German media: Vietnam reopens international tourism activities

On March 16, many German news agencies, citing the DPA news agency, reported that Vietnam has removed quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals in an effort to facilitate tourism in the Southeast Asian country, which bore the brunt of COVID-19.

The Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Germany quoted Zeit (Time) and other newspapers reported that foreign tourists only need to test negative for COVID-19 using the RT-PCR method within the 72 hours prior to departure or a rapid antigen test within 24 hours.

Those who do not test before arriving in Vietnam must take a test within the first 24 hours and may leave their accommodations only if their results turn negative.

Furthermore, tourists are not required to hold a certificate of being fully vaccinated but they must install a certified health management app. Children under two are not required to take a COVID-19 test.

The newspapers also underlined that the Vietnamese Government on March 15 issued a resolution on visa waivers for citizens from 13 countries, including Germany. The beneficiaries will enjoy 15 days of visa-free travel in Vietnam beginning from their date of entry regardless of the kind of passport and entry purpose.

On the same day, Stuttgart Newspaper recommended tourists travel to Vietnam for a month-long bicycle ride across the country, which boasts diverse landscapes of forests, mountains, beaches and rice paddies. It also highlighted the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which is favoured by tourists opting for scooters or coaches.

The article added another perk of travelling using bicycles in Vietnam is that almost everyone can fix the vehicle and it will not take much time for amateur bicycle mechanics to come to the rescue and help tourists resume their journey.