Foreigners not allowed in Sorong

[chillyinCanada]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback. Any specific resorts recommended to go to that have colorful reefs and an abundance of sea life that are open these days and the weather is favorable? I have time now to go on a trip, and miss going under the sea!

Where all have you been diving so far?

 

[Centrals]

I would believe anyone who want to travel to a foreign country would have checked the entry requirement as well as the returning leg nowadays.

Surge of Delta variant in Indonesia threatens Bali tourism reopening

Tourists could find themselves stuck in the country if situation gets out of hand.

Old story:

Coronavirus: Americans stranded abroad amid global COVID-19 lockdown

 

[Titatom]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback. Any specific resorts recommended to go to that have colorful reefs and an abundance of sea life that are open these days and the weather is favorable? I have time now to go on a trip, and miss going under the sea!

I am assuming that you are asking about countries that are currently open that is not Indonesia? Maldives. Just steer clear of Male, the capital, and where the international airport is located. If the resort can pick you up and transfer directly to the their island from the airport, that will be the best option. I heard that the staff on the other islands are tested for CoVid and are also not allowed to return to Male while the pandemic is ongoing. Having said that, if you happen to test (+) there, you may not be able to travel back. You will be stuck there at your own expense until cleared to travel. Also, check with the resort to make sure that there are arrangements to have you get the CoVid test before you return back to the US. Unless things changed, the rapid antigen test will do. Else, have to do the RT-PCR test. Check very carefully and ask lots of questions.

P.S. May want to think of getting trip insurance that includes CoVid affliction while traveling. It will be expensive though, added to an expensive trip in this case.

 

[Dan]

I was in Maldives almost for the whole month of March,

Trip Report - Carpe Vita Real Time Review: March 7-18, 2021 Trip to Maldives Deep South

Emperor Leo Real Time Review, March 21-28, 2021, The Best of Maldives

Back then the Delta variant has not reached Maldives, yet. There was a diver from Mumbai (Bombay) who was tested PCR positive & wasn’t allowed to fly to Male. Thank goodness for that.

Now there’s Delta Plus variant, geez!

 

[Dan]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback. Any specific resorts recommended to go to that have colorful reefs and an abundance of sea life that are open these days and the weather is favorable? I have time now to go on a trip, and miss going under the sea!

Maldives has some colorful coral, like this Nassimo Thila overhang, below.

That is a screenshot towards the end of the trip video I put together for my last trip to Maldives, 3 months ago. Maldives is open since last August. Every Maldivian has been vaccinated. I felt pretty safe then, but that was in March, before Delta variant ran havoc to the rest of Asia.

 

[JohnN]

Things appear to be getting substantially worse in Indonesia:

Indonesia’s Doctors Got Vaccinated With Sinovac, and Got Sick

 

[Dan]

Some of my Indonesian buddies are asking me if it is true that the so called “Vaccine Tourism” is happening here, e.g., they can go to USA & get the COVID vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna or J&J) here for free? So I went to Walmart pharmacy yesterday and asked the pharmacist about it. She confirmed it, that they can give anyone the shot for free. All the person needs to do is to show some kind of ID, in this case, the passport, then they’ll give the chosen vaccine shot to this person and register him / her under uninsured category.

 

[Dan]

BTW, Raja Ampat is open for local (Indonesian residents). My cousin was in Misool in March, as shown in this video, below. How to get there with tourist visa is the problem for us (the non residents).

 

[Dan]

I was there in January 2020, right before the pandemic started, as shown in the video, below. It’s sad to see that the Misool underwater iconic “Windows” is no longer. I visited it almost every year since 2010. It’s now just a window. The middle pillar has collapsed.


The Windows before (courtesy of Misool Eco Resort)

The Window after (courtesy of Kaufik Anril)

 

[acidrush]

Some of my Indonesian buddies are asking me if it is true that the so called “Vaccine Tourism” is happening here, e.g., they can go to USA & get the COVID vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna or J&J) here for free? So I went to Walmart pharmacy yesterday and asked the pharmacist about it. She confirmed it, that they can give anyone the shot for free. All the person needs to do is to show some kind of ID, in this case, the passport, then they’ll give the chosen vaccine shot to this person and register him / her under uninsured category.

Hi Dan,

Just to clarify, you mean a foreigner can just walk into walmart pharmacy and get a vaccine for free with just a passport? Wow!