Fengshui travel guide: Best places to visit based on Chinese zodiac

Are you curious what the Year of the Rat has in store for you when it comes to travel?

US travel tech company Expedia has consulted fengshui master Seldan Lim to curate a list of fengshui-approved destinations for each Chinese zodiac sign in its Fengshui Travel Guide.

And if you are still thinking of skipping the Chinese New Year festivities at home this year, it is not too late. From now till Jan 25, enjoy up to 20 per cent off selected hotels, or flight and hotel package deals from $151, when you book your holiday on Expedia.com.sg

RAT: BRUNEI

Brunei is a country rich in culture and natural beauty. While you are there, plan a visit to the popular Jerudong Park and Selirong Island.

Do not forget to have a taste of the national dish ambuyat (sticky sago).

OX: DETROIT

Head there for an upbeat US city vacation and enjoy luxury shopping without burning a hole in your wallet at the 1.4 million sq ft Great Lakes Crossing Outlets.

The little ones get to visit Legoland Discovery Centre Michigan and Sea Life Michigan Aquarium as well.

TIGER: NIIGATA

Say cheers to Chinese New Year with a perfectly prepared sake from Niigata, home to 90 sake breweries and where you will find some of the best sake in Japan.

Learn about sake history, make some and drink some too.

RABBIT: PADANG

Padang in West Sumatra, Indonesia, is associated with the Minangkabau ethnic cuisine, among the most popular food in South-east Asia.

The spicy coconut curry rendang and soto padang are some of the most delicious dishes. And try to catch the annual Pacu Jawi Festival (Bull Race Festival) while you are there.

DRAGON: HUALIEN

No visit to this relaxing city on the east coast of Taiwan is complete without a trip to Taroko National Park, home of the iconic Taroko Gorge. End the day with a visit to Dongdamen Night Market where you can enjoy the family-friendly entertainment options and savour the huge food selection.

SNAKE: KUNMING

Where can you find a place with 26 ethnic minorities such as the Yi, Bai, Miao, Dai and Hani? Right in the culturally diverse town of Kunming, China.

To learn more about them, visit Yunnan Nationalities Museum, the largest minorities museum in China. Kunming is also home to the beautiful Stone Forest where you will find remarkable limestone formations.

HORSE: WINDSOR

If you enjoy whisky, chances are you may know Canadian Club. Founded in 1894, this popular whisky brand has its distillery in Windsor in Ontario, Canada, where you can take a 90-minute tour of the building, learn about its history and end with a tasting.

GOAT: JAIPUR

Goat babies can head to the beautifully exotic Jaipur, also known as the Pink City and capital of India's Rajasthan state.

The old city is surrounded by walls and gates decorated with drawings on the backdrop of a beautiful pink hue to retain its old-world charm.

Famous local dishes include the ghevar (sweet cake) and pyaaz kachori (fried pastry with spicy onion filling).

MONKEY: VISEU

Viseu is an ancient city in Portugal, boasting 16th-century houses with gargoyles and Gothic windows. The majestic Misericordia Church is ornamented with Manueline-style ropes and knots in stone.

Appreciate some artwork by Vasco Fernandes, a Portuguese painter from the 15th century in the museum named after him.

ROOSTER: JORDAN

Jordan is home to the Dead Sea, which is full of abnormally salty water that is so buoyant it is impossible for you to sink. Experts say it offers significant health benefits including increasing blood circulation, easing discomfort from arthritis and revitalising skin. Schedule a trip too to the ancient city of Petra, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

DOG: BHUTAN

Explore Thimphu through hikes to Tango Monastery, which contains important monuments and the iconography of deities.

Bhutan is also where you will find the enormous Shakyamuni Buddha statue, and get a glimpse of the country's love for traditional textiles at Bhutan Textile Museum and Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre.

PIG: NOTTINGHAM

Pop by the Lace Market to visit the English city's best bars and restaurants hidden along cobbled streets. You can also visit the Old Market Square, one of Britain's largest public spaces with shopping outlets spread out in every direction.