Is The Bahamas Open for Travel? – Travel Restrictions

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The Bahamas has been open to tourists since July 1, 2020. Currently, travelers from all countries can visit The Bahamas. However, like many other countries that are open for tourism, The Bahamas entry requirements are subject to frequent change.

Fully vaccinated travelers are now exempt from presenting proof of a negative PCR COVID test to enter the country. Unvaccinated travelers must present proof of a negative PCR test result that was obtained within 5 days of arrival in The Bahamas.

All travelers must apply for a Travel Health Visa. Vaccinated travelers must upload proof of vaccination as part of completing the application, while unvaccinated travelers must upload their negative PCR test results.

Additionally, all travelers need to have travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage. All unvaccinated travelers who are staying in The Bahamas for more than five days have to take a rapid COVID-19 antigen test on day 5 of their stay. Unvaccinated travelers must also complete a Daily Health Questionnaire for up to 14 days, or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter.

Can I travel to The Bahamas right now?

Travelers from any country can visit The Bahamas right now. Below is a map of all the countries that can currently visit The Bahamas.

Bahamas - EN

The Bahamas COVID-19 travel restrictions

The Bahamas has several entry requirements in place for the many travelers it is welcoming from all over the world.

Vaccinated travelers are exempt from the PCR testing entry requirement, from taking a rapid antigen test on day 5 of their stay, and from completing the Daily Health Questionnaire. Vaccinated travelers must apply for a Travel Health Visa and upload proof of full vaccination. They must also have travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage.

All unvaccinated travelers must have a negative PCR COVID test from no more than 5 days before their arrival in The Bahamas. They will also need to get a Travel Health Visa and COVID-19 travel insurance. Unvaccinated travelers will then take a rapid antigen test on day 5 of their stay if they are staying for more than 5 days. They must also complete a Daily Health Questionnaire for 14 days, or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter.

COVID-19 vaccine to travel to the Bahamas

Fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from the PCR testing entry requirement, from taking a rapid antigen test on day 5 of their trip, from completing the Daily Health Questionnaire, and from PCR testing for inter-island travel.

Travelers are considered fully vaccinated when they have received all of the required doses for their COVID-19 vaccine and more than two weeks have passed since they received their last dose. The Bahamas government only accepts vaccines by Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, and AstraZeneca.

Vaccinated travelers must apply for a Travel Health Visa and upload proof of vaccination as part of their application. They must also purchase COVID-19 travel insurance.

Is PCR testing mandatory to travel to The Bahamas?

A negative PCR COVID test is mandatory for unvaccinated travelers to be able to travel to The Bahamas. All unvaccinated travelers must obtain their negative test results 5 days or fewer before their date of arrival in The Bahamas.

Fully vaccinated travelers, children who are 11 years of age or younger, and crew of commercial airlines who are staying overnight in The Bahamas are exempt from testing. The negative test result must be uploaded as part of completing the Travel Health Visa application.  Evidence of a negative test result should also be presented on arrival.

Additionally, if you are unvaccinated and are traveling from  New Providence (Nassau) and its surrounding islands and cays or Grand Bahama to any other island, you will have to take a PCR test and obtain a negative result before you travel to the other island. Vaccinated travelers are exempt from PCR testing for inter-island travel.

Do I need to complete a Travel Health Visa application to enter The Bahamas?

Yes, you must complete a Travel Health Visa application online to enter The Bahamas.

If you are unvaccinated, you must obtain a negative PCR COVID test result prior to completing your application because you will have to upload evidence of your negative result in the application. If you are vaccinated, you must upload proof of full vaccination as part of completing your application.

Do I need to complete a Travel Health Visa application to enter The Bahamas?

When you are completing the application, you must opt-in to COVID-19 health insurance that covers you during your stay in The Bahamas. The cost of this insurance is included in the application fee, and the overall application fee is based on the length of your stay in The Bahamas.

The Travel Health Visa application should be completed plenty of time before your flight, as applications can take up to 48 hours to process. You will receive a confirmation of your visa by email. All travelers must have this confirmation email on hand for arrival in The Bahamas. For more information on the Travel Health Visa, visit The Bahamas Travel Compliance Unit website.

Is there a mandatory quarantine upon arrival in The Bahamas?

No, as of November 1, 2020, there is no mandatory quarantine upon arrival in The Bahamas. You will only have to quarantine if you test positive for COVID-19 while in The Bahamas or exhibit symptoms.

Is COVID-19 health insurance mandatory to enter The Bahamas?

Yes, COVID-19 health insurance is absolutely mandatory to enter The Bahamas. Luckily, it’s easy to obtain.

All you need to do is opt-in to COVID-19 health insurance when you are filling out your Travel Health Visa application; you MUST opt-in in order to have your visa application approved. The cost of this health insurance is included in the fee for your Travel Health Visa application.

If you are concerned about coverage, I suggest complementing the mandatory insurance with a Heymondo travel insurance policy that provides comprehensive coverage.

Other travel restrictions for The Bahamas during COVID-19

The Bahamas has instituted several regulations for travelers once they arrive:

• Any traveler exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms at any point during their stay will have to take a Rapid Antigen Test. If they test positive, they will then have to take PCR COVID test.

• Any unvaccinated traveler who is staying in The Bahamas for more than four nights or five days must take a Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test. (Travelers who are departing on or before 5 days will not have to take this test.)

• There are some specific restrictions depending on the island of The Bahamas you’re visiting.

• There are some restrictions on traveling between different islands in The Bahamas.

• Face masks must be worn in all public places.

• Social distancing rules must be observed.

• Depending on your nationality, you may need a tourist visa to visit The Bahamas. Check if you need one below.

Which Island in The Bahamas is best to visit right now?

Currently, all islands in The Bahamas are open to tourism. However, restrictions vary from one island to another. Unfortunately, the most popular islands in The Bahamas, Nassau & Paradise Island, Eleuthera, and The Exumas, are the ones with the most COVID-19 cases and most restrictions.

However, this is the perfect opportunity to discover more secluded islands in The Bahamas.

What’s open in The Bahamas

With The Bahamas opening up for international tourism, hotels, resorts, restaurants, and attractions have all started to reopen too, albeit with increased health and safety regulations.

Hotels and resorts that are open in The Bahamas

Rest assured that there are plenty of places for you to stay in The Bahamas right now. The Islands of The Bahamas website has a list of hotels and resorts that have been certified as “Clean and Pristine” by The Bahamas’ Clean and Pristine Certification Agency, which means that these accommodations adhere to the Bahamian government’s health and safety regulations for tourist operators.

Hotel surfaces, particularly high-contact ones, are frequently cleaned and disinfected. Hotel staff has been trained in the proper health and safety regulations, including social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, and mask wearing.

Guests at hotels must keep a distance of 6 feet or more from people who are not in their travel group. They must also sanitize their hands at reception when they enter the hotel and if they are exchanging objects with hotel staff. A maximum of 4 people is allowed in a hotel elevator at a time. Hotel reception has gloves, face masks, and sanitizer on hand for any guests who need them. You can find more information on hotel regulations here.

Beaches that are open in The Bahamas

As a haven for tropical vacations, The Bahamas has, of course, opened its beaches to international tourists. As we have seen, regulations for beaches depend on whether they are located in the First Schedule group of islands or the Second Schedule group of islands. Bimini has their own regulations. However, no matter which beach you visit, you must wear a mask when you are entering and exiting the beach. (You do not have to wear a mask on the beach.)

Beaches that are open in The Bahamas

First Schedule islands are: Acklins, Andros, Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Chub Cay, Crooked Island, Elbow Cay, Exuma Cays, Inagua, Mayaguana, Grand Bahama, Grand Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Long Cay, Long Island, Man-O-War Cay, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, and Spanish Wells. All beaches on these islands are open. At beaches on Bimini, groups are restricted to 5 people

Second Schedule islands are: The Abacos (excluding Green Turtle Cay, Grand Cay, Man-O-War Cay, and Elbow Cay), Eleuthera (including Harbour Island), Great Exuma, Little Exuma, New Providence-Nassau (including Rose Island), and Paradise Island. All beaches on these islands are open, but no more than 15 people may gather in a group; beaches will be monitored to ensure this rule is being followed.

More information on beach regulations is available here.

Attractions that are open in The Bahamas

The Bahamas has a lot more to offer than just beaches; there are plenty of water sports, tours, and attractions on the islands to keep you busy. Activities, tours, and attractions have started to open up but can only open if they follow the health and safety standards set by the Bahamian government.

All attractions and tours will have set a maximum for their number of guests, so it’s probably a good idea to book your tours and attractions in advance. Staff has been trained in all hygiene and safety measures. Guests will be emailed all the safety measures they need to follow for the tour/attraction/activity before they arrive, although they will also be informed of safety measures when they check in.

Guests must stay 6 feet apart from people not in their family group for the duration of their tour. They must also wear face masks at all times until they reach an area (beach, water) where they can safely remove it. Guests must sanitize their hands before, during, and after their tour.

More details on regulations for tours and attractions can be found here.

Restaurants that are open in The Bahamas

There’s nothing better than trying local cuisine when you’re traveling. Luckily, there are plenty of restaurants in The Bahamas that have delicious food and are open now.

As we have seen, different islands have different regulations for restaurants. However, no matter which island you’re on, you should always wear a mask when you enter and exit a restaurant.

Restaurants that are open in The Bahamas

For First Schedule islands, all restaurants are operating at 50% of their normal capacity. Tables are arranged to be 6 feet away from each other. All staff must wear masks and sanitize tables, chairs, and anything touched by patrons.

For Second Schedule islands, restaurants can operate using curbside pickup, delivery, drive thru, takeaway, outdoor dining, and indoor dining, although indoor dining is only available if all patrons are fully vaccinated and can provide proof of such.

Indoor dining is not available on Abaco or New Providence.

More information on restaurant regulations can be found here and here.

Airports that are open in The Bahamas

Because The Bahamas consists of so many different islands and cays, the country has many different airports. The three largest international airports are Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Exuma International Airport in Exuma, and Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, all of which are currently open.

Travelers must wear face masks, social distance, and sanitize their hands at all airports. They may also be subject to temperature checks.

Curfew in The Bahamas

Some islands in The Bahamas are currently subject to curfews. It is unclear how long these curfews will be in place, but as long as they are in place, you must abide by them.

For New Providence (Nassau), its surrounding cays, and Rose Island, the daily curfew is currently from 11 PM to 5 AM. For North and Central Andros, there is a daily curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM.

On Grand Bahama Island, the daily curfew is from 12 AM to 5 AM. On Cat Island, there is a daily curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM.

Also, on North and South Bimini, there is a daily curfew from 7 PM to 5 AM.

Restrictions for interregional travel in The Bahamas

All travelers planning any inter-island travel must complete an online health application (select “Domestic”). Unvaccinated travelers who are over the age of 10 and traveling from New Providence (Nassau) and its surrounding islands and cays or Grand Bahama to any other island must take a PCR test and obtain a negative result to obtain their travel health visa. They must also take a Rapid Antigen test on the 5^th day after their travel.

Vaccinated travelers are exempt from the testing requirement for inter-island travel, but they must upload proof of vaccination as part of completing the online health application.

More information on PCR testing for inter-island travel is available here.

Any traveler who entered The Bahamas and is transiting through New Providence (Nassau) to another island in less than 24 hours does not need to complete a health application.

Where to get a pcr test in the bahamas

Your country may require you to take a PCR test in order to fly back home. If you need to get a PCR test in The Bahamas, here is a list of places you can get a PCR test.

The Bahamas reopening to tourism – F.A.Q.

Check out these FAQs related to The Bahamas reopening for tourists and let us know if you have any other questions in the comments below.

Sources

We will update this guide on The Bahamas reopening to tourism with any new developments. If you need more information on travel to The Bahamas, you can check these official sources:

• US Embassy Updates on COVID-19 in The Bahamas
• CDC Travel Recommendations for The Bahamas
• General Travel Advisory for The Bahamas
• Bahamas Tourism Page
• Latest Information on Restrictions from the Bahamian Office of the Prime Minister
• Latest Information on Restrictions from the Bahamian Office of the Prime Minister
• Bahamas Travel Health Visa Form
• Bahamas COVID-19 Dashboard
• Bahamas COVID-19 Curfew, Beach, Business, and Restaurant Guidelines