Spending New Year’s Eve in a new city is always a bit exciting, as they celebrate in such different ways around the world – some more beautiful and romantic, others more crazy and even dangerous.
Some people don’t like New Year’s Eve because of all the expectations that the night usually doesn’t live up to.
The best way to avoid being let down by your expectations is to simply go somewhere you know will be truly awesome. There are fun places to celebrate New Year’s Eve if you do a bit of research in advance.
Here are 3 great places to celebrate the New Year…
Thailand – Watch Your Problems “Float Away” In The Sky
While the ”real” new year in Thailand is Songkran, celebrated in April, the calendar new year is also celebrated around the country, and whether you’re on the islands down south, Bangkok or in one of the cities up north, New Year is a great time to celebrate in Thailand.
Last year we celebrated in Chiang Mai, where they have a wonderful market where you can sample traditional Thai foods and snacks, but the most memorable events of the evening is when people light flying lanterns which rise to the sky and mix with thousands of other lanterns, like stars.
It is considered good luck to release a lantern, and they are symbolic of your problems and worries floating away – can there be a better way to end the old year than to release all your problems and worries, and starting a new year with good luck?
Edinburgh – One Of The World’s Biggest New Year Celebrations
In Edinburgh one night of celebrating the new year is not enough – there, they celebrate for four days with a festival called Hogmany.
The festival kicks off with the Torchlight procession on December 30th, where thousands of torch carriers create a river of fire in the street, leading to Calton Hill.
If you want to celebrate New Year in Edinburgh you can still buy tickets for the festival, and could stay at one of the many great hotels such as the Jurys Inn Edinburgh.
The festival is full of fun events and shows, with a street party, concerts and live bands, the whole city comes alive and celebrate the New Year with a bang.
Edinburgh hotels are known to be booked up long in advance for their many festivals, but it’s always worth a try.
Samoa – Celebrating A New Year The Way It Has Never Been Done Before
One of Samoa’s main draws has been the ability to stand on Cape Mulinu’u, the western-most point of Earth, and with the dateline barely 20 miles away, gazing into tomorrow.
Now, all of that is about to change – Samoa has decided to change their time zone, and no longer be one of the last countries to celebrate the New Year – but one of the first.
So if you want to be one of the first to experience such a strange once-in-a-life-time events, head to Samoa and see the New Year at a completely different time.
Those visiting Samoa during the end of this year, will ”lose” a couple of days, going to bed on the 29th , and waking up on the morning of 31st of December, just one day away from the New Year of 2012.
While it’s too late now to book a trip to Samoa over the New Year, every new year after this will be very different.
Since American Samoa will stay on the California side of the dateline, you will be able to celebrate the same day twice without leaving the Samoan chain – this means that you can celebrate New Year’s eve on the same date on two different days, by taking an hour’s flight across the islands!
Where are you going to be spending New Years eve this year?
Rusko EBV says
Oh! I have been wanting to go to Edinburgh for New Years. I was there in Spring, and everyone told me about how cool the fireworks were from Princes Street Gardens.
aterEgo says
I would go to Thailand if I had a chance =)
The Traveling Fool says
I always thought Hong Kong would be great on new Years. I don’t know why it just seems like they would have a great time.
Tamilnadu tourism says
Goa in India is also a good destination to celebrate new year
Kieu Nguyen says
We’re hoping to make Edinburgh happen NYE 2013. We celebrated NYE this year in Rio on Copacabana beach and it was awesome. I’d be equally excited and confused to ring in the new year twice in Samoa. Lol. Still the thought sounds cool. We’re in New Zealand this year. Where are you guys ringing in the NY?
Work in Australia says
I watch the fireworks in Sydney on TV every year for New Years celebrations. It’s a wonderful spectacle with lots of vantage points for locals around the waterfront. There is also many family friendly alcohol free parks so it is safe for everyone to have a great time.
Flipnomad says
will be celebrating here in Siem Reap 🙂 first sunrise at Angkor Wat 🙂
Jeremy says
Glad to see Thailand was included on there. We were in Phuket last year! Got to release lanterns and watch some wild fireworks display at the same time!
Sofia - As We Travel says
Wonderful! The lantern tradition seems to be spreading slowly across the world, it’s such a nice idea that I can see why people would like to bring the tradition home with them.
Sofia - As We Travel says
That’s a romantic way to celebrate, and it makes for a prefect photo opportunity as well 😉
Sofia - As We Travel says
Edinburgh has so many things going on throughout the year, they love their festivals over there and I’ve heard that this is one of the best 🙂
Sofia - As We Travel says
I love this, such different locations every time – there is nothing better than diversity! Would love to celebrate on Copacabana beach some time.
We celebrated New Year’s Eve in Queenstown a couple of years back – it was a rainy mess, but they had a really nice live concert.
This year we’ll celebrate in Germany, they’ve already started firing off fireworks here..!
Sofia - As We Travel says
Sydney is famous for their fireworks on the bridge, would be really cool to see it in real life some time.
Sofia - As We Travel says
Hong Kong sounds like a fun place to celebrate, probably some amazing firework-shows.
Sofia - As We Travel says
Edinburgh is such a fun place, next time we visit we’ll make sure we go during one of these festivals as well!
Sofia - As We Travel says
That sounds awesome, hope you have a great time!
Anonymous says
Hi this article is really good. I really want to do the Samo thing but it’s gonna be impossible.
This year I will be doing the same thing that you are talking about for Thailande. I will be doing it in Tokyo at ZOjoji temple… We will fly 3000 balloon at the same time
The World of Deej says
I had no idea about the celebrations in Edinburgh…guess I’ll have to add it to my list…
Colombia traveler says
I’m celebrating this New Year in Cartagena, Colombia. It will be an amazing huge party where everyone in the city will be able to go to the beach get some great Colombian alcohol, partying and enjoy.
Sofia - As We Travel says
That sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate the New Year, 3000 balloons in the air at the same time would make for an amazing photo!
jason_corfu_villa says
Personally I had a quiet one at home but next year we are planning Sydney! Was quite surprised that that wasn’t on your list – but then Samoa looks stunning!
Hotels Wala says
The three places are awesome.I can suggest India which is a place with wide diversity,heritage and some
wonderful places.
Sofia - As We Travel says
Sydney seems like a fun place to celebrate the new year, especially with the beautiful firework show on the bridges!
Sofia - As We Travel says
Thanks for your suggestion, where in India would you recommend celebrating New Year?
Kieu - GQ trippin says
Funny, we celebrated in Auckland and it too was a rainy mess. Lol. Germany sounds awesome!
Anonymous says
these three places r my favourite places , i can travel here yearly …
cheap flights to Delhi says
These place are very nice for celebrate new year.
River Rafting says
My suggestion would be Kolkata or Delhi.But if you want to celebrate in pure western way then Goa is the ideal place.