3 things to note if you want to travel under the Singapore-Indonesia travel bubble

Travel Bubble (BB-S) is limited to travel between Singapore-Batam and Singapore-Bintan. International travelers enter the intended islands through their respective ferry terminals and engage in tourism activities within the islands.

From Monday 24 January 2022, international travellers can plan to travel between Indonesia (Rauai Islands) and Singapore through a travel bubble called Batam Bintan-Singapore (BB-S).

Indonesian President Joko Widodo approved the travel bubble “after various preparations in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy,” said Saturday (Jan 22).

“The president has agreed to start implementing the BB-S tourism bubble as a prototype to start economic opening, especially tourism in limited and controlled plans,” said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. The travel bubble “will last beyond the specified time”.

International travelers planning to enter Indonesia via BB-S must be aware of the following:

#1 Arrival

entry point

All international travelers under the Travel Bubble Program must enter Batam or Bintan by:

• Nongsapura International Ferry Terminal, let Nongsa Sensation in Batam; and
• Bandar Bintan Belani Ferry Terminal to Lagoi Bintan Resort Bintan.

#2 Check and Test

needed file

All international travelers must:

• Present proof of vaccinations (physical and electronic) at least 14 days prior to departure in English or national language. Proof of vaccination must also be verified on the official website of the Indonesian Ministry of Health or e-HAC International Indonesia;
• Present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test in the country of origin and collect a sample up to three days before departure and present it during the health check or on e-HAC International Indonesia;
• Present a tourist visa or other entry permit in accordance with applicable regulations, except for international travellers who are Singapore citizens;
• Present your booking confirmation and proof of payment for the Travel Bubble Travel Package at Lagoi Bintan Resort or Nongsa Sensation area, and
• Provide evidence of ownership of health insurance with a minimum insured value of S$30,000, which includes funding for COVID-19 processing and medical evacuation to referral hospitals.

test

All international travelers must:

• Temperature check on arrival and RT-PCR at the entrance to the Travel Bubble in Batam or Bintan.

  • if the result is negativePassengers can conduct BB-S after checking entry and exit documents and customs documents, baggage claim and disinfection.
  • if the result is positivethe traveler must:

    • [Without any symptoms or experiencing mild symptoms] Quarantine or treat in accommodation far away from tourist bubble areas, where foreigners are entirely at their own expense, or where Indonesian citizens are borne by the government;
    • [With moderate or severe symptoms] Isolation or treatment in a referral hospital, entirely at the expense of the foreigner, or the government for Indonesian citizens; or medical evacuation to the referral hospital in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the relevant referral hospital.

#3 Events

during travel

All international travelers can only:

• Interacting with tourists or parties within the intended island (Bintan or Batam);
• Engage in activities on the predetermined island according to the itinerary (itinerary);
• Use a three-layer fabric, or a medical mask that covers the nose, mouth, and chin;
• Change masks regularly every four hours, and discard mask waste at the places provided;
• Wash your hands frequently with water and soap or hand sanitizer, especially after touching objects that others have touched;
• maintain a social distance of at least 1.5 meters from others and avoid crowds, and
• Use the PeduliLindungi and/or Bluepass app during the Travel Bubble Zone event.

When you are unwell while traveling

All international travelers should:

• If you develop symptoms related to COVID-19, report to health workers in the travel bubble and further check with RT-PCR testing; and
• If he/she tests positive for COVID-19 in the predetermined area, follow the close contact tracing, isolation and quarantine mechanisms applicable in Indonesia.

  • if the result is positivethe traveler must:

    • [Without any symptoms or experiencing mild symptoms] Isolation or treatment in accommodation far away from the tourist bubble, where foreigners are entirely self-financed, or where Indonesian citizens are borne by the government;
    • [With moderate or severe symptoms] Isolation or treatment at the referral hospital, entirely at the expense of the foreigner, or the government for Indonesian citizens; or medical evacuation to the referral hospital in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the relevant referral hospital.
    • Conduct close contact tracing according to procedures established by the local health office.

Also read: Singapore launches six new VTLs with Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey

Image/123RF

Follow us on Telegram and Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and HR news in the region!