I hope you all have been enjoying the month of May! Summer is right around the corner and as more people are getting vaccinated, travel plans are about to be in full effect. This time two weeks ago I felt the pressures of the busy world melt away. I was soaking up warm rays while swimming in crystal blue waters on Long Island. No friends, not Long Island, New York but Long Island in The Bahamas! This was our first true ( and much-needed) vacation since the pandemic. I’ve flown during the Pandemic (for work), but for this trip, we wanted to visit someplace low key and private. Today, I’m sharing a few things to know if you are planning to travel to the Bahamas post the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why Long Island: On this trip, we traveled with four other close friends who were all fully vaccinated and had been self-quarantining prior to their travels. One of our friends recommended Long Island, as it’s peaceful and less crowded than Nassau. It’s also one of the Bahamas ’ best-kept secrets. From Deans Blue Hole to cozy beach bars like Tiny’s Hurricane Hole there were many places to visit, while still having minimal contact with others. I still prefer to eat outdoors and this island granted my wish as the restaurants we went to were outside. I will mention that in order to get to Long Island, you have to take an additional private charter flight from Nassau. How exclusive right!?
Testing Required Before Travel to the Island: Covid testing prior to international travel will depend on your specific destination and updates are constantly being made. If you are unvaccinated, you have to obtain and upload a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken no more than 5 days prior to the date of arrival. Be sure to plan your test accordingly as some Covid PCR tests can take 3-5 days for results. If you are fully vaccinated, good news: you are exempt from the Covid-19 test required for entry. However, you have to upload proof of vaccination confirming it’s been two weeks since your final jab. Additionally, you have to apply for a health visa but can only do so once you have your negative test or have uploaded your proof of vaccination. Give yourself ample time!
Covid Health Insurance Coverage: The Bahamas also requires travelers to opt-in for Covid-19 health insurance that covers you for your duration of the stay. I think it’s awesome this is offered however there is a small fee which is determined by your length of stay. We stayed a little over a week and paid $60 USD.
Efforts to Minimize the Spread of Covid19:
I was pleased to learn about the many protocols in place by the Bahamas Ministry of Health in order to protect their citizens, residents, and visitors. Face masks are mandatory by law in enclosed areas. Some of these protocols may change based on your vaccination status but at the time of this posting, if you are staying more than 5 days, you are required to take a rapid Covid-19 test on day 5 at one of their testing centers. Also every day, for our length of stay, we were required to complete a mandatory health survey to help monitor and track if we experienced any Covid-19 symptoms.
Staying at a Villa: While staying at Whymms Villa, I felt safe as we had control over who shared the space. I have stayed in hotels since the pandemic which many have implemented cleaning measures. However, as we’ve learned more about the virus that causes Covid-19, research has shown the risks are greater for person-to-person transmission compared to the virus on surfaces ( even though your doc still wipes down everything!). The villa was a also nice change of scenery. On some nights, we booked a private chef to cook. The villa also provided a private beach and a boat for us to explore the waters.
A few other things to keep in mind:
Make sure you have enough US dollars on hand depending on your length of stay. A few places accept credit cards, but cash is accepted everywhere. There aren’t many ATMs on the island.
Don’t forget to bring and use your insect spray. Mosquitos are plentiful as well as sand flies. I spent a few blissful hours lounging on the beach only to suffer from multiple bites afterward. It may also be helpful to bring a prescription-strength steroid ointment, an over-the-counter antihistamine, and calamine lotion to help calm bites if they occur.
I hope this provided some insight for those considering post-pandemic international travels. As we begin to move back into the world, are you planning any travels post the pandemic? Are the Bahamas or another island on your list?