There are now only nine feasible post-lockdown holiday options
Holidays are banned under the third national lockdown, while dozens of countries have temporarily barred UK arrivals due to fears over a new Covid strain.
Furthermore, the FDCO travel corridor list, which usually dictates where we can go without needing to quarantine when we get home, has been temporarily suspended. Things are certainly looking bleak for travellers. But where can we go when we are free once more?
There are currently more than 50 territories on the corridor list, but many are not welcoming UK tourists. Of those that are, all now require travellers to present evidence of a Covid-19 test. In fact, there are only nine feasible holiday options unless you are able to quarantine when you get back to Britain. Below is a full guide to the rules for each of the travel corridor countries.
Note that Britons who visit non-corridor countries can now cut their quarantine from 10 days to as little as five if they test negative for Covid-19. From Monday, January 18, all arrivals to the UK will need to present evidence of a negative Covid test taken no more than 72 hours previously.
Caribbean
The Caribbean remains the best bet for a post-lockdown holiday, with eight destinations welcoming British travellers (but plenty of testing required).
Open
1. Antigua and Barbuda
All passengers 12 years and older must provide evidence of a negative test taken no more than seven days before arrival. Only tests administered by health care professionals are valid. Home tests are not permitted. Tourists with pre-booked hotel accommodation from the Government of Antigua and Barbuda’s Approved List will normally be permitted to travel to their accommodation after screening and be allowed to move around the country providing they adhere to local social distancing measures.
2. Barbados
Travellers from the UK must arrive with a negative PCR test taken by a certified or accredited laboratory within 3 days of arrival. On arrival, you will be required to quarantine at government-approved facilities (a designated holding hotel or approved villa at your own expense, or a government facility free of charge), and undertake a further test 5 days after the first accepted negative test. You will need to stay in your hotel room and may be required to wear an electronic tracking bracelet until you receive the results of your second test. If this second test is negative you will no longer be subject to quarantine.
3. Bermuda
Arrivals must show evidence of a negative test taken no more than 5 days before travel. Anyone arriving in Bermuda from the UK, or who has travelled through the UK within the 14 days prior to their arrival in Bermuda, must also quarantine for 4 days upon arrival. They will need to receive another negative test on or after the 4th day to leave quarantine.
4. Cuba
Arrivals must have a certified proof of a negative result of a PCR test taken within 72 hours before travel at an accredited testing centre in the UK. Tourists arriving on holiday charter flights will have a PCR test on arrival and will be transferred to their holiday resort. Tourists staying in casas particulares should not leave the casa until they receive a negative PCR test result (this usually takes less than 48 hours).
5. Dominica
Arriving passengers must complete an online questionnaire 24 hours before arrival, and have a PCR swab test with a negative result taken up to 72 hours before arrival. On arrival a Rapid Diagnostic Test will be taken. If negative tourists must spend the first five days in their government-approved hotel.
6. St Lucia
All travellers must provide certified proof of a negative PCR test taken seven days or less before travel to St Lucia. All international visitors must stay at an approved hotel or resort for the duration of their stay.
7. St Vincent and the Grenadines
Arrivals must have a negative result of a PCR test done no more than 72 previously. They may be retested on arrival, must remain in an approved hotel, and will be retested on days 4 and 7.
Open (with severe restrictions)
British Virgin Islands
Arrival must show evidence of a negative test no more than five days old, quarantine in an approved location for a period of 14 days, take further tests on days 7 and 14, and wear a tracking bracelet.
St Barthélemy
All travellers over the age of 11 must undertake a test for Covid-19 within 72 hours before departure for St Martin & St Barthélemy. However, the only flight options available are via France, which is not on the travel corridor list.
St Kitts and Nevis
Travellers from the UK are required to quarantine for 14 days.
Closed
Anguilla
Anguilla’s ports, sea and air, are closed for all regular inbound passenger movements.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands Government has closed its airports to all scheduled international passenger flights until further notice.
Grenada
Flights between the UK and Grenada have been temporarily suspended.
Montserrat
Entry into Montserrat is restricted to residents.
Turks and Caicos
Anyone arriving to the Turks and Caicos Islands is required to obtain pre-travel authorisation via the Turks and Caicos Islands Assured Portal. This requires evidence of a negative COVID-19 test from a reputable facility taken less than five days prior to arrival in the Turks and Caicos Islands, proof of health/travel insurance with Covid cover and a completed health screening questionnaire. However, currently the only flight options are via the US, which is not open to non-residents.
Europe
The removal of the Azores and Madeira means there are now only 11 destinations in Europe on the UK's travel corridor list. Only four of these are open to non-essential travellers, and these four are all imposing severe restrictions.
Open (with severe restrictions)
Greek islands: Corfu, Crete, Kos, Rhodes, Zakynthos
All arrivals into Greece need to provide proof of a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours old. Anyone entering from the UK will also be asked to undergo a rapid test on arrival. Arrivals from the UK are currently required to self-isolate for 7 days in the event of a negative test result. In the event of a positive test result, travellers will have to isolate for at least 14 days. In either case, travellers will need to undertake a further PCR test at the end of their period of self-isolation.
Guernsey
All persons arriving in to The Islands of Guernsey from anywhere in the world must self-isolate for 21 days on arrival, unless opting to take a test following 13 days of self-isolation and receive a negative result thereafter.
Ireland
All arrivals (except those from Northern Ireland) must show evidence of a negative PCR test carried out in the previous 72 hours. UK arrivals should self-isolate for 14 days.
Jersey
All UK regions (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) are classified with red travel status. Arrivals must take a test on arrival, a second on day 5, and another on day 10. During this time they must self-isolate. If all tests are negative that can leave their quarantine on day 10.
Closed
Faroe Islands
Those resident in the UK are not able to enter Denmark (including the Faroe Islands) unless they have a worthy purpose (holidays don’t count). See the FCDO entry requirements for more information.
Finland
Entry to Finland is prohibited for non-resident foreign nationals entering, with limited exemptions. If you’re eligible to enter Finland from the UK, you will need to self-isolate for 10 days after arrival.
Gibraltar
Only specified categories of people are currently permitted to enter Gibraltar by air – these include registered Gibraltarians, residents of Gibraltar, Spanish nationals and residents in transit to Spain, and those working in Gibraltar.
Greenland
Those resident in the UK are not able to enter Denmark (including Greenland) unless they have a worthy purpose (holidays don’t count).
Iceland
All non-essential travel is not permitted, unless you are resident in Iceland or fall under their exempt category of traveller.
Isle of Man
Closed to non-residents.
Norway
UK nationals cannot enter Norway unless they meet certain exemptions.
Africa/Indian Ocean
The recent loss of Namibia and the Seychelles means there are now only two countries on the travel corridor list in Africa and the Indian Ocean: the Maldives and Rwanda. Both are open to UK arrivals, but all routes to Rwanda currently require a stop in a non-corridor country.
Open
8. Maldives
All visitors must present a negative PCR test, issued no more than 96 hours prior to departure. All travellers must fill in a Traveller Health Declaration form 24 hours before departure.
Open (with severe restrictions)
Rwanda
All arrivals must present a negative PCR test result taken within 120 hours of departure. However, all routes to Rwanda require a stop in a non-corridor country, such as the Netherlands, Ethiopia or Turkey, so you will still need to self-isolate on your return.
Oceania
There are 10 destinations in Oceania on the travel corridor list. Alas, all are closed to UK arrivals.
Closed
Australia
Australia is closed, except for Australian citizens and permanent residents or those with an exemption.
Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia has declared a “state of public health emergency”. No passengers are allowed to disembark any air or sea vessel originating outside of Federated States of Micronesia.
Fiji
The Fiji border remains closed to British tourists. Only residents and Fijian citizens are allowed to return to Fiji.
Kiribati
Kiribati will deny entry to any travellers who have been in or transited countries with confirmed local transmission within 14 days immediately prior to entering Kiribati. A list of countries covered by these restrictions is available from the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
New Caledonia
Only travellers who can prove that entry is for urgent family/work reasons will be allowed to enter, and they will be expected to fill in a travel certificate and provide proof.
Pitcairn
Pitcairn Island has closed its borders. No vessels apart from the Islands supply vessel are permitted to land.
Samoa
Samoa’s international borders are currently closed under an ongoing State of Emergency, unless approved by the Samoan government due to exceptional circumstances, e.g. repatriation.
Solomon Islands
All countries with the exception of Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan and neighbouring South Pacific island nations (none of which are open to UK arrivals) have been designated by Solomon Islands as ‘high risk’ for Covid-19. Prospective travellers who have been in a ‘high risk’ country must spend 28 days in a low risk country before being considered eligible to enter.
Timor-Leste
The Government of Timor-Leste has extended the temporary closure of its airports, ports and land borders.
Tonga
Tongan borders are closed to entry by all foreign nationals, except if authorisation is granted by the relevant Tongan Government authority.
Vanuatu
The borders are closed and it is not possible to travel to Vanuatu, unless you are a Vanuatu citizen or returning permanent resident.
Middle East
The removal of Qatar and the UAE means there are now only two countries in the Middle East on the quarantine-free corridor list: Bahrain, which is open to UK arrivals, and Saudi Arabia, which is not.
Open
9. Bahrain
Bahrain International Airport remains open, including for transit and transfer passengers, and visas on arrival have been reintroduced for 68 nationalities including the UK. All arrivals into Bahrain will be required to undergo and pay for the enhanced arrivals testing procedure for COVID-19 and need to self-quarantine until test results have been received.
Closed
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi authorities require anyone who is travelling from a country where the new strain of Covid has spread to spend at least 14 days outside the affected country before entering the Kingdom. This includes travellers from the UK.
Asia
Just two of the 15 destinations in Asia on the travel corridor list are open to UK arrivals, and both of them still have a 14-day quarantine requirement. No holidays here.
Open (with severe restrictions)
Cambodia
All travellers to Cambodia will be tested on arrival and then required to quarantine for 14 days at a facility designated by the Cambodian government. This may be at a hotel (at your own expense) or at a government facility.
Thailand
All travellers to Thailand, including all British nationals, are required to complete 14 days quarantine at a State Quarantine or Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) facility.
Closed
Bhutan
Bhutan’s borders are currently closed to foreign nationals.
Brunei
Entry to Brunei is severely restricted. Anyone seeking to enter or exit Brunei must apply for a permit from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Hong Kong
Travellers who have visited the UK for more than two hours within the past 21 days will be denied entry to Hong Kong. This includes those transiting the UK if they disembark the aircraft.
Japan
Entry to Japan by foreign nationals from the majority of countries, including the UK, is currently not permitted.
Laos
The government of the Laos has suspended the visa on arrival service at all international entry points, and no visas are being issued to people travelling from a country with Covid-19, including the UK.
Macao
All travellers who are not residents of Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan or mainland China will be denied entry to Macao.
Malaysia
Entry to Malaysia for all British nationals is prohibited. Some exemptions may apply, including: British nationals with permanent resident status, resident pass, My Second Home Programme (MM2H) pass, expatriates of all categories, including professional visit passes as well as dependents pass, spouse to Malaysian nationals (spouse visa) and students and temporary employment passes.
Mongolia
It is currently not possible for British nationals to enter Mongolia due to restrictions imposed by the Mongolian government except in limited circumstances.
Singapore
Travellers who have been in the UK in the previous 14 days before travel, including for transit, are not permitted to enter or transit Singapore.
South Korea
Flights from the UK have been suspended, as have visas for UK arrivals. All arrivals, regardless of nationality and length of stay, are also required to be tested for coronavirus and to undergo quarantine for 14 days after arriving in South Korea.
Sri Lanka
Entry to Sri Lanka is currently prohibited for all non-nationals.
Taiwan
Foreign nationals are not permitted to enter Taiwan.
Vietnam
Vietnam has suspended visa waivers, issuing of visas and the entry into Vietnam for all foreign nationals.
The rest of the world
Open (with severe restrictions)
Falkland Islands
Any entrants into the Falkland Islands are expected to self-isolate for a period of 14 days after arrival.
Closed
British Antarctic Territory
Yeah, right. Are you coming on a research vessel?
British Indian Ocean Territory
Not open to ordinary travellers.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
See “British Antarctic Territory”.
St Helena
Only Saints and their dependents, long-term entry permit holders and those in service to the Crown in right of the Government of St Helena and their dependents are permitted to enter the island.
St Pierre and Miquelon
All travellers over the age of 11 must undertake a test for Covid within 72 hours before departure for St Pierre & Miquelon. However, there are currently no flights to this French overseas territory off the coast of Newfoundland.