If there’s one thing that Sags love to do, it’s traveling. You might notice how a lot of Sagittarius people are cultured and wise. These traits are normally attributed to their sign being ruled by the planet Jupiter which is associated with philosophy and the search for truth. But Jupiter is also the planet of freedom and exploration. Traveling gives a person the opportunity to experience different traditions, meet new people of different backgrounds, learn of other’s cultures and, yes, soul-search in the process. Travel helps a Sag develop and mature.

Now, the new year has come and it’s time to make new travel plans but which part of the map will the Archer thrust its arrow? Here’s a list of places we’d recommend you to consider visiting this year … or whenever you’re free, really.

Croatia. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once wrote: Those who seek paradise on Earth must come to Dubrovnik. This is a city within Croatia’s Dalmatia region. It is famous for the wall that runs around that city which is almost 2 kilometers and was made to protect the city. Centuries of heritage has given this beautiful city a character of its own. From the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire, to becoming the Republic of Ragusa, to surrendering to the Napoleonic Army and eventually being part of the Nazi’s Independent State of Croatia, Dubrovnik is now nicknamed “The Pearl of the Adriatic”. But if you’re not the type to dwell on history and fancy names, you can just always hang out at the beach and enjoy the weather, food and view that they have to offer. It might be a good idea to go there during its famous Dubrovnik Annual Summer festival that lasts for 45 days and is filled with music, food, concerts and other fun activities, not only for the locals but the tourists as well.  It is held every year between the 10th of July and the 25th of August.

Barbados. Other than the fact that Rihanna is once again the ambassador for tourism for her home country Barbados, it’s really a nice place to visit. It’s mostly famous for the beach resorts but the country also has a number of parks, museums and underground pools and caves that are worth seeing.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In case you want to beat the tourist rush for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Make this year the year you visit the famous city.

Vietnam and Thailand. You can either stay in one of their more expensive resorts or backpack and travel from one country to the other by train. Unlike Hong Kong (which is mostly a huge mall) and Singapore (which is mostly a huge theme park), Vietnam and Thailand has some of the most historical and culture-rich sites and friendliest locals to make your stay even better. If you’re adventurous enough you can also try their famous cheap street eats.

Trujillo, Peru or the Dominican Republic. If you’ve read the book “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” you’d know about these places’ political history. But their heritage is full of even more amazing finds. In Peru they hold the Trujillo Marinera Festival during January so you might want to pack your bags soon. They also have those Moche and Inca ruins that would be great for landscape photography. As for the Dominican Republic, they have great beaches and resorts if you’re tired of Mexico and Cuba.

No matter where you decide to go this year, just make sure you try to experience whatever place you go to in the real sense of the word. Don’t just stay within the confines of the hotel or the resort. Go out and meet the people. Eat what the locals eat, where the locals eat. Live their lives (at least as much as you can). This way you don’t only get a relaxing vacation or an unforgettable adventure. You also get to keep memories that staying indoors won’t give you.

The Sagittarius is one that loves adventure and exotic places. They are not content to vacation at home and just hang around the house, and the farther they are from home the better they like it. Not only do they enjoy exotic places, but they also have a fondness for different cultures. This is due in part to the fact that Sagittarius is in the 9th house which is known as the House of Long Distance Journeys. This means in short they see traveling as not only an adventure but also as a way to learn things they will not encounter on their daily journey through life.

Some of the places Sagittarians enjoy going include beaches, camping, hiking in the hills and fishing. Their love is anything they are able to do outdoors, but they will not stop at these places and prefer to travel to exotic places and even third world countries. They see any kind of travel as an experience and adventure. The one thing to remember is while most people who plan for vacation reserve an island resort, a hotel in the mountains or a large city that is not very different from where they live, Sagittarius likes something out of the ordinary. Rather than seeing things completely planned out in advance, they like to do things on the spur of the moment—nothing would suit them better than going to an unusual place or even to one of the usual places and just have fun.

You are likely to find your Sagittarius mate would enjoy going to the Rockies, Yellow Stone Park or the Grand Canyon. Unlike the ordinary vacation spots that attract most people, Sagittarius enjoys these types of spots because they can camp out or stay with friends or family and just enjoy those things nature provides without any pressure to go sightseeing or do the things that people usually do when they go on vacation.

Sagittarians also enjoy third world countries to live or visit and would even enjoy traveling to Morocco, Cuba or the Philippines. While these countries do not appeal to everyone, Sagittarius sees them as adventures to be enjoyed. The have an extreme sense of curiosity and need to discover how all things work out in these places. Things such as how the people live, how far a hundred dollars will take them, and a look at the beaches and shopping arenas appeal to the Archer.

They also enjoy religious and historical places such as Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the like. There is no need to be on any kind of pilgrimage to visit these places nor do you need to be a religious person. They just have the need to see how it feels to visit the famous churches and other buildings and monuments that are part of the Bible. They might also enjoy swimming in the Dead Sea just to gain the feeling of floating without any effort. It is important for them to view old architecture and try to reconstruct in their minds how people used to live.