We’ve been traveling to countries open to visitors since September 2020. Along the way we’ve found a few ways to travel as efficiently and safely as possible.
- Always re-checking government websites for entrance requirements the day before/of departure. They change often and with no notice.
- Take direct flights. We never minded a layover or two, but to avoid possible snags in airports we would book direct flights.
- Try to have as few people touch your phone as possible, other than you. This may mean printing out whatever is required in that country such as a proof of travel insurance, quarantine hotel address and confirmation, proof of onward travel, health form confirmations or QR codes.
- Make sure you complete all the application health requirement forms online a few days before departure. Screen shot your bar codes, confirmation number, QR code for back-up record.
- Get travel insurance if the country requires it. Make sure all the criteria are met within the policy. It’s helpful to print the summary pages that lists those requirements.
- Make sure you have the approved COVID test (PCR or Antigen) within the time window allowed. Don’t cut this window too closely as often flights are being cancelled.
- Make sure your travel insurance meets any specific criteria the country requires. Many if not most policies have loopholes when it comes to excluding pandemic claims. Too complicated to get into here, do in depth research before buying.
- Avoid heavily populated areas within airports. Use out of the way bathrooms, wait in the empty gates until closer to your flight time. Don’t eat in restaurants, take your food to go and eat where there are fewer people.
- Build in more time to catch international flights. We missed our first flight ever, by not allowing extra time to fly to Costa Rica from Miami. It was our fault because we’d forgotten to fill in the online health form, and a slow website was enough for us to miss the window for checking in by a few minutes. Lesson learned.
- Learn each countries pandemic protocols. In Ireland they were very strict about how one enters and exits every public building. In Quito we got our temperature taken at every entrance of a mall or store, then got our entire body sprayed down with some kind of mist sanitizer or can of actual Lysol. We never saw a single person in any setting maskless. In Tahiti people wore masks in stores and optional hand sanitizer at the doors. In Costa Rica it was much more relaxed although there was always someone taking our neck temp at the door of the grocery store. They also dangle spray bottles of mystery sanitizer in the doorways of stores. Use or don’t. Up to you.
Traveling during a pandemic requires a bit more planning and attention to the details of entrance requirements. Still work the effort once you reach your destination.
