Travel to Thailand and Vietnam in late January

squizzster

Hi Everyone!
I am looking for some critical thinking advice which I know could both be wrong or right or a combination of both !
Package holidays are too expensive so I would book my own flights and hotels....
What do people think the chances are that in late Jan 2021 travel to Thailand and Vietnam would be OK with no problems?
I kinda think that it cannot go on foreever and the world needs to find some solution and travel by then should be OK!
BUT... that's just what I think... maybe I am an optimist ?
I would welcome other peoples thinking and reasoning before I book anything.
Thank you for any contributions in advance, all will be appreciated.
Mark

squizzster

Hi Everyone!
I am looking for some critical thinking advice which I know could both be wrong or right or a combination of both !
Package holidays are too expensive so I would book my own flights and hotels....
What do people think the chances are that in late Jan 2021 travel to Thailand and Vietnam would be OK with no problems?
I kinda think that it cannot go on foreever and the world needs to find some solution and travel by then should be OK!
BUT... that's just what I think... maybe I am an optimist ?
I would welcome other peoples thinking and reasoning before I book anything.
Thank you for any contributions in advance, all will be appreciated.
Mark

cymruchris

Nobody has a crystal ball - and so nobody can truthfully give you advice that you can solidly rely on. You could have 10 people say 'oh it'll be fine' - then you book it - then it's not fine. Who do you blame? The 10 people? I think if I was to book something -  I would only book something that was truly able to be cancelled and the money refunded easily by a reputable company if the situation got worse. 

alwaysskint2020

Book flights with British Airways- then you can change for voucher if u cannot/choose not to go. Easy to book accomodation on the day or a couple of days before . I travel to both countries and apart from flights none of it needs to be pre planned

PompeyPete

You need to keep abreast with FCO Travel Advice for both countries.....Vietnam for example has all it's borders, land, sea and air, closed to all foreigners at the moment.  

Doshwaster

Personally, I would think than Jan 21 would be too early to expect Thailand and Vietnam to be reopened to tourists especially if there is a second wave in Europe. I was hoping to get back to Vietnam in October this year but I'm now looking at next April at the very earliest and probably later.

PompeyPete

Doshwaster said:

Personally, I would think than Jan 21 would be too early to expect Thailand and Vietnam to be reopened to tourists especially if there is a second wave in Europe. I was hoping to get back to Vietnam in October this year but I'm now looking at next April at the very earliest and probably later.

Peak season in South East Asia in December and January for zillions of young Aussies and Kiwis.  Who knows what Covid carnage they might be carrying and/or leave behind in the Region.

TheRightOne

squizzster said:

Hi Everyone!
I am looking for some critical thinking advice which I know could both be wrong or right or a combination of both !
Package holidays are too expensive so I would book my own flights and hotels....
What do people think the chances are that in late Jan 2021 travel to Thailand and Vietnam would be OK with no problems?
I kinda think that it cannot go on foreever and the world needs to find some solution and travel by then should be OK!
BUT... that's just what I think... maybe I am an optimist ?
I would welcome other peoples thinking and reasoning before I book anything.
Thank you for any contributions in advance, all will be appreciated.
Mark

Close to zero. First tourists allowed back will probably be Asian and that maybe not until next year: https://www.ttgasia.com/2020/08/07/tat-deputy-governor-dashes-hopes-of-2020-reopening-for-thailands-international-borders/
United Kingdom, very unlikely or with unacceptable restrictions. For instance, a two week quarantine on arrival, at your own expense. Currently the cost for the quarantine(alternative state quarantine) package alone, is from 30,000 baht(£736). So two weeks of your holiday in quarantine and an extra £736 for the privilege. £736 is the cheapest option. Double is more likely currently. 
https://thaiest.com/blog/list-of-alternative-state-quarantine-asq-hotels-thailand

Someone in London was overheard saying that they had a holiday in Thailand earmarked for October. No chance of that at all, unless they are planning to spend it locked in a hotel.

fifeken

TheRightOne said:

squizzster said:

Hi Everyone!
I am looking for some critical thinking advice which I know could both be wrong or right or a combination of both !
Package holidays are too expensive so I would book my own flights and hotels....
What do people think the chances are that in late Jan 2021 travel to Thailand and Vietnam would be OK with no problems?
I kinda think that it cannot go on foreever and the world needs to find some solution and travel by then should be OK!
BUT... that's just what I think... maybe I am an optimist ?
I would welcome other peoples thinking and reasoning before I book anything.
Thank you for any contributions in advance, all will be appreciated.
Mark

Close to zero. First tourists allowed back will probably be Asian and that maybe not until next year: https://www.ttgasia.com/2020/08/07/tat-deputy-governor-dashes-hopes-of-2020-reopening-for-thailands-international-borders/

This was just the guy chatting in a web broadcast, not an official policy statement, so it's still just wait and see for now.  I tend to agree though, and as I'm in Thailand just now I'm not planning to leave until things become clearer.  Might be more chance if routing via a 3rd country with more amenable entry requirements should open up.

Lj_likestosave

PompeyPete said:

Doshwaster said:

Personally, I would think than Jan 21 would be too early to expect Thailand and Vietnam to be reopened to tourists especially if there is a second wave in Europe. I was hoping to get back to Vietnam in October this year but I'm now looking at next April at the very earliest and probably later.

Peak season in South East Asia in December and January for zillions of young Aussies and Kiwis.  Who knows what Covid carnage they might be carrying and/or leave behind in the Region.

It seems unlikely to me that any Aussies or Kiwis will be able to travel, given the incredibly strict regulations they've imposed on travel comparative to the UK.
I'd also point out that their rates of infection have been lower than ours - so if anything, the OP is more likely to be a carrier than any antipodeans they encounter.

OP - others are right about keeping a firm eye on the news and border guidelines. It's good advice to book with BA due to flexibility (and nice flights for that distance). You may be better advised to pick one country of the two - cross-border travel may be overly complicated and restricted.
You can indeed book hotels etc last minute in these places for very reasonable prices, even more so that usual I'd expect due to lack of tourists, so I'd hold off booking anything other than flights for the time being (and making sure you can reschedule the flights). 
Why late Jan? New year celebrations? My advice would be to aim a little further down the line. 

squizzster

Thank you to everyone for their comments. Especially alwaysskint2020 and Lj_likestosave.
I have booked BA flights which give super flexibility and I have booked free cancellation hotels.
So overall I am covered... flights were super cheap.  £380 return and hotels as well.
So optimisticly we can all go and if not, nothing lost, we just defer to later.

All comments appreciated and thank you to all.