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Destinations This Tropical Island Is Reopening To Travellers For The First Time In 2 Years
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This Tropical Island Is Reopening To Travellers For The First Time In 2 Years

Put Vanuatu on your travel list as this tropical Island is opening its doors for travellers for the first time in two years

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By: Alison Fox Published: Jun 29, 2022 10:30 AM IST

This Tropical Island Is Reopening To Travellers For The First Time In 2 Years
Image Credit: Sammy Toar Heintje Mantow/EyeEm/Getty Images

The small South Pacific island of Vanuatu will welcome international travellers next month for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. By Alison Fox

“We invite you to answer the call of  Vanuatu once again!”

tropical island
Image Credit: Vanuatu Tourism Office/Facebook

The island nation, which sits off the coast of Australia, will reopen its borders to international travellers on July 1, according to the Vanuatu Tourism Office. All travellers will be required to show certified proof of a negative rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of their departure, regardless of their vaccination status. Alternatively, travellers can show medically certified proof they contracted COVID-19 and recovered within 28 days of their trip.

Travellers will not be required to quarantine or undergo testing upon arrival, but are asked to wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

“We are so excited to welcome international travellers back to our shores from July 1, 2022,” the tourism office wrote on its website. “Our beautiful smiles await you, and we invite you to Answer the Call of Vanuatu once again!”

Restricted access for tourists

Vanuatu
Image Credit: Vanuatu Tourism Office/Facebook

Currently, travellers will only be allowed to visit the provinces and islands that are classified as “Health Recovery Level 1 status,” which means they have a high level of COVID-19 vaccination and their virus situation is stable, according to the tourism office. That includes Efate — where the capital Port Vila is located — and Sanma.

To get to the tropical island of Vanuatu, the tourism office said Air Vanuatu will operate 16 flights each week to and from Port Vila in several cities, including Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Brisbane, Australia, and Melbourne. Virgin Australia also said it would add direct flights from Brisbane to Port Vila starting in March 2023, with up to five flights each week.

The tropical island of Vanuatu is also a popular cruise stop in the region. And in 2019, Royal Caribbean announced its plan to build a sustainable private island in the country as the first carbon-neutral private cruise destination in the world.

(This story first appeared on www.travelandleisure.com)

Related: This Tropical Paradise Is Home To One Of The World’s Largest Reefs — Here’s How To Plan An Unforgettable Trip

Written By

Alison Fox

Alison Fox

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