Asia Travel Restrictions: Which Popular Destinations Are Reopening?

While many of the world's most popular tourist destinations are doing their best to keep borders open and international travel flowing, adjusting their entry restrictions and incorporating vaccination or testing requirements, Asian countries have largely fallen behind the curve.

Some highly tourism-dependent destinations in Asia have come up with schemes that offer quarantine-free entry to foreign travelers only in select locations or under certain conditions, while others continue to mandate hotel quarantines or keep their borders closed altogether. But, generally, nations in this region are being very cautious in their approaches to reopening.

Some countries' borders may remain closed or they might maintain prohibitive entry policies, but there's no lack of international travel demand just waiting to be tapped into. Global travelers have waited two years for the chance to explore the Far East, Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific regions, but, depending upon their desired destination, they find themselves yet waiting indefinitely.

Has the Asia destination you're hoping to visit reopened to international travelers yet? Here are some of those countries' respective answers to that question.

Short answer: Yes, if you're fully vaccinated.

On March 17, the government of Cambodia announced that it was dropping some of its former travel restrictions, and is now welcoming fully vaccinated foreign visitors without quarantine or testing requirements. Unvaccinated arrivals will still be required to complete a 14-day quarantine. Eligible international tourists can also, once again, obtain visas upon arrival.

Previously, foreign travelers were required to not only produce their vaccination certificate, but also provide a negative PCR test result from a test taken within 72 hours of touching down in Cambodia, and then take a rapid test upon arrival.

Short answer: Nope.

China continues to stick firmly with its zero-COVID strategy, prolonging its isolation from the rest of the globe. Only foreign nationals who hold valid residence permits and visas are being permitted to enter the country under certain very limited conditions. To determine eligibility, prospective travelers can apply here for a health code. Passengers will need to complete a series of PCR and IgM antibody tests at specific locations in their departure city in order to board their flight. Elaborate details are provided on the Chinese embassy's website. All inbound passengers are required to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days upon arrival. Additional, compulsory testing may be performed upon arrival or for release from quarantine, including oral, nasal and anal swab tests.

*For more information, visit or U.S. Embassy & Consulates in China's website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

Tahiti is granting entry only to fully vaccinated international visitors at this time, meaning that individuals will need to have completed the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna series at least 14 days ahead of travel, or 28 days if they received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Travelers over the age of 18 who've completed their primary COVID-19 vaccine protocol are considered "fully vaccinated", but only if they're entering the country within nine months of receiving the second dose in the series. After that, they must have received a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated.

To board their flight to French Polynesia, travelers 12 and older are required to present a negative PCR test taken within 24 hours of their departure time. Foreign visitors must also have completed their registration and a few other forms via the country's 'Electronic Travel Information System' (ETIS) platform and present their receipt to the airline before boarding.

*For more information, visit tahititourisme.com

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

According to the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India's webpage, international travelers are being granted entry to India if their tourist/e-tourist visas were issued on or after October 6, 2021. Visas issued before that date will not be honored.

Foreign visitors ages five and older will need to submit a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal at least 72 hours prior to departing for India. There, unvaccinated travelers can upload a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the first leg of their flight to India, while fully vaccinated travelers can upload proof that they've completed a full primary COVID-19 vaccine series.

Approximately two percent of passengers on each arriving flight will be randomly tested, regardless of their vaccination status, but aren't required to wait for test results before leaving the airport.

Visitors are advised to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

For more information, visit the Indian government's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website.

Short answer: Yes, if you're fully vaccinated.

Update: Effective March 22, Indonesia has lifted all quarantine requirements for foreign tourists.

Only fully vaccinated U.S. travelers are currently permitted to visit Indonesia for leisure purposes. Overseas arrivals must provide multiple documents: proof that they're fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (ages 12 and over); a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of their departure; a short-visit visa or other entry permit (unless entering via a port that specifically offers visa-on-arrival programs); proof of booking and payment for accommodations (minimum of four days); and proof that they've purchased travel health insurance with a coverage minimum of SGD$20,000 (less than US$45) to cover any COVID-related treatment and hospitalization during their trip.

As of March 8, Indonesia's new international travel regulations expanded the number of entry points through which foreign tourists can enter the country. They are: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten; Juanda in East Java; Sam Ratulangi in North Sulawesi; Ngurah Rai, Bali; Hang Nadim, Riau Islands; Raja Haji Fisabilillah, Riau Islands; and Zainuddin Abdul Madjid, West Nusa Tenggara.

A visa-on-arrival program has resumed at entry points in Bali, Batam and Bintan, but arrivals elsewhere must hold a valid visa before departing for Indonesia and present it upon entry.

Overseas visitors are also required to download and use the PeduliLindungi app.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Indonesia's website.

Short answer: Not for tourism purposes.

Japan has given no indication as to if or when it plans on relaxing its strict border policies that exclude most foreign nationals from entry, including U.S. citizens. Any travelers who are granted an exemption are subject to a seven-day quarantine upon arrival (regardless of vaccination status) and must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departing on the first international leg of their flight. These test results must meet very strict documentation requirements and be presented in a very particular format. Any foreign national who received special permission to travel to Japan should visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website for the prescribed format.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan's website.

Short answer: Yes, from April 1.

Its government has announced that Malaysia will fully reopen its borders on April 1 for the first time in two years, as the Southeast Asian nation transitions to what it called the "endemic phase" of its COVID-19 strategy.

Fully vaccinated travelers can visit quarantine-free, must still provide a negative pre-travel PCR test, taken within two days of departure for Malaysia, and also take a professionally administered antigen test within the first 24 hours of their stay.

Unvaccinated foreign travelers, however, must undergo a five-day quarantine upon arrival. International arrivals under the age of 18 are exempt from the quarantine requirement, but will need to take a professionally administered antigen test within 24 hours of entering the country.

To streamline the entry process, travelers can download the MySejahtera contact tracing app, and upload their completed pre-departure form and travel documents.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia's website.

Short answer: Yes, with minimal restrictions.

As of March 5, fully vaccinated foreign travelers are no longer required to provide a negative PCR test upon arrival in the Maldives. Neither do they need to present a PCR test prior to departing. However, all inbound international travelers (even children) still need to complete the Traveler Health Declaration form within 48 hours of their flight.

Maldives Immigration notes that the archipelagic nation also requires travelers to have a pre-paid hotel or accommodations booking, and hold an airline ticket for return to their home country or for onward travel to a different destination.

A 30-day tourist visa is granted to foreign tourists upon arrival, making that part of the process easy.

*For more information, visit the Maldives Ministry of Tourism's website or the U.S. Mission to Maldives' website.

Short answer: Yes.

As of March 16, fully vaccinated foreign visitors can enter Nepal without needing to undergo testing. Travelers who don't have a vaccination certificate must take an approved COVID-19 test (RT-PCR, NAAT, Gene Xpert) taken within 72 hours of their departure for the South Asian nation.

All travelers, regardless of vaccine status, can receive on-arrival visas at their port of entry.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy in Nepal's website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

As of February 10, the Philippines is accepting fully vaccinated visitors from 150 countries that have visa-free entry permissions, including the U.S. Such foreign travelers are no longer required to quarantine at government-run facilities but must present proof of full vaccination, as well as a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure from their country of origin.

Travelers who don't require visas for entry must hold a valid airline ticket for a departure from the Philippines occurring within 30 days of their arrival date.

Lastly, international visitors must supply proof that they've purchased travel insurance with a minimum coverage amount of $35,000 that will cover care and treatment, should they contract COVID-19 during their trip.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines' website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

Singapore became the latest country in Asia to announce quarantine requirements for all vaccinated travelers would be lifted in April. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the country's "fight against COVID-19 has reached a major turning point," with fully vaccinated tourists from all countries welcome to visit in April.

Prospective visitors will need to provide proof of full vaccination (except for kids 12 and under) or certified proof of recovery from COVID-19 within the past 90 days. Foreign travelers must apply for a 'Vaccinated Travel Pass' (VTP) anywhere between three and 60 days prior to departure and ensure they obtain an appropriate visa.

Travelers ages two and over must also provide a negative pre-departure PCR or antigen test, administered by a professional and taken within two days of their departure for Singapore. Then, within 24 hours of their arrival, they're required to submit the results of an authorized, self-administered rapid antigen test before proceeding with their activities in the destination.

Overseas visitors must also have proof that they've purchased travel insurance with a coverage minimum of S$30,000 (US$22,118) to cover COVID-19 medical treatment or hospitalization during their trip, if necessary.

Travelers must also install the TraceTogether mobile app (kids age six and under are exempt from this rule).

*For more information, visit the Singapore Tourism Board's VTL webpage.

Short answer: Yes, with a few conditions.

South Korea has announced that it will loosen travel restrictions on April 1, when fully vaccinated travelers will be permitted to enter the country without quarantine. To be considered fully vaccinated, visitors need to have received their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine series within the past six months or have received an additional booster shot, if they completed their series more than 180 days previous.

Until that date, all inbound travelers (including those who are fully vaccinated) must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours of their departure, and most are required to undergo a seven-day quarantine upon arrival. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA has information on applying for exemptions. Foreign visitors are also required to download the Self-Check Mobile App, where they'll need to answer health-related questions every day for seven days.

From April 1 onward, passengers will be required to upload their vaccine records to the Q-CODE website before entering Korea in order to bypass a seven-day quarantine. They'll also need to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 48 hours of their departure.

*For more information, visit the Korea Tourism Organization's website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

From March 1, fully vaccinated travelers to Sri Lanka are exempt from pre-departure PCR/antigen testing and on-arrival testing, and can stay at any type of accommodation they like.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from on-arrival and exit PCR/antigen testing, but unvaccinated travelers between 12 and 18 years old are required to take an on-arrival PCR test at the airport, even when accompanied by fully vaccinated adults.

To gain entry, unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated adult travelers must provide a negative pre-travel PCR test taken within 72 hours, or antigen test taken within 48 hours, and then take a PCR test upon arrival at the airport. They must spend the first week of their trip in a 'Tourism Bio Bubble', meaning that they'll be able to enjoy all of their approved hotel's facilities and visit select tourist sites. This type of visitor must have a pre-confirmed reservation at a Level 1 'Safe & Secure Certified' hotel, booked for up to eight days, in order to qualify for a visa.

All travelers also need to fill out an Online Health Declaration Form and upload the relevant documents to obtain a QR code in advance of travel. And, regardless of vaccination status, foreign visitors must also purchase COVID-19 insurance with a minimum coverage amount of $75,000, which costs just $12 per month.

*For more information, visit the Sri Lanka Tourism Board's website.

Short answer: Not really.

Foreign nationals are not currently allowed to enter or transit through Taiwan without receiving special permission from the government, if they're traveling for humanitarian reasons or emergencies. From March 7, some may also be granted entry for business purposes, including investment, fulfillment of contracts and employment, but candidates must apply for a special entry permit.

U.S. citizens who do end up qualifying for an entry exception must provide a negative PCR test taken within two days of departing for Taiwan and are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

*For more information, visit the American Institute in Taiwan's website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

On April 1, Thailand will slightly relax its travel restrictions by dropping its pre-travel testing requirement for fully vaccinated international visitors entering the country under any one of the current three entry schemes: 'Test & Go', 'Sandbox', and 'Alternative Quarantine' (AQ). Currently, all international arrivals must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of embarkation.

Under 'Test & Go' program provisions, foreign travelers must still take a PCR test upon arrival at the airport, as well as submit a self-administered rapid antigen test on Day 5 of their visit. The MorChana app, which visitors should download upon arrival, even issues a reminder.

Foreign travelers must also provide proof that they've booked and paid for accommodations at a government-approved hotel for at least the first night of their stay while awaiting their on-arrival PCR test results.

Travelers entering under AQ rules will find their quarantine period reduced to five days, with a PCR test required between Days 4 and 5.

Additionally, Thailand requires tourists to purchase an insurance policy with minimum coverage of US$20,000 (reduced from US$50,000) to cover any COVID-related health issues that might arise during their trip.

*For more information, visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand's website.

Short answer: Yes, with restrictions.

On March 15, Vietnam reopened its borders to foreign tourists, and has eliminated its quarantine and post-arrival testing requirements, making it easier for travelers to enjoy this popular Southeast Asian destination.

Foreign arrivals must provide proof of a negative PCR or LAMP (loop-mediated amplification) test taken within 72 hours of their departure for Vietnam, or can opt for a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of departure (children under the age of two exempted).

International travelers are also required to complete a health declaration form and download the PC-COVID app for use throughout their stay. They'll also need to provide proof that they've purchased a travel insurance policy that carries a coverage minimum of VND$50,000 (roughly US$10,000) to cover the cost of any COVID-related health care they might require during their trip.

Visitors must monitor themselves for symptoms for the first 10 days of their stay and immediately inform the nearest medical facilities if they develop COVID-like symptoms, and are still required to wear masks in public spaces.

*For more information, visit the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam's website.