Vietnam Reopen to International Tourists: What You Need to Know

Strolling along the beach on May Rut Trong Island (Hon Vong), South Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, credit: OnBird Phu Quoc

Turtlehead rock Beach, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, credit: OnBird Phu Quoc

When Vietnam will be reopened?

A plan of reopening Vietnam to international tourists is under review, Vietnam is speeding up the vaccination of the whole population for the purpose of living with Covid coditionally.
Accordingly a Travel Sandbox campaign under the name Live Fully in Vietnam will be launched to promote the reopening of Vietnam tourism.

Which Vietnam place to reopen to international tourists firstly?

Phu Quoc Island known as Pearl island would be the starting destination to welcome international tourists under the plan with a program named Roam Phu Quoc or Phu Quoc Sandbox. Under the Phu Quoc Sandbox or Roam Phu Quoc program, the Pearl Island of Vietnam is expected to welcome international tourists to Phu Quoc from the end of November 2021.

Who could travel to Vietnam under the Travel Sandbox program?

Not a full reopening of Vietnam in general or Phu Quoc in particular as you probably expect, the Phu Quoc Sandbox or Roam Phu Quoc program will be implemented step by step in 2 phases in accordance with the medical capacity of the Pearl Island. The draft of 2 phases to reopen Phu Quoc is as follow:

Phase 1 (from December 20 to March 20, 2022):

- Number of tourists allowed to enter Phu Quoc: 3,000-5,000 passengers/month
- Target tourists:

• Charter flights (package holidays organized and operated by Travel Companies such as: TUI, Thomas Cook, Coral Travel, Annex...but not Commercial international flights.
• Visitors by the region/nations in which Covid is under control with a high percentage people being fully vaccinated.
• Vaccine Passport: tourists are fully vaccinated (2 shots) with WHO-approved vaccine.
• Negative Covid test at least 14 days before the entry.
  
  

Phase 2 (from March 20, 2022 to June 20, 2022):

After evaluating the results of phase 1 pilot implementation, if the requirements are met, the Phu Quoc Sandbox will expand the expected scale to welcome from 5,000 – 10,000 monthly and resume some of international commercial flights between Phu Quoc and for example: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, China...as it took usual in post-covid time

Crystal Reef or Dam Ngang Island, South Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, credit: OnBird Phu Quoc

Where to get updated latest notifications on Phu Quoc Sandbox?

PhuQuoc-sandbox.com is the community website launched by a groups of travel companies based in Phu Quoc Island to provide international tourists with the latest updates on the reopening of Vietnam in general and Phu Quoc Island in particular.

Coral and Anemone colony at Half-moon Reef, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam. Credit: OnBird Phu Quoc