| 11 mins read
It's party time!
Well, the much-awaited time has finally come. No matter how we sailed and what we did, we are all ready to give ourselves the celebration of starting it all anew. Especially with 2023 being the first New Year after COVID-19, the world is definitely going crazy. Needless to say, New Year is also one of the occasions in the world that witnesses the most tourist flows across the world. However, deciding on the best place is no easy task, especially with so many great options! There are questions like how to pick up the best place. How to know what place serves better for a celebration with family and which one goes for a wild eve?
Well, today, tourHQ has curated the perfect bucket list for you to have 'your kind of' New Year 2023 celebration. Whether you live in America or Asia, you want to celebrate with family or friends or your better half, here are some places catering to all types of preferences. So read along!
Las Vegas, US
"Las Vegas looks the way you'd imagine heaven must look at night."
~ Chuck Palahniuk
If there's a city that literally precedes the word party, it is Las Vegas. For anyone planning to have a wild, unstoppable and fiery New Year 2023 experience, Las Vegas is your place. (Remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!) Like every year, Las Vegas is already set to welcome the tourists with its sparkling streets, loud music and an air filled with nothing but joy! The best New Year's fireworks in Las Vegas happen at the Strip. This year, 8 casinos will have around 80,000 fireworks explosions, choreographed to a one-of-a-kind performance with a great music mix when the clock strikes 12.
Also, if you have a preference for a midnight dance party with enough drinks and the best DJs in the world, you can attend the New Year 2023 celebration at Hakkasan Nightclub, ranked as the third-best DJ nightclub in the world. Moreover, if you want to celebrate the New Year with limited people and an 'I can see it all' aerial view of Las Vegas, then reserve yourself for a breathtaking party at the Skypod Tower Party.
New York, US
"As for New York City, it is a place apart. There is not its match in any other country in the world."
~ Pearl S. Buck
How can we forget the city of dreams, New York? On the eve of New Year, Times Square becomes everyone's go-to place. The traditional Ball Drop, a tradition continuing since 1907, at Times Square is considered a once-in-a-lifetime moment. With global artists performing at the centre every year, and the worldwide live-streaming of the event, New Year's Eve in New York City is more than just a celebration- it's a global tradition. However, considering the unmatchable crowd that gathers at the Square, there are also other lesser-crowded options available, like the informal tradition of walking on the Brooklyn Bridge at midnight and counting to 12. You can also go on a night cruise.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"When things get stale, you get on a boat and sail to Rio."
~ Doobie Brothers
Well, the best part about the biggest New Year party in Rio is that it is free of cost! Yes, you heard it right. The social gathering at Copacabana Beach, which records a million tourists just around its New Year, is amongst the grandest New Year celebrations in the world and the largest celebration of its kind on the beach. What makes this experience more beautiful is the tradition of lighting candles and floating flowers in the ocean water, which is believed to bring good luck for the coming year. In fact, every year, the party also has a theme. For instance, in 2019, the theme was "Amor a Cada Vista", or Love Wherever you Look! It is a wholesome experience to enjoy with anyone, friends or family.
London, England
"London is a bad habit one hates to lose."
~ William Sansom.
Our next recommendation is none other than the vibrant city of London. This metropolitan hub celebrates New Year's Eve with magnificent fireworks, parties, river cruises, and so much more, making it the perfect place to celebrate New Year's Eve in. To get the most memorable New Year experience in London is to count down to 12 and see Big Ben strike 12, along with an unimaginable and crazy display of fireworks in the South Bank. And after the night of partying, you can also join the New Year Parade along London's West End, joined by 1000s of performers from across the globe.
Moreover, if you are celebrating this occasion with your family, you can go for a night cruise on the river Thames, which can also be supplemented with next-day activities of ice-skating and a ride on London's Ferris Wheel.
Paris, France
"There is but one Paris, and however hard living may be here…the French air clears up the brain and does one good."
~ Vincent Van Gogh
Another city on our list is a city with overflowing clubs, dazzling lights, delicious French delicacies, and crazy people holding champagne in their hands to a loud and joyful chorus of Bonne Année! Although many mini firework displays happen across the city every year, the best one is the firework display at the Arc De Triomphe, the best way to glorify the past of Paris and welcome the future. Also, remember to check out the must-see Eiffel Tower, which hosts a simply beautiful light show that qualifies to be the best background for your instagrammable pictures!
Apart from these, Paris offers the means to experience New Year in a different way by enjoying the famous cabaret show at Paradis Latin, cruising on the river Seine and witnessing the graceful opera at Palais Garnier.
Dubai, UAE
"When in Dubai, the most important thing is to concentrate on your sense of luxury. Everything else will fall into place."
~ Anonymous
Being a city which is ahead in the race because of its fast-paced innovations, Dubai is also leading in the list of best New Year destinations. On New Year's eve, the city witnesses the breathtaking firework show at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. In fact, if you check for fireworks shows, Dubai has many grand fireworks shows like the Palm Jumeirah Firework Show, Dubai Festival City Fireworks and Dubai Fountain Lake Fireworks Show, among others. To have a better view, you can even go for a cruise option to witness the festivities. Moreover, if you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime luxurious experience, you should absolutely not miss the New Year celebration at Atlantis- The Palm, a luxury destination nestled between the waters of the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai Skyline.
Edinburgh, Scotland
"It is one of the most hauntingly beautiful places in the world, the history is fascinating, the men are handsome and the whisky is delicious."
~ JK Rowling
Well, Scotland definitely has a party of its own. In Scotland, the word used for New Year is Hogmanay, which finds its origin in the Scottish tradition. And New Year is not a one-day affair. Rather the Edinburgh Hogmanay is a 3-day celebration marking the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. It also means that to attend this, you will have to get your tickets.
Edinburgh Hogmanay is an amalgamation of a joyful torchlight procession of around 30 thousand pipers, drummers, fire performers and locals walking together, a family-friendly concert in Holyrood Park, Loony Dool fancy dress parade and a performance by a ceilidh band in front of the Edinburgh Castle, where you can dance your heart out and enter the New Year the Scottish way!
Hong Kong, China
"You can leave Hong Kong, but it will never leave you."
~ Nury Vittachi
Well, the people of this city certainly know how to party! Even with the December month just kicking in, the commons start to decorate and create a buzzing environment to prepare for a month-long festive season involving Christmas and New Year. So if you plan to join the vibrant air of Hong Kong, the best way to celebrate New Year is by enjoying the fireworks at Victoria Harbour. People gather here to witness the central firework of Hong Kong as they countdown to 12. Moreover, even before that, you can partake in the New Year parade along with your lovely childrens to say a celebratory goodbye to 2022. In fact, do you know Hong Kong has its own Times Square? Yes, those who wish to have a New York experience in Asia can actually witness this Ball Drop show at the Causeway Bay.
Sydney, Australia
"The best things about Sydney are free: the sunshine's free, and the harbour's free, and the beach is free."
~ Russell Crowe
Unlike the rest of the world, Sydney clocks in the new year a little sooner, which makes the occasion as grand as ever. In fact, the interesting thing about Sydney's celebration is its two fireworks options. The authorities conduct two shows, one of which is the kid's firework show at 9:00 pm. So like, if you don't want your kids to miss their bedtime, you got Sydney!
The best way to enjoy the firework show at 12 am is to get on the Sydney New Year harbour cruise, which actually gives the best view of the firework and a much smaller and close space to spend time with your loved one. If you are looking for something more than fireworks, you can go to the Sydney Opera House's celebrations. You need to reserve a table here as it is a much lavish celebration where renowned artists grace the stage.
Tokyo, Japan
"Working in Tokyo has convinced me that, contrary to what people think, it is actually one of the world's most beautiful cities."
~ Tadao Ando
If you are someone looking for a more auspicious and simple way of celebrating the New Year, then Tokyo is your go-to place. Do you know Tokyo has a tradition of entering the New Year by ringing the temple bell 108 times? The tradition is a way to cleanse the 108 worldly desires and enter the new year with peace and love in the heart. So if you happen to be in Tokyo, you can go to the centuries-old temple of Zojo-ji near the Tokyo Tower, where thousands of people gather to see the change in the year on this landmark, count to midnight and immerse in the spiritual ringing of the bells. What a great mix of modernism and old traditions!
However, this does not mean Tokyo goes all simple. You can also attend the New Year countdown party at Shibuya Street, the busiest and most happening street in Tokyo.