Provinces relax tourism activities

Visitors from outside Quang Binh, except areas under lockdown or social distancing restrictions are now allowed to enter the central province. They are required to submit medical declarations and monitor their health.

Quang Binh, home to UNESCO heritage site Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the world's largest cave Son Doong, reopened tourist destinations from May 28 but only allowed intra-provincial travelers amid the complicated development of the pandemic.

The province has not yet recorded any community transmissions during the ongoing outbreak that emerged on April 27.

Ninh Binh Province, around two hours from Hanoi, reopened tourist attractions and historical sites, including the UNESCO heritage site Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex from July 3, with external visitors still banned.

The northern province of Vinh Phuc, home to popular resort town Tam Dao, also reopened tourist destinations, hotels and golf courses from late June but requires external visitors to provide Covid-19 negative certificates.

Phu Yen and Binh Dinh, famous beach destinations in central Vietnam, however have halted tourism activities after recording Covid-19 clusters.

The country's ongoing Covid-19 wave, the fourth and by far the most challenging, has seen more than 18,000 infections in 55 of its 63 cities and provinces.