Travel Bubble Between Hong Kong and Singapore to Open in May

Hong Kong and Singapore will finally open a travel bubble between the two countries in May after months of delays due to spikes in coronavirus cases.

The travel bubble will officially open on May 26, Reuters reported, allowing travelers who test negative for COVID-19 to transit between the two major Asian cities. The bubble was initially planned for November 2020, but was put off due to a spike in cases in Hong Kong.

Anyone who travels between the two countries will now be required to test negative for coronavirus before departure as well as upon arrival, the wire service noted. Hong Kong residents will also be required to show proof of vaccination at least 14 days before traveling to Singapore.

There will be no quarantine period required for travel to either destination, but the travel bubble will be suspended if the seven-day moving average of daily unlinked local COVID-19 cases rises above five in either city.

Dover Forest in Singapore
Dover Forest in Singapore

Xinhua/Then Chih Wey via Getty Images

To start, there will be one flight per day between each city with up to 200 passengers on each flight, Hong Kong's Commerce Secretary Edward Yau and Singapore's Transport Minister Ong Ye Ku said, according to Reuters.

"The re-launch ... signifies that gradual resumption of cross-border travel is achievable through mutual collaborations among different places," Yau said, according to the wire service.

Beyond this travel bubble, officials from both Hong Kong and Singapore said they were exploring the possibility of a similar arrangement with other countries like New Zealand and Australia (each of which opened their own travel bubble last week).

While American tourists can't travel to either of the two cities right now, they can experience both virtually. Travelers can explore Singapore's Gardens by the Bay or learn how to cook kaya jam and Indian curry; and foodies can "eat" their way through Hong Kong with interactive videos.

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.