When Can We Visit Cambodia Again?
Before I delve into specific Cambodia attractions, I thought it would be helpful to address the elephant in the room: When, precisely, will we able to visit Cambodia again? While some of you will be reading this in the distance future, when Covid-19 is nothing but a bad memory, the reality is that Cambodia remains off-limits to the majority of foreign visitors as of early 2021. Ongoing restrictions are complicated by a new outbreak of the disease, and the country’s relatively slow vaccine rollout.
The good news is that scientists expect the acute phase of the pandemic to be over sometime in the first half of 2021, which means the prospects for tourism to Cambodia in the second half are relatively good. In the worse case scenario, I would expect tourism to Cambodia to be possible again in early 2022. You can minimize your chances for disappointment by planning a more general itinerary now, and waiting until later to attach it to specific dates.
Take a Trip on the Wild Side
I’m fond of (most) other people, but I can’t lie: Many of my favorite adventures I’ve taken have been wildlife trips. Conversations can stimulate the mind, and change the heart, but the power of nature reaches you in your soul.
As I cautiously plan my first couple years of post-pandemic travel, I’m skewing heavily toward animal-oriented trips. “Social distancing,” I’ve come to believe, is not such a bad idea, even for those of us who plan to get a Covid vaccine as soon as one is available to us!
Hit Europe’s Open Road
With spring and, hopefully, a spate of vaccine-induce border openings just around the corner, I thought now would be a good time to round up the best road trips in Europe.
Although many European countries are famous for trips by train and even by river boat, the fact is that having your own set of wheels gives you unbridled freedom to explore the continent. Moreover, even if you are fully vaccinated by the next time you touch down in Paris or Rome, “social distancing” is an attractive concept during Europe’s increasingly hot summers.
Whether you want to circumnavigate Europe’s island nations, or prefer an adventure on the mainland, I hope you continue reading. Warning: You’re going to want to hit the road as soon as you reach the end of this article!
Should You Plan a 2021 Trip to Israel?
If you had asked me in early December 2020 whether it would be possible to visit Israel in 2021, my answer would’ve been a total “yes.” At that point, vaccines were rapidly rolling out in the Jewish State (and around the world); for the first time, the beginning of the end of the pandemic was in sight.
It still is, in early 2021, when I’m updating this. Unfortunately, news of a “mutant” variant of the virus from the UK (and another from South Africa) triggered a fresh round of travel restrictions around the world, including a complete closure of Israel’s border for an indefinite period, in spite of zero evidence that the variant is deadlier or might evade the antibody response of nascent vaccines.
When Will New Zealand Allow Tourists Again?
I hate to start on a negative note, but I’ll be honest: You probably won’t be able to visit New Zealand until the end of 2021.
New Zealand, like Vietnam and nearby Australia, is a victim of its own success in fighting Covid-19. Having almost eliminated the virus, it has everything to lose by allowing foreigners (who could potentially import cases), in spite of also having a lot to gain: New Zealand, prior to the pandemic, had one the world’s most vibrant and dynamic tourism industries.
The next few paragraphs will not only be filled with hard truths and tough love, but inspiration. New Zealand will eventually be open again, after all!