Ring in the New Year when you travel to one of the coolest places on earth. In these exciting locations across the globe, the new year starts with a bang, and our exclusive and unique experiences for New Year’s Eve keep the party going.
Sydney, Australia
It’s a good day when you are with a bunch of friendly Australians. The evening starts with a nod to the country’s aboriginal roots with a ceremony to cleanse Sydney Harbour of any bad spirits. See dance and visual performances that reflect the aboriginal heritage and culture. When the skies grow dark, illuminated ships dazzle the crowds as they glide through the shimmering water. The show ends with a bang as the harbor, opera house, and bridge form the backdrop for an explosive, synchronized fireworks show.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
The Loi Krathong Lantern Festival celebrates the new lunar year with a glittering lantern release across Thailand every November. For the western changing of the calendar, the spectacle is repeated, with each lantern representing a wish for prosperity and peace in the new year.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai is arguably one of the glitziest towns on the planet, so it’s only fitting to pop the champagne and don your designer dress at the Armani Hotel. Mouthwatering, authentic Arab dishes are served at the Burj Al Arab to celebrate the New Year. It’s a glamorous affair topped off by a 12 minute fireworks display.
Central Kalahari, Botswana
If you’d like to start off with quiet reflection and authenticity, consider a journey to Botswana and Dinaka. By day, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is alive with game drives and an immersive bushman walk, an experience our designers repeatedly tout as one of their most authentic. By night, the sleepout deck at Dinaka offers a peaceful celebration: no fireworks, only shooting stars.
Berlin, Germany
Celebrate the upcoming year with a lively crowd along the city’s Party Mile—a city-wide street party that doesn’t stop. Count down the last few seconds of the year amid live music, an open-air disco, laser shows, and fireworks. Trendy Berlin clubs offer a wild party unlike any other. All this merrymaking will activate your appetite; thankfully, Berlin has a world-class array of food choices to satisfy your late night munchies.
Highlands, Scotland
The Scots love to celebrate Hogmanay—the name for the New Year tradition that dates back to Viking times—with a lot of revelry and fanfare. Say goodbye to the previous year feeling like a king in your own private castle tucked into the hills and glassy lakes of the Scottish Highlands.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Clink your glass (or two) of sparkling wine within the walls of the Harpa Concert Hall, an architectural wonder featuring hundreds of glass panels. The see-through building gives you a unique indoor place to watch the fireworks light up the sky, just like the Northern Lights.
Havana, Cuba
Say adios to the old as you spin and swirl to salsa in Old Havana’s historic Cathedral Plaza. Cubans love to sing and dance into the wee hours of the night, and New Year’s Eve is a perfect time to join this revelry. The mojitos are flowing and the energy is electric as you count down the last few seconds of the year.
Want to celebrate in one of the coolest places to ring in the new year? Start counting down to your own New Year’s Eve trip by contacting our Ker & Downey travel designers.