Smiling Albino

Coronavirus Travel Update: Vietnam

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Entry Restrictions

  • Effective from the time of publishing until further notice, Vietnam will deny entry and issue no visas for citzens of the below countries:
    • Vietnamese Visa on Arrival (VoA) issuance will cease worldwide immediately. In addition, all travelers from outside of Vietnam, including U.S. citizens and overseas Vietnamese, entering Vietnam with visas will be subject to a health check and mandatory 14 day quarantine.
  • High risk due to the disruption from flights, border entry and quarantine restrictions announcements. Do not attempt to travel to Vietnam at this time until further notice.

Schengen Countries & UK: Valid 30 days from 15th March 2020 to 15th April 2020 

  • E-Visas
    • All e-visas will be denied and no longer valid until further notice.
  • Visa Exemptions
    • All visa exemptions ill be denied and no longer valid until further notice.
  • Visa on Arrival Visa Letters
    • All persons with issued visa letters will be denied entry from 15 March 2020 until further notice.

Rest of the World (Excluding EU & UK): Valid 30 days from 15th March 2020 to 15th April 2020

  • Entry to Vietnam will be denied to citizens of China, South Korea, Italy, Iran. If anyone has been to these countries within 14 days of their arrival (including transit/come from these countries) then they will be denied entry.
  • E-Visas
    • From 15th March, wll e-visas will be denied and no longer valid until further notice.
    •  

Health Declarations

  • All guests are obligated to make medication declarations before entering Vietnam. Please contact us for the form in advance for your clients to avoid additional queues on the ground.
  • Health declaration online form: https://tokhaiyte.vn/ 

Airlines

  • Vietnam Airlines
    • Vietnam Airlines announced effective on 15 March 2020 the suspension of their flights from London, Paris and Frankfurt to Vietnam. The suspension is indefinite att this time.
    • Vietnam Airlines will also be waiving fees to change dates and itineraries for passengers who have purchased tickets already.

 

Please note: After completing the health declaration, if any traveler is deemed to exhibit any symptoms of illness, they may be denied entry at the discretion of the local Vietnamese government. 

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Countrywide Requirements

  • From 16th March it is compulsory to wear masks in Vietnam in all public areas. Guests are advised to have masks with them at all times.
  • It is now compulsory to wear masks on flights and airport areas. Failure to do so could result in not being allowed to fly.
  • School closures have extended into April
  • Most clubs, bars and lots of highlights, visiting sites throughout the country are closed for disinfecting

 

Cruises

  • All Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises are currently suspended. Operations have ceased and all ships will go through a period of disinfection from 00:00 12th March – 00:00 March 27, 2020.
  • All Paradise Cruises closed until 30th June 2020.
  • Resumed cruise operations will happen with official government dispatch only.

 

Experiences & Attractions

  • Southern Vietnam
    • Ninh Binh (Tam Coc, Trang An and Van Long and pagodas) are now closed until further notice.
    • Cuc Phuong National Park is also closed until further notice.
    • Thung Nam Bird Sanctuary and Waterway (Bat Cave) are closed.
    • Hoa Lu and Hang Mua are also open as normal.
    • Lune Productions (A O Show, The Mist, My Village) closed from 09 to 15 March 2020.
    • Con Dao Island highlights are now temporarily closed from 11th March until further notice.
    • Hai Au Seaplane between Hanoi to Tuan Chau marina has some options to see Ha Long Bay at this time. Note that weather can be a bit foggy this time and only morning flights have 15 mins scenic flights included.

 

  • Central Vietnam
    • Hoi An Area has officially announced that Hoi An will temporarily close the Ancient Hoi An Area from 12 March 2020 until 31 March 2020 and all the bars in Minh An Ward and the health centre of Hoian need to deploy spraying disinfectant.
    • Phong Nha Ke Bang Caving_Oxalis have now cancelled all expeditions until further notice. Includes Son Doong.
    • Quang Tri Province: All sites will be closed from 18 March until further notice.
    • Quang Binh Province: All sites will be closed from 17 March until further notice.

 

  • Northern Vietnam
    • Hoa Lo Prison: Closed until further notice.
    • Ngoc Son Temple: Closed until further notice.
    • Museum of Ethnology: Closed until 15 March 2020
    • Duong Lam Village: Operating on a case by case basis.
    • Bun Cha Obama: Closed until 19 March 2020.

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Hanoi

  • Sofitel Legend Metropole in Hanoi: The hotel has opened a separate reception for guests to check in and out, but all guests will stay in Opera Wing. The hotel is currently receiving new booking requests for guests to stay in Opera Wing only. Restaurants and spa are still working as normal.
  • La Siesta Trendy: Temporarily closed from 17 March 2020 until 30 April 2020 for disinfecting and renovating.
  • Essence Hanoi Hotel & Spa: One wing is closed until 17th March. The other is still open as normal and guests can check-in & check-out.
  • La Siesta Premium Hang Be: Temporarily closed from 17 March 2020 until 30 April 2020 for disinfecting and renovating.
  • Hanoi Emerald Waters Trendy: The hotel has closed and will remain closed until 1 August 2020.
  • O’Gallery Classy Hotel: The hotel has closed until further notice. From 3 March 2020, all current reservations at O’Gallery Classy Hotel will be transferred to O’Gallery Premier Hotel or another similarly-ranked hotel within Oriental Hospitality Group
  • Hanoi E Central Hotel: Temporarily closed from 17 March 2020 until 30 April 2020 for disinfecting and renovating.
  • La Siesta Classic Ma May, La Siesta Classic Lo Su, La Siesta Premium Cau Go, La Siesta Premium Hang Be: Temporarily closed from 17 Mar 2020 until 30 Apr 2020 for disinfecting and renovating.

Regional Northern Vietnam

  • Topas Ecolodge: Quarantined until 21st March. Two guests have tested positive who stayed there. No check-in/out.
  • Pu Luong Retreat: Quarantined until 18 March as a precaution.
  • Mai Chau Ecolodge: Temporarily stopped welcoming new guests from 14 Mar until 28 Mar 2020 as 02 guests who are staying there were on the same flight VN0054 with case 46. They are waiting for testing.

Halong Bay 

  • Paradise Suites Hotel: Paradise Vietnam would like to announce the closure of Paradise Suites Hotel and all Paradise Cruises from now until 30th June 2020.

Hue

  • Pilgrimage Hue: One area of the hotel is still quarantined until further notice, other parts of the hotel are still open as normal.
  • Moonlight Hotel: The hotel will be under quarantine until 18th March. No check in/out.
  • Vedana Lang Co Hue: Open as normal, can check-in & check-out.

Hoi An

  • Four Seasons Resort the Nam Hai: Quarantined until 24th March as a guest was diagnosed positive with Covid-19. They won’t receive any new bookings until further notice.
  • Boutique Hoi An Resort: One guest tested positive. He was transferred with his wife to Hue for treatment. No new check-in from 10 March. All guests who are staying in the hotel have to check out on 12 March 2020. From 12-24 March 2020, the hotel will be empty.
  • La Siesta Hoi An: The hotel is open as normal. The guests who were quarantined before are negative to Covid-19 and have returned home as of 16 March 2020.

Ho Chi Minh City

Alagon Zen: 14th March: Quarantined for disinfecting as 4 Czech who ran away from quarantine have been caught there.

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Vietnam’s health ministry is working on tactics to contain the spread of the coronavirus, a viral respiratory infection similar to SARS that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The government and authorities are on high alert and giving high priority to the prevention and combat against this epidemic.

At this time, Vietnam is exercising the following measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus:

  • As of 25 March: Vietnam has confirmed 134 Covid-19 cases – infection with 17 cases recovered, no deaths.
  • As of 23 March: Vietnam has confirmed 113 Covid-19 cases – infection with 17 cases recovered.
  • As of 20 March: Vietnam has confirmed 85 Covid-19 cases – infection with 17 cases recovered and 52 cases are confirmed to be still positively infected.
  • As of 19 March: Vietnam has confirmed 68 Covid-19 cases – infection with 16 cases recovered and 52 cases are confirmed to be still positively infected.
  • As of 17 March: Vietnam has confirmed 61 Covid-19 cases – infection with 16 cases recovered and 45 cases are confirmed to be still positively infected.
  • As of 14 March: Vietnam has confirmed 57 Covid-19 cases – infection with 16 cases recovered and 41 cases are confirmed to be still positively infected.
  • Schengen Countries & UK: Schengen countries: Austria, Hungary, Norway, Belgium, Iceland, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Finland, Lithuania, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, Germany, Malta, Switzerland, Greece, Netherlands
    • E-Visas: all denied and no longer valid until further notice.
    • Visa exemptions: All now denied until further notice.
    • VOA (visa on Arrival) Letters & Visas: suspended until further notice.
    • Issued VOA/Visas: entry denied from 15th March 2020
  • Rest of the World (NOT EU & UK Citizens): This is expected to apply from 15th March 2020 to 15th April 2020.
    • Denied entry to citizens of China, South Korea, Italy, Iran.
    • E-Visas: From 15th March denied until further notice.
    • VOA Letters/Visa: (waiting on official stamped announcement)
    • VOA (Visa on arrival): suspended completely on 15th March 2020, for a one month period to be reviewed
    • VOA already Issued: entry denied from 15th March 2020 until further notice
  • As of 12 March: Hotels, attractions and visa changes have been implemented. Please read about them below.
  • As of 10 March: An outbreak of 13 coronavirus cases over the weekend tied to a flight from London to Hanoi has led the government to restrict international tourists led to the decision to temporarily require visas for previously visa-free travel for citizens of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy from 12 March, 2020 at 00:00 (Midnight Wednesday night).
    • VOA Letters:
      • *Already issued with a VOA letter issued date up until 9th March 2020 – the guests may travel on it.
      • *Not yet issued – We can still do VOA letters but not through providers. We are now required to do the VOA directly with immigration and submit the itinerary with application. This is now a longer process of at least 10 working days.
    • Visa Exemptions: From 9th March 2020 denied for Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, England, Germany, France, and Spain. Need to apply for a visa directly with the Vietnam Embassy or for a VOA letter sponsored by a local operator in Vietnam.
  • As of 9 March: 14 new cases, mostly foreigners traveling from high risk countries, were detected in Vietnam over the weekend with infections rosing to 30 with 16 recovered and 0 deaths.
  • As of 2 March: All 16 of Vietnam’s Covid-19 patients, including the oldest who is 73, have been cured and discharged from the hospital.
  • As of 1 March: All flights from South Korea will not be allowed to land at Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City airports, instead they will be directed to Van Don (Quang Ninh province) and Can Tho airports for processing and quarantining of passengers.
    • All passengers arriving from South Korea will be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
    • Vietnam has also suspended issuing visas to South Korean nationals.
  • As of 27 February: Travelers who are coming from or transit in Tokyo, Seoul or major airports of other countries with COVID-19 cases arriving in Vietnam are allowed entry but the actual decision to enter will be decided on the spot based on showing symptoms of the virus on arrival.
  • There have been 16 cases who tested positive for coronavirus. Friends and relatives of the infected are being kept under close monitoring. Vietnam’s health sector has implemented strict measures in order to isolate these cases. Of the 16 cases, all 16 have recovered
  • As of 25 February: Due to the increase in cases in South Korea, Vietnam has implemented mandatory health declarations at all international border gates for passengers arriving from South Korea.
  • On 24/2, the Vietnam Ministry of Health issued Official Letter No. 868 / BYT-DP on guiding isolation for people returning from Korea. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health stipulates that medical declarations must be applied to all guests arriving or leaving Korea; At the same time, they must be isolated in the centralized isolation area of the city within 14 days from the date of entry for those arriving from or passing through Deagu area and North Gyeongsang area, South Korea.
  • Vietnam Airlines has stopped flights as at 24th Feb for Da Nang – Incheon and Cam Ranh (Nha Trang) – Incheon.
  • As of 10 February: Suspension of all flights to mainland China; a ban on all foreign visitors who have been in China within the past 14 days and returning Vietnamese quarantined. Flights to Hong Kong and Taiwan still operational. Incoming Chinese tour groups suspended, returning workers from China being quarantined.
  • As of 05 February: the Vietnamese government will identify any tourist who has recenlty been to the central of the outbreak in China (Hebei – Wuhan) as highest risk and will be totally isolated from public community as per the health department’s instructions.
  • As of 02 February: 23 provinces and cities have postpone the post Tet holiday restarting date by one week with classes to resume on 10 February.
  • All the international airports have fever checking machines and been checking the body temperature of passengers arriving in Vietnam;
  • The Ministry of Health’s emergency operations center has been activated to prevent the epidemic from spreading and provide sufficient and precise information for the public;
  • People who show signs of fever or those in contact with people with suspected signs are being strictly monitored;
  • Hospitals have prepared isolated areas to prevent cross-infection in the event that a confirmed case needs to be treated;
  • All flights to and from China have been banned
  • Vietnamese authorities have implemented health declarations for people arriving from China by air and road.

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Vietnam 

  • Vietnam National Administration of Tourism: Click here.
  • US Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam: Click here.
  • US Department of State Travel Advisory, Vietnam: Click here.

 

Government Travel Advisories 

 

Virus Updates

  • World Health Organisation’s Novel Coronavirus advice for the public: Click here.
  • World Health Organisation’s updated information on the novel coronavirus: Click here.
  • John Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering dashboard map: Click here.

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