With new hoops being created every day , in applying for a visa to enter Thailand , would a  alternative destination, like the Philippines , that has less hoops to jump through, be a good idea ??? New travel rules to enter the Philippines came out on the first of February , which make it much easier and a lot cheaper to enter, than Thailand. For example no Covid-19  test required before flying , also no Coviid -19 test on arrival , with the first test being required on your 6 th  day of stay. while you are in quarantine and that is the only test you will be required to get , after a only 7  (YES SEVEN DAY QUARANTINE) and then you are free to go on your holiday. The cost of the one and only Covid-19 test is 4000 Peso , (about $110 Aussie).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No COE of entry required . no health check to fly , no Covid insurance for 100,000 US required , no health insurance for long term visa's required, no need to book and pay for all your accommodation after you quarantine, before you leave , but you do need to book and pay , for your quarantine before you leave .You do have to down load , what they call a Travel Wise App . The accommodation must be done at a quarantine accredited Hotel, at about 17,500  Peso for 7 days and that includes 3 meals a day , not even $ 500 Aussie dollars, so hope i have included everything here, but as you can see it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper than entering Thailand .  Of course you would have to keep a check on the Philippine Immigration Web Site, every day before you travel ,as we know Governments have a bad habit of changing things on short notice. At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders that have been waiting because of Covid-19 and all Filipinos ,former Filipinos and family including their foreign husbands to enter, so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Not interested

Its always good to have backups.

I love the Philippine people as much as the Thai but having travelled extensively through both (about ten years each) I would jump through every hoop to get back to Thailand. Food, general cleanliness, accommodation and overall culture and scenery.  It is subjective and personal of course, but I am now back in Thailand and happy. 

On 2/11/2021 at 10:45 AM, popabear said:

With new hoops being created every day , in applying for a visa to enter Thailand , would a  alternative destination, like the Philippines , that has less hoops to jump through, be a good idea ??? New travel rules to enter the Philippines came out on the first of February , which make it much easier and a lot cheaper to enter, than Thailand. For example no Covid-19  test required before flying , also no Coviid -19 test on arrival , with the first test being required on your 6 th  day of stay. while you are in quarantine and that is the only test you will be required to get , after a only 7  (YES SEVEN DAY QUARANTINE) and then you are free to go on your holiday. The cost of the one and only Covid-19 test is 4000 Peso , (about $110 Aussie).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No COE of entry required . no health check to fly , no Covid insurance for 100,000 US required , no health insurance for long term visa's required, no need to book and pay for all your accommodation after you quarantine, before you leave , but you do need to book and pay , for your quarantine before you leave .You do have to down load , what they call a Travel Wise App . The accommodation must be done at a quarantine accredited Hotel, at about 17,500  Peso for 7 days and that includes 3 meals a day , not even $ 500 Aussie dollars, so hope i have included everything here, but as you can see it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper than entering Thailand .  Of course you would have to keep a check on the Philippine Immigration Web Site, every day before you travel ,as we know Governments have a bad habit of changing things on short notice. At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders that have been waiting because of Covid-19 and all Filipinos ,former Filipinos and family including their foreign husbands to enter, so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

THATS WRONG BECAUSE NO AIRLINE WILL ALLOW YOU TO FLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE COVID TEST WITH THE LAST 72 HOURS 

Seven day moving average of new cases in the Philippines = 1,635/day with testing rate of 74,318/million and > 100 deaths/day

 

I guess that's what "no hoops" gets the Philippines as compared to Thailand with hoops.

 

 

 

 

The virus is raging there and lockdowns are in place. Not sure it's a good idea to go there now. Thailand is much safer.

53 minutes ago, Aarin said:

THATS WRONG BECAUSE NO AIRLINE WILL ALLOW YOU TO FLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE COVID TEST WITH THE LAST 72 HOURS 

If you fly with Philippines Airline this is not a problem , but anyway you would find that Airlines work to the rules and laws, of the country they are flying into ....Regards,,,,,Popa

On 2/11/2021 at 11:45 AM, popabear said:

At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders that have been waiting because of Covid-19 and all Filipinos ,former Filipinos and family including their foreign husbands to enter, so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                 

Please note the above that was in my post , it is not fully open to general tourist in the Philippines only the ones, I stated above. I do know what the currant Covid-19 conditions  are in the Philippines , as I am married to a Filipino and I am considering, of returning to the Philippines , when I can get a vaccine and of course can get out of Australia. I am of course ,even right now ,permitted to enter the Philippines, with my wife for a 1 year stay with no visa, or 90 day reporting required , can you do this if you are married to a Thai ??? ....Regards,,,,Popa

On 2/11/2021 at 5:45 AM, popabear said:

At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders

So not an option for most right now?

On 2/11/2021 at 2:45 PM, popabear said:

With new hoops being created every day , in applying for a visa to enter Thailand , would a  alternative destination, like the Philippines , that has less hoops to jump through, be a good idea ??? New travel rules to enter the Philippines came out on the first of February , which make it much easier and a lot cheaper to enter, than Thailand. For example no Covid-19  test required before flying , also no Coviid -19 test on arrival , with the first test being required on your 6 th  day of stay. while you are in quarantine and that is the only test you will be required to get , after a only 7  (YES SEVEN DAY QUARANTINE) and then you are free to go on your holiday. The cost of the one and only Covid-19 test is 4000 Peso , (about $110 Aussie).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No COE of entry required . no health check to fly , no Covid insurance for 100,000 US required , no health insurance for long term visa's required, no need to book and pay for all your accommodation after you quarantine, before you leave , but you do need to book and pay , for your quarantine before you leave .You do have to down load , what they call a Travel Wise App . The accommodation must be done at a quarantine accredited Hotel, at about 17,500  Peso for 7 days and that includes 3 meals a day , not even $ 500 Aussie dollars, so hope i have included everything here, but as you can see it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper than entering Thailand .  Of course you would have to keep a check on the Philippine Immigration Web Site, every day before you travel ,as we know Governments have a bad habit of changing things on short notice. At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders that have been waiting because of Covid-19 and all Filipinos ,former Filipinos and family including their foreign husbands to enter, so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

https://www.philippinesvisa.com/travel-restrictions/

From above website:

Can I Travel to the Philippines during Coronavirus?

Foreign citizens are not currently allowed to enter the Philippines. Travel to the southeast Asian nation has been restricted as part of efforts to control the virus.

From early in the outbreak, the Philippines placed restrictions on visitors arriving from China, Hong Kong, and the Gyeongsang province of South Korea, as the areas most severely affected. The visa on arrival scheme usually available to Chinese nationals was suspended until further notice.

As the pandemic spread across the globe, the visa suspension was extended to all foreign nationals, with very few exceptions.

On 2/11/2021 at 11:45 AM, popabear said:

  Of course you would have to keep a check on the Philippine Immigration Web Site, every day before you travel ,as we know Governments have a bad habit of changing things on short notice.

As I have stated, as above ,in my main post,  that Governments can change things very quickly , not only in the Philippines , but world wide, as this Covid -19 affects different parts of the World at short notice , with can affect , at very short notices to who arrives in countries such as the Philippines. But even at the moment there are exemptions that apply to Foreign spouses like myself , Filipinos, plus their family and some types of foreign visa holders. Of course as I have stated in my original post ,is to check the Philippines Web site daily , as things can change, on very short notice ......Regards ,,,,,Popa

16 minutes ago, popabear said:

there are exemptions that apply to Foreign spouses like myself

Which is clearly not "tourist".  Thailand actually does have a convoluted tourist entry route - PI does not.  Lets hope this year and vaccine will bring a change.  But currently in PI not only is local movement very restricted you have to wear a mask and shield (almost impossible for those with small nose) in stores and even have to wear mask driving (yourself - with wife - with anyone).  To move from one town to another may still require medical and government permissions and be checked at roadblocks.  As for checking websites good luck with that as one mouth says something and another something else and within hours there is a 3rd voice.  Still a bit of a nightmare at present (but that is true most places - not just PI).  

18 hours ago, popabear said:

On 2/11/2021 at 11:45 AM, popabear said:

so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                 

Please note the above that was in my post , it is not fully open to general tourist in the Philippines

 

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

1 hour ago, popabear said:

there are exemptions that apply to Foreign spouses like myself

Which is clearly not "tourist". 

I have clearly stated in previous posts on here, that that the Philippines is not open to general tourist ( as above ) and as I class myself as being a Foreigner , visiting  the Philippines , I do then clearly class myself as tourist . As also the Philippine Web site says at the moment, that certain types of Foreign visa's have exemption.  I am fully aware of all the Covid-19 conditions  in the Philippines , which we have, even here in Australia. As for checking Web sites , I fully agree with you, that's the problem with posting information like this , as you say one mouth says something and another something else and the actual Web Sites are not always spot on, or out in time with changers ....Regards,,,,,Popa

On 2/11/2021 at 10:45 AM, popabear said:

With new hoops being created every day , in applying for a visa to enter Thailand , would a  alternative destination, like the Philippines , that has less hoops to jump through, be a good idea ??? New travel rules to enter the Philippines came out on the first of February , which make it much easier and a lot cheaper to enter, than Thailand. For example no Covid-19  test required before flying , also no Coviid -19 test on arrival , with the first test being required on your 6 th  day of stay. while you are in quarantine and that is the only test you will be required to get , after a only 7  (YES SEVEN DAY QUARANTINE) and then you are free to go on your holiday. The cost of the one and only Covid-19 test is 4000 Peso , (about $110 Aussie).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No COE of entry required . no health check to fly , no Covid insurance for 100,000 US required , no health insurance for long term visa's required, no need to book and pay for all your accommodation after you quarantine, before you leave , but you do need to book and pay , for your quarantine before you leave .You do have to down load , what they call a Travel Wise App . The accommodation must be done at a quarantine accredited Hotel, at about 17,500  Peso for 7 days and that includes 3 meals a day , not even $ 500 Aussie dollars, so hope i have included everything here, but as you can see it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper than entering Thailand .  Of course you would have to keep a check on the Philippine Immigration Web Site, every day before you travel ,as we know Governments have a bad habit of changing things on short notice. At the moment they are only allowing last years (from March ) visa holders that have been waiting because of Covid-19 and all Filipinos ,former Filipinos and family including their foreign husbands to enter, so not quite open to all tourist yet, but that maybe not to far away.....Regards ,,,,,Popa                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Not just the Philippines to consider there are now numerous countries relaxing restrictions. Ok some may be very expensive to live in but that is dependant on how you wish to live. Of course it depends how you can fund yourself. If you are a so called Digital Nomad and can work internationally instead of the head office, its quite easy. Bermuda, Barbados, Georgia, Czech Republic, Estonia, plus numerous others are offering multi year visas. I am now looking at all of these as an option to Thailand.

On 2/12/2021 at 1:33 PM, Aarin said:

THATS WRONG BECAUSE NO AIRLINE WILL ALLOW YOU TO FLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE COVID TEST WITH THE LAST 72 HOURS 

Actually that is wrong. It may be correct for most international flights but not for domestic flights world wide.

On 2/11/2021 at 10:45 AM, popabear said:

The cost of the one and only Covid-19 test is 4000 Peso , (about $110 Aussie).   

$110 for a $5 test ......... seems a bit odd, you'd think these countries would want tourists rather than ripping them off.

On 2/13/2021 at 5:13 PM, DoneTravelling said:

Actually that is wrong. It may be correct for most international flights but not for domestic flights world wide.

Actually in the philippines you usually need a covid test even for domestic flights.  Its still very difficult to travel between provinces there.  The rules are complicated and convoluted and depend on where you are going to.  Here is the list of requirements if you want to take a domestic flight to cebu.  

 

https://www.philippineairlines.com/en/ph/home/covid-19/TravelingWithinThePH/Cebu