast Asia is due to there being no requirement for travelers to show proof of their vaccination status.
Whereas, other nations in the region have different entry requirements – which apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors.
Let’s take a look at what the entry requirements are for four other popular Southeast Asian destinations – with each of the below being ranked in order of ease of entry.
Cambodia
If you are fully vaccinated and want to visit Cambodia, you can now do so without having to undergo any Covid-19 testing – either before, or on, arrival.
However, the nation’s Health Ministry has recommended that all travelers do a self-ATK test prior to traveling to the country.
Travelers – that are not fully vaccinated – are also able to enter Cambodia, however, they are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
It has also just been announced (17 March) that Cambodia’s ‘visa on arrival’ scheme will resume for all international arrivals – whether arriving into the country by air, land or water.
Philippines
Just last month it was reported that the Philippines became the easiest country to visit in Southeast Asia – with fully vaccinated travelers no longer needing to undergo quarantine – and instead only being required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test – upon arrival.
However, for individuals that are not classified as ‘fully vaccinated’ there is a requirement to undergo quarantine at a government facility, as well as take a Covid-19 test on day 5 after your arrival into the country.
Thailand
At the start of this month – March – Thailand eased its entry requirements for fully vaccinated travelers, with such visitors being required to show proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test upon arrival, as well as:
- apply for a Thailand Pass
- book a one-night stay at a ‘test and go’ hotel and undergo Covid-19 testing upon arrival into the country
- purchase health insurance which covers medical expenses for Covid-19.
Unvaccinated visitors can also enter the country – however – they are required to undergo alternative state quarantine.
Indonesia
At this present time, only the popular tourist hotspot of Bali is allowing visitors to enter for tourism purposes – with the Government of Bali having recently reopened their visa on arrival scheme for citizens from 23 countries.
The requirement for fully vaccinated travelers to quarantine upon arrival into the country has also been lifted. If you have received your full vaccination against Covid-19 you will be required to:
- show proof of a negative Covid-19 test certificate – which must have been issued no more than 48 hours prior to your departure
- undergo Covid-19 testing upon arrival
- undergo Covid-19 testing on day 3 after your arrival
- show proof of payment of a hotel booking for a minimum of 4 nights
- download – and install- the Peduli Lindungi app on your mobile device
- purchase health insurance – which includes up to $25,000 coverage of Covid-19 medical expenses.
Unvaccinated visitors are currently not allowed to enter Indonesia for tourism purposes.
