Has Equatorial Guinea lifted restrictions to tourism?
The world is moving towards the new normal, and two years after the pandemic countries are reopening to international tourism… What about Equatorial Guinea? Have the restrictions been lifted? Can you travel to Equatorial Guinea? Read up!
More than two years have passed since the pandemic breakout, but… have the restrictions on tourism in Equatorial Guinea been lifted? Many of you often ask us what are the exact restrictions to enter Equatorial Guinea for tourism purposes, what the situation in the country regarding the pandemic is and whether these restrictions to travel to Equatorial Guinea have been lifted. And we have news! We have decided to share them with you and provide this post as a future reference. Please feel free to mention us as a source. All the information that we describe below is validated by official agencies in Equatorial Guinea..What restrictions have already been lifted to travel to Equatorial Guinea?
Let’s get to the point: has Equatorial Guinea lifted the restrictions on tourism and the mandatory quarantine? The answer is YES. Although it is true that not completely; the mandatory quarantine has effectively been eliminated, but there are still other necessary compliance measures that we describe throughout this article.
This August 25, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Diosdado Vicente Nsue Milang, signed the Order lifting the mandatory hotel quarantine and the retention of passports at points of entry into the country.
And what does this mean? Travelers to Equatorial Guinea no longer have to go through mandatory hotel quarantine nor will their passport be held upon entering the country (this applies to residents and non-residents alike).
On the other hand, the PCR or the antigen test that was required of travelers when leaving Equatorial Guinea will no longer be mandatory if the country of destination (or return) does not require that entry test.
What restrictions are still active to travel to Equatorial Guinea?
Despite the fact that the Order of August 25 opens tourism in Equatorial Guinea to a large extent and lifts the greatest restrictions, the Government of Equatorial Guinea, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, urges that the demands of the Decree (004/2022) continue to be complied with, including reinforcing COVID-19 control measures.
Among these measures we find those related to vaccination, the use of masks or constant hand disinfection as well as an overall responsible behavior against the disease.
Recommendations when traveling to Equatorial Guinea
With the new Order, there are still valid restrictions. Therefore, we recommend that until everything is confirmed, you comply with the following measures.
If you are already in Equatorial Guinea and intend to travel from the insular area to the mainland or vice versa, you will be required to present your vaccination card and a negative PCR test result, performed within 48 hours prior to your trip. This applies to flights, both commercial and charter, and to passenger shipping.
In general, you may be required to have your vaccination card when you leave a city or to enter banks or certain establishments, so although this measure is not widespread, we strongly recommend that you take your vaccination card everywhere as part of your documentation.
What do you need to travel to Equatorial Guinea?
As always, a visa is required to travel to Equatorial Guinea, unless you travel with a passport from the United States, Tunisia or Central Africa. In this reference post, our complete guide to travel to Equatorial Guinea, you can find all the necessary information to become familiar with the requirements according to your nationality and everything you need to know before doing tourism in Equatorial Guinea.
In addition to that, there are some mandatory vaccines to enter Equatorial Guinea, such as yellow fever and, recently, the COVID-19 vaccine in any of its types has obviously been added to these requirements. There are also other highly recommended vaccines, such as hepatitis, among others. All this information must be recorded in your international vaccination record or card (except the COVID-19 vaccine, which may come as a separate document).
This latest decree does not indicate any changes regarding the requirements to enter into the country (it only refers to exit, a requirement that has already been lifted). Therefore, until we have further information, we recommend presenting a negative PCR test on arrival taken within the last 48 hours. It can be a difficult process if you travel on very long international flights, but for now it is still necessary.
Which flights are available to travel to Equatorial Guinea?
Flights are actually irregular, and they change frequently according to restrictions and global demand. At the moment, we have a long list updated with the airlines and the frequency of flights that we intend to update every week. Please do always check your options with the airlines, and use this table as orientation.
Is it safe to travel to Equatorial Guinea after the pandemic?
Equatorial Guinea is one of the countries in the world that has best weathered the storm during the pandemic. In the first place, thanks to the quick and drastic action of its leadership, who quickly established restrictive measures for the population. And, on the other hand, due to its geography, which has significantly helped its isolation during the crisis after all international flights were restricted.
Epidemiological data in Equatorial Guinea
As for the epidemiological data, as of August 25, 2022, a total number of 16,848 infected have been reported throughout the pandemic, of which 16,595 have recovered and, unfortunately, 183 have died (source: Ministry of Health of Equatorial Guinea). These numbers speak for themselves of the exemplary behavior of the Equatorial Guinean society when it comes to respecting the protection measures.
Vaccination in Equatorial Guinea
Regarding vaccination, Equatorial Guinea has been one of the countries that started vaccination earlier and moved faster in all of Africa . Currently, 214,032 inhabitants have been vaccinated with the two required doses (Sinopharm). This has been a differentiating fact when it comes to controlling the different waves and variants of COVID-19. From Rumbo Malabo, we remind everyone of the possibility of being vaccinated with the third dose already available in any center authorized by the Ministry of Health of Equatorial Guinea.
What has been the impact of the pandemic in Equatorial Guinea?
Life in Equatorial Guinea, as in the rest of the world, has been significantly impacted during the pandemic. But, little by little, normality has returned to the lives of Equatoguinean citizens until the current situation.
The main tourist hotspots remain open. In addition, you can perfectly visit the beaches of Equatorial Guinea, and it would be very unexpected to find any kind of crowds on them. Regarding the bars and clubs, they are also open and without restrictions.
For the rest, requesting tourist permits requires presenting the vaccination card with the complete guideline to the Ministry of Tourism; the permit may be granted within a maximum period of 2 weeks, so it is good to do it early enough.
Conclusion: What possibilities does Equatorial Guinea offer to tourists now that the quarantine and other restrictions have been lifted?
Equatorial Guinea offers everything an adventurer can look for. On the one hand, it offers spectacular beaches as we tell you in this post. On the other hand, it has surprisingly well-preserved biodiversity as it is an island and, among many other wonders, and it also offers trekking outings through the jungle for those in in search of adventure . The options are unimaginable and only depend on you.
Also, this is the perfect time to visit Equatorial Guinea .
- From Rumbo Malabo we are organizing excursions to Corisco . This is an idyllic island facing the Muni River estuary and an ideal place for a getaway due to its paradisiacal white-sand beaches. We will tell you more about Corisco soon [1] on our blog! Remember that you can subscribe so you don’t miss any news.
- This summer, with the aim of promoting tourism in Equatorial Guinea, through the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Craft Promotion and led by H.E. Secretary of State Catalina Martínez Asumu, the Government has facilitated fam trips as part of the promotion and activation strategy of tourism to Equatorial Guinea. These are trips offered to tour operators or agencies with the aim of discovering a destination.
- In addition, we will soon be receiving four types of sea turtles (including leatherback turtles) on our sea shores on Bioko island to lay their eggs. A spectacle of nature!
Do not hesitate to follow us on social media to keep up with all our news and articles
Did you like it? Share it with your friends on any social media and help us grow.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
WhatsApp
Telegram
