Sri Lanka cancels (again) reopening of borders

Covid-19 is not yet a memory, uncertainty reigns in the world, and each nation is adopting different travel strategies. In Asia in recent months we have seen announcements of reopenings and denials, the bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong was canceled just hours before the first flight took off. In Japan, which is preparing to (possibly) host the Olympic Games, it has gone from slowly reopening to closing its borders completely.

Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean, had assumed it would reopen to world tourists in August but then postponed sine die the go-ahead for commercial flights to land. By early December, the announcement had come that it would reopen on Dec. 26. As happened with Singapore/Hong Kong, when everything seemed to be confirmed, the cold shower came for airlines, tour operators and tourists around the world. The English variant is scary and therefore reopening postponed until a later date.

The new rules passed in the government based in the capital Colombo were simple and similar to those in other destinations in the area such as the Maldives and Seychelles, although slightly more restrictive.

Requirements for entering Sri Lanka

• Have a negative PCR swab performed within 72 hours of entering the country
• Undergo swabbing upon arrival at the airport
• Undergo a new swab after 7 days from the date of arrival
• Minimum stay of 14 days in the country
• Getting thel online visa before leaving

The difference from the Maldives and Seychelles is that in Sri Lanka a minimum stay would be imposed on tourists, but unlike Thailand, tourists would be free to move around the island without any restrictions.

Now we just have to wait for the new announcement and see if this time tourists will be able to land in one of the world's most wildlife-rich nations.