How do I travel during Covid restrictions in 2022? What countries are open for dancing?
Updated: Mar 21, 2022
Despite all of the legitimate Covid-related hesitations, your desire to travel and dance is almost irrepressible, am I right? Well, there are countries where you can still take advantage of dance classes, socials and congresses for Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Zouk, etc. Here I'll help you think it out.
In #1 you'll get one awesome resource to help you research which countries to travel to.
Don't skip tip #3. This secret might surprise you... unless you are a #danceaddict 😉
In #4 learn of one congress organizer's impressive effort to ensure Covid controls in a reasonable manner.
1. How do I find out which countries are open for tourism during Covid?
Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic are the only countries that are very open as of publishing.
Current DanceVacay: Lisbon, March 2022 The only requirement for entry into Portugal from the US was proof of "a negative Covid viral test" taken within 24 hours before departure. The layover in Spain, without exiting the airport, was fine. In both countries you must fill out an extensive form that I suggest you do in advance. Follow me on Instagram and click on my "stories" for views of Portugal and the dance scene there.
Each country, even if on the same continent, has very different circumstances as well as different requirements. Lisbon has more than a 90% vaccination rate while in France it is 78% and doesn't permit unvaccinated visitors from the US.
I strongly suggest you bookmark this Covid restrictions, country-by-country summary by Kayak and reference it when considering any travel. Keep in mind the following:
What are the visa requirements for my passport going to that country?
Is the country even open for visitors? You might see flights being sold to enter the country, but they could be for nationals or permanent residents only.
Are their Covid restrictions so tough that you might not get to dance or points of interest are closed?
Is there an outbreak in the country or are the levels reasonable?
Does the airline require a PCR test required or will the airline accept a Rapid antigen test to fly?
What are the travel and quarantine restrictions for the vaccinated vs non-vaccinated?
Does the country require you to quarantine when you arrive?
Does the country require travel insurance (health insurance for tourists)?
Avoid traveling on long weekend or holiday, which would mean long lines and/or test supplies run out. Many Christmas and New Year's travelers have missed their flights exactly because of this. With millions of travelers needing to get tested, shortages are inevitable!
Plan ahead. Do you have enough money or room on your credit card to pay for inflated flight prices in the case airlines cancel flights and you want to return home?
Do you have enough money in the case that you are locked out of your home country for an extended period of time?
Once you've checked the Kayak site and - importantly - have reviewed the country's website they have linked to and have ascertained it's a green light for you to travel, I would suggest you rent your own hotel room. Hostels might be tempting for the price, but the health risks in light of Covid are pretty high to yourself, considering you're sleeping and breathing the same air as many people who may or may not be cautious.
AirBnB's and other shared living sites are almost as expensive as hotels nowadays, but still worth checking out.
Best advice for finding lodging: reach out to friends in the country you're wanting to travel to and ask if they know of anyone in the dance community that has a spare bedroom they rent out.
2. Take private lessons
Social dancing and getting to know other dancers through dance classes is a major draw, but when countries increase restrictions and fine locations for holding dance socials, reach out to your favorite teachers around the world. Ask those dance stars if they'd be willing and able to hold intensive, private classes for you.