Tips For Travelling In The New World Of 2021 

We have been fortunate enough to travel during a time when most of the world was at home and we have not taken a moment of this for granted. Although some aspects of our travels have been quite difficult, we are SO grateful to be traveling. Through this crazy experience and learning how to navigate a world of international travel that looks very different to what it used to look like, we’ve picked up on a couple of things that would come in handy for anyone looking to travel internationally in 2021 with the world slowly starting to open up again. So here are our tips for international travel in 2021, let’s jump straight into it. 

Where to? 

The first thing you need to do when planning your trip is decide on where you’re headed, but not all countries are open for tourism and the countries that are can be a bit picky about where travellers are coming from depending on the covid infection rates in those countries, etc. So first you need to decide where you would like to go and then you need to check if that country is open for tourism and finally, if they are accepting travellers from the country you’ll be flying from. You can use this website to keep up to date with regulations like this (https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php) 

Visas 

Another thing to keep in mind, and something that hasn’t changed much in this new world of travel, is Visa’s. Of course you will need to check if you’ll need a Visa to travel to your destination country and we just found a great way to do it! This site offers you a straightforward, hassle free way to book a Visa online https://www.ivisa.com/apply-online?utm_source=sarahandmarek 

Travel Insurance 

Travel insurance is also a very important aspect of travel planning that cannot be overlooked. Something to keep in mind is that your regular medical insurance/ medical aid could cover you for shorter international trips sometimes even up to 3 months. So it’s a good idea to check this before paying for travel insurance you may not actually need. Another good habit to have and something we are a bit guilty of, is knowing what you are covered for. Insurance can be a bit tricky sometimes and I am no professional here so all I will say is read the fine print. 😉 

Flexible Travel 

Before booking your tickets, keep in mind that things are constantly changing and your plans could be disrupted, especially if you are booking tickets far in advance. Our best advice would be to make ‘refundable/flexible travel plans’ and document your bookings thoroughly.  

Requirements of Entry

The next thing you need to find out is what the ‘requirements of entry’ are. Do you need a negative PCR test or an Antigen test? Do you need to quarantine on arrival? Do you need to take a second test once you arrive? These are some really important things you need to find out about before booking your tickets. Most countries have this information available on their official websites but you can use this website to find the latest information regarding Covid regulations for countries worldwide (https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php) 

Once, you have decided on the country you’ll be traveling to, I would suggest checking their official websites for their entry requirements, Covid regulations, etc. 

PCR/Antigen Tests

Now that you’ve done your research and you know about all the requirements, it’s time to make sure you fulfil all the requirements for a smooth travel day. Most PCR tests need to be taken no longer than 72 hours (in some cases 48 hours) before arrival in your destination country. This requirement can be a bit tricky and may cause some stress when test results take a bit longer than anticipated, but luckily with international travel opening up more these tests are becoming more and more available and results are coming faster than before. One thing you need to be very careful of is making sure that you get your test done with a reputable company/brand. It’s good to keep in mind that there are some companies out there that may not be recognised by airlines/border controls and they may not accept a test done by a particular company. 

Accommodation 

So now you’ve booked your tickets, you know ‘where’ you’ll be going to get your PCR test done, and ‘when’ you need to get it done. Now depending on whether or not you need a second PCR test upon arrival or whether you need to quarantine you may need to do a bit of research on where you could get your second test and you may need to book accommodation and make the necessary arrangements for your quarantine. In our experience, when a country requires you to get a second test done they might give you information about this upon arrival but it’s always good to do a bit research beforehand and find out about any testing sites that may be near to where you’ll be staying.  

Ready. Set. Travel. 

To get ready for your travel day, the documents you will generally need would be your PCR test result, your visa or any other travel documentation required, and of course your ticket.  

Our last piece of advice would be to keep up to date with the Covid regulations in the country you are visiting. Sometimes these regulations change whilst you are visiting so it’s a good idea to keep yourself in the loop on any new regulations etc. 

We wish you happy travels! As always if you have any questions, pop us an email and we’ll be happy to help 😄