CDC Says to 'Avoid' 15 Destinations — Including More Caribbean Islands, Fiji, and United Arab Emirates

Alison Fox
·2 min read

More than a dozen destinations were added to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's highest travel advisory on Monday as the agency warns against traveling to even more locations around the world.

Several popular Caribbean islands were among the new additions, including Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Additionally, Fiji (a bucket list destination for many), Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Kuwait, Mongolia, Niger, Peru, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, and Tunisia were also raised to "Level 4."

"As the COVID-19 situation around the world changes, CDC is monitoring COVID-19 risk in destinations around the world and making travel recommendations," the agency wrote.

This is the second time in as many weeks the CDC added a large swath of countries and territories to its highest warning advisory list, which it updates on a weekly basis. Destinations are classified as "Level 4" if there are more than 500 COVID-19 cases reported per 100,000 people over the last 28 days.

Tourists enjoy a beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic,
Tourists enjoy a beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic,

Erika Santelices/Getty Images

In total, the CDC now classifies 116 destinations as "Level 4," including popular vacation spots like Aruba, Spain, Italy, and France, as well as the United States' neighbor to the north, Canada.

Still, the warning does not prohibit travel to many areas around the world, which remain open to American tourists with varying testing and vaccination protocols in place.

Several countries have recently relaxed entry requirements as well, like England, which is eliminating all COVID-19 testing for vaccinated travelers next month. Similarly, Thailand is reintroducing its "Test & Go Thailand Pass" program next month, allowing vaccinated international visitors to travel to any part of the country and skip quarantine.

But other countries are imposing strict rules on public spaces like restaurants, requiring people to show proof of vaccination or, in some cases, a negative test to enter, including Italy, France, and parts of Mexico.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.