What Your Chinese Zodiac Sign Says About Your Travel Style

Humans have long been fascinated by what we believe facts about our births can tell us about ourselves. Independently of each other, cultures around the world have developed their own numerology and zodiac charts they believe reveal universal truths about people’s personalities, likes and dislikes.

While these are often used by true believers for making decisions about love and work, at IndependentTraveler.com we believe they can inform our travel choices as well.

Turning to the Far East first, we checked out ChinaHighlights.com to find out more about the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, then took their descriptions for each sign and applied them to travel preferences.

Here is our completely unscientific list of Chinese Zodiac travel personalities.

Rat (Birth Years: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)

Because people under the sign of the Rat are resourceful and versatile, they enjoy the challenge of travel and are more likely than others to just pick up and go. No packaged tours for Rats. They prefer to plan (or not plan!) their own journeys and, driven by a strong curiosity, seek out new places even when visiting a destination they’ve been to before.

Ox (Birth Years: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)

With a strong attachment to their home country, people under the sign of the Ox enjoy exploring the travel possibilities of their native lands. And as family-oriented folk, they are partial to vacations with their spouses and children. Oxen also prefer planned travel with detailed itineraries to simply winging it, and are less likely to travel at the last minute.

Tiger (Birth Years: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)

Brave and competitive, people under the sign of the Tiger like to stand out from the crowd, so they seek out bragging-rights destinations when traveling. Tigers are often the first of their friends to visit a destination, usually some place slightly off the beaten path. Tigers also take great pride in traveling with few plans in place, enjoying the challenge of figuring it all out as they go.

Rabbit (Birth Years: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011)

People under the sign of the Rabbit are often described as artistic, so travel to places known for art, cooking and fashion appeals to them. Rabbits also tend to be quieter and more serene than other signs, so they enjoy trips in which quiet time is purposely built in.

Dragon (Birth Years: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)

Courageous and tenacious by nature, people under the sign of the Dragon particularly like active travel, often in the form of extreme adventure (think bungee jumping and mountain trekking) as they seek out the next thrill. But Dragons have little patience for cultural expectations, so they should avoid countries in which dress codes and humble behavior are expected.

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Snake (Birth Years: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)

Because they are private but also enjoy keeping up with the Joneses, people who fall under the sign of the Snake search for understated yet upscale travel. Snakes prefer Four Seasons to the W, Abercrombie & Kent to Globus and Crystal Cruises to Celebrity Cruises. As intellectuals, Snakes also enjoy learning about their destinations and, if given the chance to attend a lecture during their travels, will jump at the opportunity.

Horse (Birth Years: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)

Because people under the sign of the Horse love to be part of the herd, they seek busy destinations like cities and party resorts, and they’re much more interested in escorted touring than others. “The more the merrier” is a sentiment Horses have taken to heart, and nothing pleases them more than a friends” getaway or multigenerational vacation with the extended family.

Sheep (Birth Years: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)

Often described as mild-mannered and shy, people who fall under the sign of the Sheep like to travel solidly on the beaten path. Sheep are equally as happy to travel alone as they are in a group (so long as someone else is the leader), and they enjoy destinations that provide food for thought. Sheep also are partial to first-class travel options.

Monkey (Birth Years: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004)

Intelligent, curious and mischievous, people who fall under the sign of the Monkey want to dig into a city’s unknown history, see what’s hidden in the back room of the popular museum and get past the “Restricted Access” sign. Monkeys, therefore, seek out behind-the-scenes tours and exclusive access when traveling. Additionally, their destination choices trend toward cities, as their interests are too varied for a non-urban environment.

Rooster (Birth Years: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005)

Frequently described as showoffs, people who fall under the sign of the Rooster enjoy traveling in groups, either with friends or with an escorted group tour, so that they can put themselves at the center of attention. Though Roosters aren’t picky about their travel destination, they prefer to visit places in which they can remain well-groomed and show off their duds — whether it’s the latest cocktail dress or best climbing gear.

Dog (Birth Years: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006)

With fiercely people-oriented personalities, people who fall under the sign of the Dog prefer to travel with others, and especially with close family or friends. Dogs mostly don’t care where they go so long as their spouses, best friends or children are with them.

Pig (Birth Years: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007)

Because people under the sign of the Pig tend to be sympathetic and generous by nature, voluntourism opportunities appeal to them. Additionally, Pigs tend to remain calm when facing difficult situations, so travel to developing countries in which tourism infrastructures are less modern is easier for Pigs than for people under other signs.

–written by Dori Saltzman