2019: Chase the First Light with Me – 2019 New Year’s Eve & Accommodation Recommendations

Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert

The countdown to 2019 New Year’s Eve is on, but are you tired of the usual packed fireworks displays and party celebrations? Why not ring in the New Year in the mountains or at a hidden gem? Up in the mountains, you can avoid the crowds, enjoy a relaxing and joyful time with friends, and properly bid farewell to 2018.

If you haven’t decided how to spend your 2019 New Year’s Eve yet, why not give yourself an ordinary yet special celebration? This guide not only features recommended spots for New Year’s Eve countdowns in 2019 but also includes “guaranteed accommodation” routes handpicked by Tripbaa, so you won’t have to worry about how to celebrate. Don’t wait too long, or you might miss the first light of 2019.

Alishan is known for its Five Wonders—railway, forest, sea of clouds, sunrise, and sunset. As a result, it attracts visitors all year round. Coupled with the ever-changing mountain weather, Alishan’s scenery is infinitely diverse. You might need to visit several times in your life to take in all its beauty, which is precisely what makes traveling to Alishan so enchanting.

Of course, such a popular destination as Alishan is bound to have no rooms available during New Year’s Eve. But if you act early and secure your accommodation in advance, you can enjoy the beauty of nature and fresh mountain air, experience a tranquility you don’t usually get, and welcome the 2019 countdown. After the countdown, take the Alishan Forest Railway to Zhushan to watch the sunrise and join the Alishan Dawn Festival. The warm sunlight pouring down feels like a New Year’s blessing.

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown – Alishan Sea of Clouds. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown – Alishan Forest Railway. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

When visiting Sun Moon Lake, there are plenty of activities to enjoy. During the day, you can bike around the lake, take a cable car or pleasure boat, or stroll through the Shuishe shopping area. If you have more time, you can even explore the ancestral sacred site of the Thao people—Lalu Island. The highlight of the evening is, of course, the restored New Year’s Eve fireworks show from last year. Gathering with friends to watch the fireworks over Sun Moon Lake offers not only the vibrancy of a big city but also the leisurely pace of nature.

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown Spot – Sun Moon Lake, Nantou. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

If you’re still up for an early start and want to catch the first light of 2019, consider joining the nearby Golden Dragon Mountain Dawn Welcoming event. Though Golden Dragon Mountain is less than 1,000 meters above sea level, it offers views of sea of clouds and dawn—making it a worthwhile New Year’s destination.

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown Spot – Golden Dragon Mountain Sunrise. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

When you arrive at Qingjing, the first things you’ll see are vast green meadows and adorable sheep bleating, giving you a full sense of the leisurely countryside vibe. If you haven’t decided where to spend your 2019 New Year’s Eve yet, I highly recommend Qingjing. Not only does it offer lush green farm landscapes to explore during the day, but it also features indigenous cultural dance performances at night, ensuring fun activities from morning to night.

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown Spot – Qingjing Farm. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

A friendly reminder: if you want to welcome the first light of 2019 in Qingjing, be sure to book your accommodation or tour early. Otherwise, waiting until the end of the year to snag popular New Year’s Eve lodging will be as hard as climbing to the sky—rooms will be nearly impossible to find.

2019 New Year’s Eve Countdown Spot – Hehuanshan Sunrise. (Photo / Tripbaa – Asia’s Free Travel Expert)

Aowanda is famous for its maple leaves, boasting the nation’s largest natural pure maple forest. This unique maple area attracts large crowds every year. But that’s not all—Aowanda also offers 120 species of birds and natural hot springs. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the embrace of autumn, winter, and hot springs, Aowanda is a great choice.

Moreover, Aowanda’s nighttime scenery, free from light pollution, allows you to clearly see the bright moon and stars. Ringing in 2019 while admiring the night maples and starry skies offers a peaceful and comfortable way to celebrate the New Year.

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Erliau is considered a sacred spot for sea of clouds photography enthusiasts. Like Golden Dragon Mountain, this low-altitude location offers views typically seen at higher elevations, making it one of the top choices for welcoming the first light. It features a 360-degree panoramic sunrise viewing platform, where the sun rising is like a brushstroke of ink painting.

However, if you plan to go to Erliau for the 2019 New Year’s Eve dawn, keep an eye on the Siraya National Scenic Area or the Tripbaa website. In the 2017–18 New Year’s Eve event, only 3,000 tickets were issued, leaving many visitors disappointed and hoping to return next year.

Alishan Geda Hotel is one of the top-quality accommodations on Alishan in Chiayi and one of the most recently renovated hotels in recent years, making room bookings extremely popular. During New Year’s Eve, it’s especially hard to find availability. Travel experts often recommend or help arrange stays in Block A of Alishan Geda, as it not only has modern facilities and guest rooms but also a unique design style.

Additionally, Alishan Geda offers free shuttle buses between the hotel and the Alishan Visitor Service Center, and its location next to Zhuping Station makes it very convenient for heading to Zhushan to watch the sunrise. It’s arguably the best choice for New Year’s Eve accommodation in Alishan.

When traveling during the holidays, expectations for hotels go beyond cleanliness—location and views are also important factors. Lake Yue Landscape Hotel is a great value option for New Year’s Eve in Sun Moon Lake, as it’s located right at Yida Shao Pier, offering expansive views of the lake. Step outside, and you’re in the Yida Shao shopping area, so you’ll never go hungry during your stay.

The reason for recommending this Qingjing New Year’s Eve accommodation is simple—it boasts breathtaking scenery. Inside the Naruwuan Resort & Forest Cabin, there are observation decks everywhere, allowing you to take in the vast high-altitude mountain views of Qingjing.

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The architecture part is even more interesting. The exterior features a European classical style as the main theme, but once you step inside the rooms, it turns into a rustic countryside vibe with wooden décor. It feels like stepping through a magic portal, where you can experience various holiday styles all at once, as if you’ve really traveled abroad.

For those who can't go abroad for the New Year’s countdown, you’ll definitely love this Provence Rose Manor. Its architecture is, as the name suggests, very much in the style of southern France — from the inside out. The wooden buildings have a rustic charm, and the rooms feature fireplace designs and classic-style telephones, allowing you to feel the strong ambiance of a cozy southern French cabin, even while staying in the homestay.

The scenery outside the homestay is even more enchanting. From the balcony, you can see layers of mountains surrounding you, along with vast areas of bald cypress trees and rose gardens that change with the seasons. The Provence Rose Manor is entirely southern French in style, both inside and out. Ring in 2019 with a taste of southern France — come on a southern France-inspired trip for New Year’s Eve this year.

Coming to Aowanda for New Year’s is all about enjoying some peaceful days. Coupled with Aowanda’s enchanting winter maples and pine trees, plus the starry skies and Milky Way you can admire at night, we recommend staying in Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area for New Year’s Eve. This area offers three types of accommodation: log cabins, Greenfield Mountain Villa, and Maple Red Mountain Villa.

The scenery outside the villas includes bald cypress trees or maple leaves, and the white-walled villas blend seamlessly with the mountain views, making it feel like you’re in Europe. The standalone log cabins are nestled within the forest, with birds chirping and warm sunlight streaming into the rooms. Staying in Aowanda lets you enjoy the forest from morning till night, making it the most nature-immersed New Year’s accommodation choice.

[Authorized Repost from Tripbaa] Original article source: [It’s almost too late to chase the sunrise now – 2019 New Year's Eve Attractions & Accommodation Recommendations]