5 Tips to Plan Your Post Pandemic Staycation

Travelling is no longer the same in 2021 as previously. While international border has open but dubiety still exists for international travelling. For instance, what are the standard operating procedures (SOP) imposed by foreign countries, the cost of swab tests overseas, and ultimately the safety there. Therefore, domestic tourism or staycation is a better option for now. At the same time, we can help our fellow Malaysian working in tourism, food & beverage and hospitality who have been struggling for the past 1.5 years due to the pandemic.

Here are some tips for planning a staycation in Malaysia:

A free and easy plan with minimal planning may sound tempting as no adherence to the fixed schedule is needed. However, this may not be the case nowadays. Hotel rooms may be fully occupied due to influx of tourists, and some hotels may be overbooked in certain popular tourist destination. Therefore, please book ahead when searching for a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Melaka or other popular destinations. Planning your accommodation ahead also reduce risk of hassle of looking for an accommodation in last minute or landed yourself in fishy places.

Car usage might have dwindle in the past year due to the pandemic as majority of us are spending the time working at home, ordering food via food delivery and reduced travelling. Hence your car may not be at a tip top condition for long distance travelling. Therefore, it is important to get your car checked and service at authorized service centres prior embarking on a road trip. Make sure the coolants, air-conditioner, engines, brakes, tires and others are in pristine condition. The worst thing that could happen to your domestic travelling is a broken car and stranded by the highway or any rurul areas right?

3.      Avoid 3S (Sesak, Sempit, Sembang Dekat)

Like it or not, the pandemic is not over yet and we need to be vigilant and not letting our guard down anytime, anywhere. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid 3S (Sesak, Sempit, Sembang Dekat) as advocated by Majlis Keselamatan Negara. Here are a few tricks to help on it:

a)      We all enjoy using the pool facility in hotels. To be safe and reduce contact with others, we can go for hotels with private pool facility such as Lexis Port Dickson.
b)      Pre-order food and drinks using apps at selected R&R stations along the highway to reduce contact with others.
c)      Plan your vacation on weekdays or off peak period. Avoid joining the crowd and throng the same place at the same time.
d)      Use E-wallet or contactless credit card for payment whenever possible.
e)      Practice wearing a face shield and double mask if you are going to crowded and confined space.
These are some simple steps which I have been doing for the past one year to stay safe. Small effort does induce changes.

4.      Consult with insurance providers

Over the course of the current pandemic, some travel insurances providers may have expanded their coverage for travellers. It does not hurt to call to your trusted insurance agent to have an enquiry prior making a trip. Some examples of questions you may want to ask are:
·        Reimbursement of medical treatment during a trip if diagnosed with Covid-19
·        Issued quarantine order before trip
·        Get sick with Covid-19 and must cancel a trip as order by doctors
 

5.      Sanitize frequently

Last but not least, the golden rules of staying safe is practice washing hands frequently using soap and water or alcohol based sanitizers, disinfect frequently touched surface frequently such as luggage handlers (if someone else handle it for you), handphone, key, table surface and etc.
Remain vigilant and keep the face mask on as always.
 
Well, here are some of the tips for planning a domestic travelling or staycation during this pandemic. We felt differences after a short gateaway from home. The weary body did get rejuvenated. Thus, feel free to plan your staycation or domestic tourism if you are fully vaccinated, and stay safe during the travelling time.