Solo travel, when it goes great is delicious. It’s actually downright self-indulgent. You can eat whatever you want. You can even eat whenever you want. Spend as much time as you want in a certain place or as little. You can even skip the famous sights and instead do something super cheesy.

It’s in this time that the only compromises you must make are only with yourself. If you travel by yourself, you might find you push yourself a little harder than usual. Then again, you might actually give yourself a bit of slack.

Anyone who has ever traveled alone for the first time might actually describe it as a spiritual experience. Taking in new surroundings without it being filtered by the preferences, tastes, or preconceived opinions of traveling companions can prove to be really an inspiration. Then again, there are downsides as well, including loneliness, safety concerns, and the always dreadful single supplement.

There are certainly benefits to going solo. You can rest if you need to, or pour gas on the fire when you’re up for it. Your triumphs and your mistakes are your own. You don’t have to worry about dragging travel companions across a foreign city for half a day only to find out the attraction you wanted to see is closed. If you want to try something like paddle boarding for the first time, you can have the time of your life without worrying about someone bored on the beach.

Still, you need to be smart about it. Learn in advance how long with it will take to get to the airport. Also, know how much it should cost. You don’t want to get taken for a ride while you’re actually taking a ride, financially speaking, because solo passengers are more likely to get scammed.

It’s also smart to book with hotels that have 24-hour desks. That way, if you get there late, you won’t wind up sleeping in your rental car.

Make sure someone back home knows your itinerary so family and friends can track you. Keep in touch regularly, be it by phone, email, video chat, or text. If you’re traveling internationally, you might want to look up the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. STEP is run by the State Department, and it helps them assist you in the event of emergencies. Not an American? Many nations have similar programs.

Are you familiar with the so-called ‘single supplement’? Tour operators, hotels and especially cruise lines might tack this onto your bill since there is no second occupant for them to make money from. Depending on what kind of trip you’re taking, it might be 25 to as much as 100 percent of your costs. That means you might pay double what others with travel partners are paying. If you’re okay staying with a stranger, there are roommate matching services you can use to split costs.

Solo travel is something that some people live for. Others do it just because they need to. They might need a vacation or have a chance for one but have no one to travel with.