How fun! Astrologically, 2024 promises to be a stimulating year for travel, and for any of our Globe Aware volunteers who are Leos or Scorpios, we're looking at you especially!
Where You Should Travel in 2024, According to Your Sign
Our go-to astrologer, Steph Koyfman, on which destination will speak to you most in the year ahead.
BY STEPH KOYFMAN
December 19, 2023
Conde Naste Traveler
After the year of revenge travel (and flight costs rising with a similar vengeance), tourism might be settling into relative homeostasis in 2024. Then again, everything has changed, including the terrain of where you’ll want to go next, and maybe even the order of your bucket list.
Astrologically, 2024 promises to be a stimulating year for travel. We begin the year with Jupiter newly direct in Taurus, which makes the first half of the year (through the end of May) peak season for ecotourism, national parks, vineyard tours, time in burgeoning foodie capitals, music festivals, plant medicine journeys, and agricultural adventures. Late April and May are especially gorgeous months for travel. The food we eat, nature we touch, and art we appreciate around this time could be revolutionary in scope.
On May 25th, Jupiter enters Gemini and initiates a year of curiosity and learning. We might feel compelled to visit locations that scratch a certain intellectual itch, travel for conferences or conventions, or diversify our itineraries to the point where we can barely catch our breath between train stations. As long as our minds are stimulated (and our need for variety satiated), all will be well.
As for where to find all of this? The answer will vary by your sign. So, we’ve looked to our list of the best places to travel in 2024 and matched each zodiac sign with the trip that will check all the right boxes—plus, we read the stars for when is the best time, astrologically speaking, for you to make that journey.
Aries: The Kimberley, Australia
Not one to go with the hordes, you’re more excited by destinations that haven’t already been touched by a stampede of tourist foot traffic. You might jump, then, at the chance to visit Australia’s northwestern coast, known as ‘one of the world’s last wild frontiers.’ Starting in April, The Kimberley, Australia’s rugged coastlines and waterways will be welcoming cruise lines for the first time. Hop on board—then off—to explore ancient Aboriginal rock-art sites and towering cliffs, or join new multi-day itineraries from Aboriginal Culture Expedition.
Although Jupiter will enter your third house of short-distance trips on May 25th—making the second half of 2024 a great time for day and weekend trips out of town—there’s time yet for more ambitious itineraries. Mid-July through early August is a sweet spot for fun and adventure, as Venus (and for the most part, the Sun) will be in life-loving Leo, and your fifth house of pleasure and recreation. This is Australia’s winter, but it’s peak season in the north because of the moderate temperatures, lack of insects, and the relative dryness. As for cruise ships? Scenic’s Scenic Eclipse II will be the only Kimberley-bound ship with helicopters onboard for flightseeing excursions. You know you don’t want to be limited by where your legs can take you.
Taurus: Kobe, Japan
Everyone has you pegged for the foodie that you are, but what they don’t always appreciate is that you get a thrill out of well-made things that aren’t always edible. Actually, when you travel, it’s usually the cities with thoughtful urban design and good architecture that stand out in your memory the most. For all of those reasons and more, you’ll love visiting Kobe, Japan, which isn’t just famous for its beef. It’s also a burgeoning contemporary design capital with new multipurpose creative centers, trendy hotels, and eccentric outposts for French artisanal perfume and skincare brand Officine Universelle Buly. Starting in early 2024, you’ll also be able to see the city—and the surrounding seas and mountain ranges—from Kobe Port Tower’s panoramic observation deck. It even has a museum and a 360-degree revolving café bar. We know you love a good spa day, too, so you’ll probably be glad to hear about the many hot springs in the area.
Gemini: Madagascar
Your curiosity and conversational prowess gives you a lot of free range across social circles and niche interests. So when it comes to travel destinations, it’s the remote, far-flung places that captivate your attention. The good news is that Madagascar, a location that has famously been difficult to get to for travelers, will be easier to visit in 2024. And it’s well-known for its rich biodiversity, a feature that will surely appeal to your love of variety. With new flights and cruise itineraries that link remote destinations across Madagascar, the world’s fourth-largest island will be more accessible and more amenable to your preferred mode of location-hopping. Will you want to be lounging in tents among the baobab trees, making friends with lemurs, kayaking among the humpback whales, or kiteboarding on the beach while decompressing at a luxury villa? How about all of it?
Definitely include Mandrare River Camp on your itinerary, a fully solar-powered ecotourism destination outfitted with luxury safari tents. In terms of timing, everything will be coming up “you” after May 25th, when Jupiter enters Gemini for a year. Late May through the first half of June will feature both Venus and Jupiter in Gemini, a lovely time for personal expansion of all kinds (and also conveniently during Madagascar’s dry season). June 3 to 17 also features Mercury flitting through Gemini, which bodes well for hiccup-free travels and stimulating conversation.
Cancer: The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
All you really need at the end of the day is good food, good company, a body of water next to you, and a sense of protection. You might be interested to know that there are a number of new hotels opening their doors next year in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea that are part of a coordinated sustainable tourism development—potentially welcome news for a region known for its untouched desert and coral reefs that shelter several endangered species. Of the 90 islands in the area, only 22 are marked for development, and nine will be protected conservation areas. Those that will be open to tourists are to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy—solar panels, the world’s first zero-carbon 5G network, local sourcing, smart waste management, electric vehicles, and hydrogen-powered sea planes are part of the blueprint for this ambitious project that hopes to become a hub for regenerative tourism.
Among the new hotels set to open its doors in 2024 is the St. Regis Red Sea Resort, with accommodations you might appreciate for their relatively secluded villas on a private island (and access to an array of environmentally safe water sports). Although you’re sure to enjoy an excursion during your birthday season this year (particularly between June 17 and July 11, when Venus is in Cancer), things get very hot in Saudi Arabia this time of year. Try going during Pisces Season instead (February 19 - March 20), a time of the year that always highlights your openness to adventure and desire to see the world.
Leo: Accra, Ghana
Although you like a chill, relaxing vacation as much as anyone else, it’s the lively, heart-quickening nightlife destinations that are really your speed. For a 2024 party pilgrimage where you can feel glamorous and alive, check out Accra, Ghana, home of the AfroFuture music festival (previously Afrochella) and a vibrant food scene. Accra is quickly becoming the epicenter of a pan-African cultural renaissance, so even if you miss out on the music festival, you’ll still be in good company: lots of interesting pop-up restaurants, museums, and nightclubs are there to populate your itinerary with. There are plenty of additional reasons to want to go next year, including the opening of the Ghana Food Movement’s Link-up Kitchen in May, which will host pop-ups featuring music from local DJs and multi course dinners with local ingredients. You can also be one of the first guests to stay at the brand new Hilton Accra Cantonments.
For innovative new dining experiences, chic island stays, and world-class wildlife spotting.
AfroFuture generally takes place at the end of December, so you have time to plan your trip if that’s what you’re interested in. Be forewarned, though—there’s a Mars Retrograde in Leo beginning that month! This isn’t a total dealbreaker for travel, but it’s probably not going to be the most carefree time for you astrologically. If you don’t mind going during rainy/humid season, you’ll feel significantly more energized by travel in May, with Mars in Aries transiting your ninth house of adventure. You could also make it an early birthday present for yourself if you go while Venus is in Leo (between July 11 - August 5), which lets you bask in the good lighting before Mercury Retrograde starts acting up.
Virgo: Quebec, Canada
You thrive best when you get periodic breaks from the modern world—with opportunities to re-balance your nervous system in nature’s many paradises. When the great outdoors beckons this year, set your sights on Quebec. Montreal magnetizes visitors for all the obvious reasons, but the province’s northern regions will make you feel like you’re miles away from civilization (in all the best ways). If you prefer some company beyond just the musk ox, you can also elect to go on various Indigenous-led cultural immersions, like polar bear-watching with Inuit guides and spotting beluga whales with the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation, or decompressing at a Mohawk-run brewery. The Contemporary Native Art Biennial will be held in Montreal from May to June 2024.
Your best travel astrology this year arrives in late April and May, when there’ll be a gorgeous stellium of planets transiting Taurus, your ninth house of long journeys and discovery. This bodes well for not just venturing beyond your usual stomping grounds, but also having profound spiritual experiences along the way, particularly thanks to the natural beauty around you. This hits the relative sweet spot between being warm enough to enjoy Canada’s reaches comfortably, but still securely in the shoulder season to avoid peak season prices. If you need a break from roughing it and happen to end up in the Quebec City region, book a stay at the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations.
Libra: South Island, New Zealand
Get ready to put some mileage on your luggage, because 2024 is going to be an exciting year for your world travels. After Jupiter enters Gemini on May 25th, you’ll be on a year-long pilgrimage to see the world, expand your horizons, and broaden your perspective on everything. Preferably, you’ll get to do this in locations that feed your intellectual curiosity and stimulate your appetite for variety and diversity—like South Island, New Zealand, for example. South Island has breathtaking landscapes, and is populated with rainforests and snowcapped mountain peaks alike. If you consider yourself a hiker, a 38-mile-long trail on Tuatapere Hump Ridge opens in October, which will be New Zealand’s 11th Great Walk. Opening in stages in 2024 are also four new immersive visitor centers dedicated to Māori history, brought to you by the Ngāi Tahu tribe, and Wētā Workshop, the visual effects studio behind Lord of the Rings.
New Zealand's Rugged Terrain Is Easier to Access Than Ever, Thanks to New Lodges and Trails
The outdoors destination has long attracted adventurous travelers, but new experiences are making the wildlands approachable to a larger audience.
If you’d rather take in the beautiful wilderness without putting in all that work, save your visit for the end of 2024, when the upscale Flockhill Lodge opens 14 new villas and an on-site restaurant led by Kiwi chef Taylor Cullen. As for timing, you’ve got a whole year—May 2024 to June 2025—to make the most of this Jupiter transit, but late May through the first half of June look particularly nice for travel, as you’ll get Venus and Jupiter travailing through your 9th house together. If you book between June 3 and 17, you’ll also get the added delight of Mercury in Gemini, which will promote easy-breezy flight connections and stimulating conversations. This is during New Zealand’s winter, which is ideal if you’re interested in skiing or enjoying snowy mountain ranges.
Scorpio: Guatemala
Sure, you like a good mystery, but what really draws your interest when you travel are destinations that are steeped in history—preferably with rich, delicious culinary traditions. Could we interest you in a trip to Guatemala in 2024? With new flights and cruise itineraries being added next year that will make Guatemala even more accessible, this might be the right time to get your fill of ancient Mayan ruins, as well as the very contemporary art, cultural, and community spaces that are opening up across the country. For instance, Antigua’s new MUNAG (National Museum of Art Guatemala) is now open, and there are compelling art spaces and restaurants to check out in Guatemala City. If you’re in Antigua, you can even stay overnight in a combined artisan textile boutique slash two-bedroom casita that has a coffee and wine bar in the front (coming next fall from Luna Zorro).
Sagittarius: Mongolia
Three words: rugged, horses, and archery. Interested? Then you might be into the idea of visiting Mongolia in 2024. While its breathtaking landscapes used to mainly attract some of the more adrenaline-seeking travelers (and we’re not saying you don’t count among those ranks), Mongolia has been developing its tourism industry by adding new luxury lodging, immersive cultural experiences, expanding visa-free travel, and for the first time, a direct flight to the US in 2024. Once there, you’ll be spoiled for choice: the same operator that runs the Naadam Festival, a Mongolian traditional event that revolves around horse racing, wrestling, and archery, is expanding next year to include three-day archery training sessions, women-only retreats, and a digital nomad week.
If you decide to go for it, you can sleep in a traditional Mongolian ger, or yurt, at the newly opened Yeruu Lodge. There, you can also get your fill of horseback riding, kayaking, yoga and meditation, archery, bocce, eagle hunting, riverside bonfires, and more. Your best travel astrology this year also falls smack in the middle of Mongolia’s summer, which is when you’ll get some of the best weather. Go during Leo Season, a time of year that always brings out your appreciation for travel and foreign cultures—or better yet, go when Venus is in Leo, between July 11 and August 5th, so you can get in and get out before Mercury Retrograde starts (which isn’t a dealbreaker, by the way, if you do decide to go later in August).
Capricorn: Sri Lanka
You’re probably tired of being pegged as the workhorse of the zodiac, but one thing you probably can’t argue with is a deep desire to relax and decompress. For you, travel is an opportunity to bring your inner and outer world into alignment and detox from the various stresses around you. A healing retreat is probably up your alley, which means Sri Lanka might be the place for you in 2024. There is currently a wellness boom in Sri Lanka, and when you tire of yoga and reiki, there is also the return of the Galle Literary Festival, a new food event spotlighting a number of chefs, and 200 miles of hiking routes that take you through tea plantations, estates, shrines, villages, and forests of the highlands.
You’ll have your pick of retreats and accommodations to choose from, but a well-established one is Kalukanda House, a villa in the surf town of Weligama where you can get your fill of yoga, breath work, reiki, and Ayurverdic readings. Astrologically, your best time to travel this year comes during the first half of September, which features the Sun in Virgo (your ninth house of travel and spirituality) and Venus strongly positioned in Libra at the highest point in your chart. This also conveniently lets you just narrowly avoid Sri Lanka’s two monsoon seasons.
Aquarius: Santa Fe, New Mexico
No, you’re not about to make a beeline to the most overcrowded, overhyped tourist destination anytime soon. Yes, you still like a good artsy, fashionable jaunt—maybe just one with a little more niche appeal. Have you considered Santa Fe, New Mexico? If counterculture and a thriving art scene are selling points to you, Santa Fe will win you over in 2024. Not only is it the 100th anniversary of the Burning of the Zozobra (so, they’ve been burning effigies way before Burning Man became a thing), but there’ll also be lots of new traditions being seeded next year: the first-ever Santa Fe Indigenous Fashion Week launching in May, as well as the Indigenous Art Fair Contemporary rolling out in August. There’s also cool programming at the Vladem Contemporary, the city’s first new major museum in more than a decade. For a stay that bridges past and present, rest your head at the 30-year-old Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, or the 135-year-old Inn of the Turquoise Bear.
Pisces: French Polynesia
Your perfect vacation recipe: opportunities to bliss out or seek thrills, and easy access to a big body of water. Across French Polynesia’s 118 islands, you can spot regenerative, sustainable tourism in action—or at least in process. The beautiful nature is reason enough to visit, and there are conservation groups working to plant heat-resilient coral reefs and upcycling abandoned pearl farms for coral restoration. If you happen to stay at the Four Seasons Resort in Bora Bora, you’ll be able to enjoy a brand new botanical tour to get to know the local flora and fauna. If you’re a surfer? You’ll have no trouble finding big, adrenaline-pumping waves (no wonder the surfing portion of the 2024 Paris Olympics are set to take place here).
Generally speaking, Scorpio Season (October 22 to November 21 in 2024) is your annual travel season, and if you go toward the beginning of that month, you’ll also get Venus in free-spirited Sagittarius. You might get more enjoyment out of travel during this year’s Cancer Season, however, which lights up your fifth house of recreation and pleasure. Ideally, go between the second half of June and the first half of July, while Venus is also in Cancer. This takes place during Polynesia’s winter, which will also give you better weather.
