Malaysia has partially reopened its borders to foreign tourists, allowing vaccinated visitors to travel to the islands of Langkawi ahead of Malaysia’s plans to open the entire country to tourism in January 2022.
As Malaysia eases restrictions in most states, the country is preparing to welcome tourists once again. In November, the government is gradually reopening borders to visitors as infection rates are steadily decreasing and vaccination rates are increasing, with more than 76% of Malaysia’s 32 million population now fully vaccinated.
Travel Guidelines for Langkawi
On Monday, Malaysia opened the tropical archipelago of Langkawi to fully vaccinated international tourists for quarantine-free travel. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob stated that visitors must be fully vaccinated and stay in Langkawi for at least seven days before traveling to other parts of Malaysia.
Additionally, Malaysia plans to launch a travel bubble with Singapore on November 29, facilitating quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated individuals. A similar travel arrangement with Indonesia will also be established, leading up to Malaysia’s major return to tourism on January 1, when the country will welcome international travelers from other destinations, as reported by Reuters.
Entry Requirements
Currently, most international travelers are restricted from entering Malaysia for non-essential reasons (unless they are part of the Langkawi program). Fully vaccinated arrivals are required to test negative for COVID-19 before travel and must quarantine for at least seven days upon arrival in the country.
It is anticipated that vaccination will be a condition for arrivals when borders fully reopen in January, given its requirement for the Langkawi travel plan and the upcoming travel bubble arrangements. However, the government has not yet disclosed specific entry requirements for January. Updates will be provided when more information becomes available.
To be considered fully vaccinated for travel to Malaysia, 14 days must have elapsed since the second dose of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or Sinovac vaccines; or 28 days since one dose of Johnson & Johnson or Cansino, as confirmed by the US Embassy in Malaysia.
According to a recent meeting, Reuters reports that the head of Malaysia’s recovery taskforce, Muhyiddin Yassin, indicated that measures such as COVID-19 tests will remain in place. Entry requirements will be determined based on the COVID-19 situation in originating countries and other relevant factors.
Most states in Malaysia are currently in phase four (the least restrictive) of the National Recovery Plan, permitting most businesses to operate at full capacity while following health protocols. However, entertainment venues such as nightclubs and bars remain closed for the time being.
