Thinking about hopping on a plane to get away right now? The CDC wants you to think twice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are regularly updating travel advisories to warn prospective vacationers about the state of COVID-19 in countries around the world.
The CDC organizes countries according to four levels of COVID-19 risk: low (level one), moderate (level two), high (level three) and very high (level four).
As of the time of writing, the following nine popular tourist destinations are all level four countries. The CDC recommends avoiding travel to these places.
The complete list of CDC COVID-19 travel advisories can be found online.
Iceland
The North Atlantic island country is usually a hit with North Americans looking for a European escape without the mainland price tag. The hot springs and colourful roofs of Reykjavik can draw hordes of tourists in the winter โ but maybe not this year.
The CDC says the country is experiencing "very high" COVID-19 levels.
Barbados
The eastern Caribbean country is finally cutting its ties with the British monarchy, but the CDC doesn't want you going to celebrate the birth of the new republic just yet.
United Kingdom
You may have seen any one of the dizzying number of reports about the U.K.'s ever-fluctuating COVID-19 levels and what's been portrayed as a fumbling government response. The CDC does not want you going there right now.
The Netherlands
Amsterdam is lovely in the winter โ but COVID-19 infections are not. The CDC says to avoid travel to the low-lying country for the time being.
Cuba
With no Americans and plenty to see, Cuba is, of course, one of the most popular winter destinations for Canadians. But citing a "very high level of COVID-19," the CDC recommends against travelling to the Caribbean's largest island.
Germany
There's maybe nothing more festive than exploring a Christmas market in a German city's medieval core. But if you follow CDC advice, you might want to wait until next year.
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia has it all: beaches, resorts, dramatic landscapes and, right now, high levels of COVID-19, according to the CDC, which, despite the island country's allure, says you should avoid travel.
Greece
You've probably heard stories of tourists visiting a small island in the Aegean and hearing as much Greek as quรฉbรฉcois French. With a CDC recommendation to "avoid travel," it's unclear how many North Americans will be flocking to the Greek islands this year, though.
Martinique
Ok, this one's not an independent country, per se. The second-closest French overseas department to Quebec (Guadeloupe is closer โ Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon is not a department) isn't doing so well when it comes to COVID-19. So it's a "non" from the CDC.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.