COVID-19 Situation Update

June 4, 2020

Announcement, Cambodia, China, Coronavirus, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, Important, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia & Borneo, Mexico, Myanmar, News, Singapore, Thailand, Travel Alerts, Vietnam

Though we strive to have the most up to date information on our website, this page is for informational purposes only. Please always ensure to check with your local government agencies and the government bodies of your planned destination before any travel.

Last Updated: December 7th 2020

Following the December outbreak of novel coronavirus – now officially termed ‘Covid-19’ – our global team have been closely monitoring the situation and in response activated a number of additional measures to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. At this time, there is no need to be distressed; rest assured that the Discova team are on the ground to manage any changes.

We have activated prevention measures such as improved hygiene facilitation and enabled our Incident Response Team so that our staff and customers are supported 24/7. We are working to ensure these procedures are complied with not only on Discova operated tours but also where we have to use third-party suppliers.

Recent measures put in place by Discova

Discova guides, drivers, airport reps and in-destination hosts may be wearing masks for protection.

All guides, drivers and vehicles will have hand sanitiser on hand. Additional hygiene measures have also been put in place to ensure our vehicles are properly sanitised every day.

Incident response process has been put into place

Tours will avoid wet markets where there may be raw meat or livestock. If this is unavoidable, our guests will have the option to opt out of that part of the tour or to take extra precaution in wearing masks and using hand sanitisers.

There is no need to be alarmed, however, everyone should take the necessary precautions to avoid infection and the spread of false information. There has been a large amount of misinformation spread both on and offline. We encourage you to monitor the WHO situational updates which may be found here for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Tips for Travellers

At this time, we recommend that travellers consider taking general precautions to minimise their risk.

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay away from public areas and seek medical assistance if you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Latest Updates

Our countries at a glance

Country	International Flights Available	Foreigners Allowed Entry	Shops Open	Restaurants Open	Bars Open	Domestic Travel Available	Schools Open
Vietnam	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Singapore	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
China	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Thailand	Limited	Limited	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited	Limited
Cambodia	Limited	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Limited
Costa Rica	Yes	Yes	Limited	Limited	Limited	Yes	No
Dominican Republic	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hong Kong	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Indonesia	Limited	Yes	No	No	No	Limited	No
Japan	Limited	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Laos	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Malaysia & Borneo	Limited	No	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
Mexico	Yes	Yes	Limited	Limited	Limited	Yes	No
Myanmar	No	No	Limited	No	No	No	No

Vietnam

Borders are open and weekly commercial international flights are available for essential travel to selected countries i.e. Japan, South Korea and soon to be available for China, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
Prior to boarding flights: passengers must have covid free certificate, valid Vietnam entry visa, body temperature checking, install covid tracking app on smartphone, transit pax sitting in allocated section on airplane, foreign pax with valid travel insurance policy.
Upon disembarkation, for pax with <14 day stay, pax to take PCR testing twice a day and self quarantine
Wearing masks remains compulsory in public.
Domestic travel may resume at normal capacity with social distancing restrictions lifted.

China

Hong Kong

The Government launched the Universal Community Testing Programme on September 1 to provide a one-off free COVID-19 testing service for all members of the public.
Singapore and Hong Kong have reached an in-principle agreement to establish a two-way Air Travel Bubble (ATB). This will allow travel between both cities without quarantine. There are conditions that travellers will have to adhere to, however, including testing negative for Covid-19.

Japan

Singapore

Passengers who have been to Mainland China, South Korea, Iran, and Northern Italy in the previous 14 days are not allowed to transit or enter Singapore.
Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) elevated to Orange on 7th Feb.
Singapore will block entry or transit for visitors who travelled to Italy, France, Spain and Germany within the last 14 days. Date of effect: Sunday 15th March 2020.
From 16th March 2020, any passengers entering Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice.
Effective March 20, 11.59pm, all Singaporeans, Permanent Residents, Long Term Pass holders and short term visitors entering Singapore will be issued with a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN). They will have to provide proof of the place where they will serve the 14-day SHN.

Thailand

Thailand has resumed limited foreign tourists’, entry and inbound tourist flights, using special tourist visas as of Oct. 21.
The travellers on the new visa must adhere to several protocols, including testing negative for COVID-19 before the trip and upon arrival, committing to staying in Thailand for at least 30 days, quarantining at government-designated facilities for two weeks upon arrival, and downloading a contact tracing application.
Domestic travel has resumed with local quarantines now being decided at a provincial level.

Cambodia

All land borders are closed.
Airports are open, however, all arrivals will be required to transfer to a test centre for COVID19 swab testing.
A $3000 USD deposit is required from all arrivals to cover virus prevention services.
Foreign travellers will have to pay $5 for a single trip between the airport and the waiting centre, $100 for a COVID-19 test, $30 for a day’s stay at a hotel or at a waiting centre while waiting for the test results and $30 for three meals during their wait.
Travellers on the same flight as a confirmed case will be quarantined for 14 days and will be required to pay $100 per traveller for one test and $84 dollars a day to pay for the stay in a hotel or quarantine facility, meals, laundry, sanitary services, doctors and security services (Total of $1276 plus the possibility of further tests).

Costa Rica

From November 1st, Costa Rican border are open to all international arrivals.
From August 5^th foreign tourists can already enter the country with an international insurance policy, purchased in their respective countries, that covers hospitalization and lodging. This includes citizens of the UK, EU and Canada.
Validity of the insurance policy effective during the visit in Costa Rica, must guarantee that it covers medical expenses in cases of pandemic disease covid-19 in Costa Rica, for at least $ 50,000 (about 29 million colones) and that includes a minimum coverage of $ 2,000 (approximately one million colones) for lodging expenses, extended as a result of pandemic disease.
Foreigners must present to the CR tourism board the insurance document (confirm that includes all requirements) and an affidavit in PDF format confirming that the insurance cover includes all requirements and the Tourism board will provide a response in 24 hours approving the entrance. If suitable insurance cannot be found, Discova can advise on where to find local Costa Rican providers, although we have no affiliation with insurance vendors.

Dominican Republic

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia & Borneo

Mexico

Myanmar

Travel Advice

Due to the constantly evolving situation we strongly recommend checking official travel advisories prior to travel. These can be found using the links below or through your national government website.

Share this post

Active Travel: 8 Thrilling Sporting Experiences with Discova

As the world gears up for the Tokyo Olympics, we share our active travel experiences that allow travellers to get sporty while exploring a destination.

Get Inspired: 5 of Our Best Hotels in Japan

With the Olympics in Japan just on the horizon, we thought we'd run through some of our best hotels in Japan offering style and hospitality. Get inspired!

Vegan and Vegetarian Japanese Food: A Helpful Guide

Notoriously difficult to find? We take a look at the options for vegan and vegetarian Japanese food and offer a couple of restaurant recommendations too.

Lessons to Be Learned from the Pandemic: A Reflection

We look back at our performance during the pandemic and reflect on the implications for the future, with insights from some of our staff.

The Experience of Eating: The Traveller’s Table, Riviera Maya

We share details of a fantastic dining experience in Mexico - The Traveller's Table. The expert hosts take travellers on a hands-on culinary journey.

July 1st Phuket Opening: What Exactly is Going On?

Confused about what's going on in Phuket? Thankfully, we have all the latest information on the Phuket opening. Time to get excited about a trip to Thailand.