Japan June 2022

[Rapunzellover]

Yes, I did! Flying out of JFK and home through Boston. Was able to cancel ABD in time to get decent airfare. We will have 11 days on Sao Miguel, assuming no issues with our flights. We are so excited!

Cool. You're just going to São Miguel? I'm hoping to one day see every island plus Maderia.

 

[TXTransplant]

Cool. You're just going to São Miguel? I'm hoping to one day see every island plus Maderia.

Yes, just one island. When I booked, it wasn't clear that travel between islands was fully open. I also didn't want to have to worry about alternate hotel accommodations (I LOVE the hotel we booked!)

 

[TravelJunkieHubby]

Has anyone else had a delay in getting a refund for the cancelled July 10 japan ABD? In the past it was pretty quick - just wondering how long is normal for things to proceed?

 

[sayhello]

So... Japan is going to start allowing *small* group tours in, beginning later this month. However, it will NOT be providers like ABD. What will happen is that the Japan Tourism Authority will work with travel agencies in the 4 countries allowed (the US, Australia, Thailand and Singapore) and will set up fixed itineraries that they can control. The tours will be accompanied by "tour conductors" at all times. Japan is apparently trying to see what will happen in various circumstances under a very tight control. If these small tours are successful, then they'll open up more at an unspecified time. Oh, and everyone on the tours needs to be "triple vaccinated" (boosted).
http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/japan-testing-tourism-reopen-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[AquaDame]

Not going to lie, the part where you must be accompanied at all times would be a deal breaker for me. It give me visions of being locked into the room at night... it may be just as well if ABD cant run yet if those are the terms.

 

[sayhello]

Not going to lie, the part where you must be accompanied at all times would be a deal breaker for me. It give me visions of being locked into the room at night... it may be just as well if ABD cant run yet if those are the terms.

Yep. You have a very good point there!

Sayhello

 

[Mathmagicland]

A bit more info on Japan reopening to tourists from The Points Guy - it is initially more restrictive than I’d realized.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/japan-reopening-tours/

 

[TXTransplant]

A bit more info on Japan reopening to tourists from The Points Guy - it is initially more restrictive than I’d realized.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/japan-reopening-tours/

This line alone is both hilarious and sad...

"Assuming the program goes as planned, this would imply a total of about five tourists from the U.S. will be allowed to visit in the coming month on a carefully choreographed and restricted tour that would be the envy of North Korean guides."

 

[AquaDame]

No Tokyo, no Osaka... at this point I'm glad when we pushed out our next trip we bumped it two years instead of one. Fingers crossed for winter '24!