As much as wanderlust might swell into us on a whim, choosing a travel destination is a science. I know in my case there are so many places on my bucket list, but there are multiple factors you should take into consideration before you start clicking away on travel sites.

1. Weather– the time of year you travel will have a great affect on the weather you experience when you travel abroad. You wouldn’t want to go to the Caribbean in the middle of October and risk running into a hurricane, go to Bali before April and experience monsoons, or go to Iceland with the hopes of seeing the Northern Lights in the middle of July. Always research the average weather of your potential destination to minimize the risk of the weather altering your plans.

2. Price– as I’ve mentioned in previous my previous post, the time of year you decide to travel will determine how much you are going to pay for flight and accommodations (hint: Why Cancun prices are so high during spring break and low throughout the rest of the year). Try to avoid high tourism seasons for your destination or book flights at least six weeks prior to traveling. Also, track prices so you don’t miss the best deals and make sure to delete your browsing history, because sites actually recognize that you are looking at airfare and will increase their prices since you’ve visited the site.

3. Travelers– unless you’re traveling solo, you must always take into consideration your travel buddies’ preferences and flexibility. For example, you may want to spend 10 days in the Philippines, but your friend can only get off of work for five days. Instead of cutting your trip short, find a new destination that works for everyone’s schedule and make sure you all have a say in where you are going and what activities you want to experience while there. Compromise is key to smooth sailing.