Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic Stories > Experiences > Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic J.J. StrankoWith many of us anxious to get on the road again, we need to ask practical questions like “when will customs let me into another country?” or “what happens if I get stranded somewhere?” It’s natural to be worried about things beyond our control. But there’s another set of thornier questions that many are asking, like “is it really safe to be travelling?” or “aren’t there more important things to think about than a vacation?” We plan your perfect escapeYou earned your vacation. Take the stress and uncertainty out of planning it by letting us provide travel expertise and up-to-date destination intel from local insiders. Plan my trip “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts” – Mark TwainMr Hudson likes reading Mark Twain so much because he shows us how travel can liberate the mind, calm the soul, and make us more accepting and caring people — particularly in challenging circumstances.Twain, in fact, took many of the trips that served as the fodder for some of the greatest pieces in literature during some of the toughest times his country ever faced. He moved west across the country all through the American Civil War, and then went to Europe to write his best-selling novel “The Innocents Abroad” in the heat of post-war Reconstruction.Travel in hard times, it turns out, can not just be an escape but also a way to see the world differently, allowing us to appreciate our differences and similarities more carefully.While we can’t help you write the great pandemic travel novel, we can help you answer the practical questions so you can start dreaming again. Mr Hudson also is very excited to be designing trips for pioneers like you that want to navigate uncertainty, rather than avoid it.Talk to us, ask us how we can help, because we’re as eager as you are to continue broadening horizons for the entire Mr Hudson community. Photo: Jonny HayesWhere and when you can travel in 2020With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly behind us, explorers around the globe are now looking forward to the summer months in the hope that they might still be able to satisfy their wanderlust and reclaim their place in the sun. With major tourist destinations expected to reopen over the next few weeks, expectations are again on the rise that summer 2020 may not be solely made up of backyard barbecues and picnics in the park. Mr Hudson has been tracing travel restrictions and has created the below list, outlining which country borders are set to open and when.Last updated: July 28CountryOpen to travellers fromMore widely open fromSourceAntigua-NowCNBCArgentina-Closed until at least September 1Experto en HotelesArubaCanada, Europe & other Caribbean islandsAmericans welcome now but testing mandatory for 24 statesAruba infoAustraliaNew Zealand from SeptemberNot currently knownThe GuardianAustria-Now, to some EU/Schengen countries onlySchengen Visa InfoBahamas-Now to intl travellers (US included) with mandatory testingBahamas infoBarbados-Not before June 30Express.co.ukBelgium-Now, to most of Europe onlySchengen Visa InfoBermuda-Now to intl travellers (US included) with mandatory testingAfarBolivia-Closed until at least July 31Universal WeatherBrazil-Closed until at least July 30Universal WeatherBulgaria-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoCambodiaMedical certificate & travel insurance needed-Office HolidaysCanada-Not before August 20US EmbassyCayman Islands-Tentatively September 1gov.kyChile-Closed until further noticeUniversal WeatherColombia-Closed until at least August 1Universal WeatherCosta Rica-Closed until at least August 1migracion.go.crCroatia-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoCuba-Now, but will separate visitors from localsAfarCyprus-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoCzech Republic-Now, to most of Europe & 8 non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoDenmarkNow, to Germany, Iceland & NorwayNow, to most of Europe & 6 non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoEcuador-Tentatively SeptemberUniversal WeatherEstonia-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoFinlandNow, to Nordic countriesNow to several EU and third countriesSchengen Visa InfoFrance-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoFrench Polynesia-Now, but testing is mandatoryCNBCGermany-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoGreece-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoGuatemala-Closed until at least August 15Universal WeatherHungaryNow, to neighbour countriesNow to most of Europe onlySchengen Visa InfoIcelandNow, to EU and Schengen but with Coronavirus testsCurrently not knownSchengen Visa InfoIndonesia-Bali expects international visitors on September 11EscapeIreland-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoIsraelGreece & Cyprus from JulyCurrently not knownDan's DealsItaly-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoJamaica-NowCNBCJapanThailand, Vietnam, Australia & NZ this summerNot currently knownTime OutLetonia-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoLithuania-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoLuxembourg-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoMaldives-NowEscapeMalta-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoMexicoNow: Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, TulumUS-Mexico closed until August 21CNBCNepal-Not before July 1Nepali TimesNetherlands-Now, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoNew ZealandAustralia from SeptemberNot currently knownThe GuardianNorwayNow, to Denmark onlyJuly 15 to EU/Schengen countries onlySchengen Visa InfoPanama-Closed until at least July 22Universal WeatherParaguay-Closed until at least June 30Universal WeatherPeru-Not currently knownCNBCPolandNow, to most European countriesNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoPortugalNow, to most European countries ex SpainNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoPuerto Rico-NowCNBCRomaniaNow, to most European countriesNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoSeychelles-NowEscapeSlovakiaNow, to selected European countriesNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoSloveniaNow, to most European countriesNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoSouth Africa-Aims SeptemberCNBCSpainNow, to Schengen countries & UKNow, to most of Europe & to some non-European countriesSchengen Visa InfoSri Lanka-August 1EscapeSt Lucia-Now, but testing is mandatoryAfarSwedenNow, to most European countriesClosed to third-countries until August 31Schengen Visa InfoSwitzerlandNow, to all EU/EFTA & UK travellersNot currently knownSchengen Visa InfoTanzania-NowWanderlustThailand-August to low-risk countries & to some specific locationsCNBCTunisia-June 27Arab NewsTurkey-NowAfarUnited Arab Emirates-Dubai now, but testing is mandatoryAfarUnited Kingdom-Now to 59 countries without quarantineSchengen Visa InfoUruguay-Closed until at least July 15Universal WeatherUS Virgin Islands-NowDepartment of HealthUSATo students, academics & businesspersons from Schengen, Ireland & UK-Schengen Visa InfoVietnam-July 1Vietnam Insider Photo: Hello I'm NikCorona Corridors or 'travel bubbles'Aircraft are flying again on a few international routes, creating a possible path to recovery for a battered industry. But with the virus still spreading, aspiring travellers will have to navigate a patchy network that might include COVID-19 tests and periods of quarantine. This is why some countries are working on creating so-called ‘travel bubbles’, or corridors, that will allow the quarantine-free flow of people between them. Examples of such Corona Corridors include:– Australia and New Zealand – The Baltic States: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia – Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece – China and South Korea – Costa Rica and Panamá – The Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia – Greece, Cyprus and Israelshare Photo: Angelo Pantazis Photo: Darren LawrenceDid you enjoy this article? Then sign up for our newsletterDid you enjoy this article? 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