Langkawi travel bubble wins approval from Malaysian travellers and hotels, but coronavirus fears remain
- Tourists were happy to be on holiday again after months of Covid-19 restrictions, and hotels in the island chain rolled out the red carpet for their visitors
- Many restaurants and shops remain closed, and one family likens their trip to Langkawi to ‘being on vacation out of season’
Residents of Malaysia were recently given a week’s notice of the opening of the country’s first domestic travel bubble, which is allowing tourists back to the archipelago of Langkawi amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To take advantage of the opportunity, travellers over 18 would need to be fully vaccinated (in Malaysia, that means having received a second vaccine dose at least 14 days earlier, or, for single-dose vaccinations, having been jabbed at least 28 days earlier).
Authorities had planned to open other travel bubbles from October 1, allowing tourists to visit Tioman Island, and Melaka and the Genting Highlands in peninsular Malaysia, but in the last week of September abruptly cancelled the plans over concerns about vaccinations rates.
Having been unable to leave Malaysia since December 2019 and Kuala Lumpur since January 2021, the family had wasted no time booking one of the first Air Asia flights out of the capital.
“The feeling of going on holidays again was wonderful and our kids were so excited to get on a plane and travel again that they packed their suitcases days in advance,” says El Muzayen.
