COVID-19 has caused long-awaited vacations to be cancelled, family reunions to be postponed, and celebrations to be done virtually. It was unclear how or where to travel safely and difficult to keep track of quarantine requirements.

After months of rebooking trips and tracking vacation destinations, I decided to see for myself what travel is like in this unprecedented time. As a travel advisor, I believed firsthand experience, along with access to colleagues visiting other destinations, would be key to advising clients properly as more destinations open to travelers.

Travel is more complicated now than it has been in my 32 years in the industry. So I explored three locations, calling them the 50 Shades of Blue tour because they are all on the water.

After studying scientific reports and analyses, I learned that mask requiremens and air filtration systems on commercial aircraft effectively remove particles from the air, making flying quite low risk.

Fewer travelers means extra space on planes, but to be extra cautious, I flew Delta and JetBlue which committed to keeping middle seats empty, guaranteeing reduced capacity.

Uncrowded airports made social distancing easy, and passengers were good about following safety instructions. I found that wearing a mask while flying, even for extended periods, wasn’t as difficult as expected.

My first destination was Los Cabos, Mexico, on the west coast. This region where “the desert meets the sea” borders the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. Travelers visit trendy Cabo San Lucas or laid-back San Jose and enjoy world-class dining and service with breathtaking views.

There are dozens of resorts offering choices for almost any travel style, including golf and water sports. To keep guests safe, hotel capacity is currently capped at 30%. I inspected 12 hotels during my 10 days there, visited local eateries and took excursions, coming away impressed by the extensive precautions taken by hotels and locals.

Without exception, everyone wore a mask. Some also wore eye coverings, face shields and gloves. When we entered an establishment, shoes were sanitized, and temperatures were taken. Hotels sanitized luggage. In some places, we even passed through a sanitizing booth before entry.

Next, I traveled to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to inspect all-inclusive resorts in that Caribbean destination. As with Cabo, the staff was 100% committed to guest safety. Workers wear masks all the time. Activities, including meals, were outdoors. Hotel employees were screened daily and regularly tested. The Dominican government has limited hotel capacity to 30% to make social distancing a breeze. And, despite reports of COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic, there are few cases in tourism-centric Punta Cana.

For the final leg of my tour, I traveled to Tahiti. This South Pacific country has had very few COVID-19 cases and enforces strict protocols for residents and travelers. Negative RT-PCR tests within three days of departure are required, and visitors receive self-test kits to be completed on their fourth day in Tahiti.

Several of the spectacular islands I visited have had zero or only a handful of COVID-19 cases since February, thanks to excellent compliance with mask mandates and other protocols.

Like in the other destinations, transmission risks are reduced because virtually everything is outdoors. Capacity isn’t limited by mandate, but hotels are small, and accommodations are separate from each other.

Tahiti is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. And, it’s one of a few countries that whole-heartedly welcomes Americans with a thoughtful approach to safety.

The tour convinced me that it’s possible to vacation safely, as long as you make responsible choices beginning with where to go. Expect to wear masks on planes and when you’re near others. If people are congregating or not wearing masks when they can’t socially distance, stay away.

Destinations and attractions are starting to reopen to Americans. I’m here to tell you that it’s not scary once you do it. Since people rebooked 2020 travel into 2021 and beyond, there’s already limited availability at resorts, on tours and on cruises, so you need to start planning now.

Marc Bokoff of Cruise Planners has a Norwich office. He can be reached at marc.bokoff@cruiseplanners.com.

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