If you’re planning on travelling to The Bahamas during Covid-19, there are a few things you need to know before you go.
Firstly, it’s going to take a bit of preparation, particularly if you’re travelling with a companion or family.
All travellers entering the country must apply for and receive authorisation. You can get it by applying for a travel health visa .
Please note that the pandemic is fluid, so The Bahamas government is likely to make changes regularly, which is why I advise travellers to pay attention to this website before making any decisions.
What Vaccinated Travellers Need To Know Before Travelling To The Bahamas
If you are fully vaccinated, meaning you have received both doses of the required vaccines and have passed the two-week immunity period, you do not have to do any type of test to enter the country.
You also won’t be required to fill out a daily health questionnaire.
Initially, all international travellers were required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR (swab) test taken no more than five days before their travel date before being allowed into The Bahamas, but that requirement has changed.
All travellers are still required to apply for a travel health visa, which could take up to 48 hours to process.
Those who are vaccinated, will be required to upload a copy of their vaccine card or record.
I applied for a health visa when visiting my family members last Christmas, and was very concerned it would not be processed in a timely fashion. However, the process was very quick.
I received my visa within two hours.
I was assured that staff were working around-the-clock to process the visas, and they sure did. So, there’s no need to worry in that regard.
The Rules Are Different For Unvaccinated Travellers
Unvaccinated travellers who plan on travelling to The Bahamas or want to engage in inter-island travel must submit a negative Covid-19 PCR (swab) test taken no more than five days prior to their arrival date.
Children under the age of 11, pilots and commercial airline crews who remain in The Bahamas overnight are exempt from taking the test.
Once the traveller applies for the travel health visa, he or she will be required to upload the test result and must present a copy after landing in The Bahamas.
Individuals with test results older than five days will not be allowed to enter The Bahamas.
The Bahamas Is Only Accepting Certain Vaccinated Visitors
The Bahamas Government says at this time, it is only accepting visitors who have received Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca vaccines.
There Is A National Curfew
The curfew in The Bahamas is 11pm and no one, with the exception of essential workers, are allowed to be on the streets, at beaches, at parks, etc after that time.
The Bahamas Has A Mandated Mask Policy
The Bahamas has a mandatory mask policy, which means, all visitors, citizens and residents are required to wear masks in public, regardless of vaccination status.
In recent weeks, The Bahamas’ Covid-19 numbers have been increasing. There have been more than 13,500 infections and over 270 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began.
It’s also important to note that the vast majority of Bahamians are not vaccinated, as the government ran out of vaccine supplies. The Bahamas is lagging in vaccinated residents compared with other countries around the Caribbean region.
Compare that to North America, where 55 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.
Beaches Are Open
Beaches are open to the public, and while they don’t ordinarily close, they do shut down at 11pm due to the national curfew.
In The Final Analysis, It Is Safe To Travel To The Bahamas
It is safe to travel to The Bahamas as long as you take the necessary precautions, like social distancing, ensuring that you wear your mask while out in public and using your discretion while travelling. It’s no different from travelling to any other country.
I would also encourage travellers who want to head to The Bahamas, but want to avoid crowds, to consider visiting a less populated island.
There are many to choose from, like Cat Island, Exuma, Eleuthera or San Salvador.
Visiting these places would allow you to enjoy the gorgeous beaches in peace without bumping into large crowds. If you do decide to go to Nassau and are looking for things to do, click here.
For more details, be sure to watch my YouTube video down below.
Enjoy your trip!
XOXO,
This Bahamian Gyal
