I am absolutely loving how this is starting to happen at an increasingly rapid pace. It started with just one country, then that country saw a boom in tourism the likes of which they had never seen before, then other countries started following suit. However, these at first were all "poor" countries and the global health community told them they were making a terrible mistake.
Nothing bad every happened though and now we have seen some richer countries like Norway and Ireland join the list of countries that you don't need to have any documentation or testing in order to enter. You merely need a passport and the desire to go to these countries and voila! You can do so.
Today we add Hungary to that list.
src
Unlike the past two countries to join this growing group of nations that require no vaccines or tests to enter, Hungary is a country that can actually be considered a budget-travel destination and one that is really lovely and easy to visit. Just like any other country, the values depend largely on where you are in the country and what you require in order for food and accommodation. Hostels are very easy to come by in the larger cities and eating out can be accomplished for under $10 per day, excluding alcohol.
src
While it has been a long time since i was last there, I recall being able to easily find a wide-range of shared facility accommodation for between 5 and 10 US dollars per night. These hostels were also a great place to meet other travelers, just like most other hostels in the world.
Most of the amazing things to see in Hungary are historical in nature and attendance to these attractions is normally free or near free. Get outside of the cities and there are plenty of natural attractions as well but keep in mind that without your own transport, some of these are going to be quite difficult to work out getting to.
src
Many countries, including the United States, can enter Hungary without a visa for 90 days, which is too long to be honest with you. Unless you are a digital nomad planning on staying and working for a while, you will have seen all of the major stuff in Hungary long before the 90 days are up.
But the major purpose of me writing this is to celebrate the fact that the list of countries is growing that are dropping all Covid-related requirements to entry. To get into Hungary you do not need to be vaccinated, you do not need to take a test before or upon arrival, and you will experience very little in the way of Covid restrictions once in the country. In major urban areas masks are still recommended, but from what I hear, not required.
I have a "when in Rome" method when it comes to masks: If the locals are wearing masks, wear them as well even if you feel like I do and believe that doing so is pointless.
So the list of countries that someone can enter without any vaccination, tests, or documents of any sort related to Covid are now
- Mexico
- El Salvador
- Norway
- Iceland
- Dominican Republic
- Slovenia
- Bahrain
- Jordan
- Ireland
- Hungary
Let's hope that this number continues to grow!