If you are planning to take a vacation this year, think about what you really like to do, because this will make your trip more meaningful and fun. Travelers often take "safe" trips that their friends recommend, but is that always the best plan?

It's good to ask yourself these questions before starting to plan your vacation:
- Do I want to relax?
- Do I want adventure or a learning experience?
- Do I want to get away from my job?

Once you know the answers to these questions, then you are ready to plan your trip.

Vacations are important for our emotional, physical and mental well-being and give a person a chance to relax, renew energy, and free oneself from the daily routine. Vacation destinations could be far away or nearby. Wherever the vacation may be, it serves the same purpose. It is the satisfaction that is most important.

Generally, there are some different types of travel according to activities involved. Here are some of them:

1. Rediscovering nature. Rediscovering travel is all about nature and everything in it. It revitalizes the soul while smelling and feeling nature.

2. Tribal cultures. In today's world of high technology, it is fun to experience the simpler life of the tribal people who live close to nature in the same way for the past thousands of years.

3. Responsible Diving. Diving not only let travelers appreciate what is under the sea but also making the traveler more aware of the conservation effort.

The country one is planning to travel to also leaves a great mark on the traveler's diary. Here are some of the more popular destinations today:

1. Thailand. It is an Asian country bounded by Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Behind the back draft of Thailand's jungles of bamboo, rubber trees and vines are five-star hotels with modern conveniences. In some parts of the country, elephants are still being used to lift timbers and buffalos are still being used in farming.

2. China. China is now the second largest country and fastest growing economy in the world. Many parts of China are still unexplored by tourists; however, the eastern portion is now popular with the western tourist. First class hotels now offer the best amenities.

3. Italy. Italy is a boot-like shape country bounded by Switzerland, Austria, France, and Slovenia. One main attraction in Italy is St. Peter's Square where the Pope resides but there are lots other interesting sites to see such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the many basilicas (churches) throughout the country.

4. Caribbean. Caribbean is an archipelago of islands, 2000 square miles across. Most of the islands are plateaus and eruptions of underlying mountain systems. It has nice beaches of crushed coral and white or pink sand and the water at the shore is a deep blue.

The success of any vacation will not depend by how much the traveler spends or the destination. It will depends on how the traveler enjoyed it and how he/she was able to achieve his primary goal of "getting away from it all."

Dominique W. Brooks, MD, MBA offers articles and e-books about living a happy life -- lowering stress, travelling the world, living your life!

For more information, please visit http://www.coolvacationdestinations.com