By MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Department
One of the most lively days of the year is undoubtedly New Year’s Eve. Everyone gathers together to bid farewell to the ups and downs of the past year. After an energetic countdown, dazzling fireworks welcome the new you and the beautiful new year. Strangers exchange blessings and hugs, feeling each other's warmth and joy. Now is the time to start planning how to welcome the new year. Below is a list of New Year experiences in ten different countries to inspire your celebration—decide and take action now!
Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour countdown has been selected as one of the world’s most distinctive New Year’s Eve events. (Photo provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board)
● Hong Kong – Fireworks at Victoria Harbour
Since Hong Kong was named one of the world’s top ten distinctive New Year cities in 2012, every December 31st, Victoria Harbour is packed with both domestic and international tourists coming to join this grand countdown celebration. A spectacular fireworks and music show combining pyrotechnics, lights, and music leaves a lasting impression!
Sydney is among the first countries in the world to ring in the New Year. (Photo provided by dailytelegraph)
● Australia – Welcoming the Earliest New Year
Sydney, located near the International Date Line, is the second place in the world after New Zealand to greet the first rays of the New Year. The fireworks display, known for its vibrant themes, is set off from the Harbour Bridge and six barges around the harbour. The brilliant bursts of light instantly capture everyone’s attention, making it one of the world’s most popular New Year destinations. With the beautiful harbour scenery and the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the annual fireworks show attracts at least two million people to count down together. Aside from the stunning fireworks, there are also exciting aerial stunts performed by planes flying around the Harbour Bridge during the long wait. For those who can’t wait until the end, a smaller fireworks show is thoughtfully launched at 9 PM.
● Spain – Eating Grapes in Madrid
For a truly unique New Year’s experience, head to Madrid, Spain. On December 31st each year, tourists from all over the world gather at Puerta del Sol, holding a bunch of grapes as they wait for the countdown. When the clock strikes midnight, everyone eats the grapes simultaneously to celebrate the arrival of the New Year and to wish for good luck in the year ahead.
On New Year’s Eve, Times Square in New York is always crowded with people, eagerly awaiting the moment when colorful confetti bursts into the air, heralding the arrival of the New Year. (Image source: balldrop)
● New York – The Colorful Confetti Rain at Times Square
Celebrating New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square is considered by many to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The highlight of the night comes after the countdown, when the giant crystal ball slowly descends from above, followed by a shower of vibrant confetti spilling from the ball onto the crowd below, marking a joyful and dazzling start to the new year.
Tokyo Disneyland. (Photo provided by disneyparks.disney)
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