New Year’s Celebrations
The new year is feted in a big way around the globe, with fireworks and parades, dancing and feasts. Here are a few of the most spectacular events:
New York City:
Dec 31
Vienna:
Imperial Ball,
Dec 31
Sydney:
Dec 31
Rio de Janeiro:
Réveillon,
Dec 31
London:
New Year’s Day Parade,
Jan 1
Myanmar:
Naga New Year,
Jan 13-15
Vietnam:
Tet (Lunar New Year),
Feb 9-12
Hong Kong:
Lunar New Year,
Feb 10-12
Tibet:
Losar (Tibetan New Year)
Feb 11-13
Great Trips Now
Enjoy fantastic seasonal celebrations or escape the winter cold at these global destinations between December and February:
Asia
China:
The winter months give visitors a more serene perspective on normally crowded sites. Hong Kong weather is very comfortable, and the Spring Festival celebrations are spectacular, beginning with the Lunar New Year (Feb 10) and ending with the Lantern Festival (Feb 24). Huangshan experiences a dramatic “sea of clouds effect” this time of year. The tropical island of Sanya is dry and pleasant, making it an ideal destination. Lhasa is sunny and surprisingly warm in the winter months, and Losar, the Tibetan New Year Festival, is a wonderful experience.
Japan:
The island of Hokkaido offers abundant opportunities for winter sports — Sapporo is surrounded by downhill and cross-country ski areas, and the Niseko ski resort is world-renowned. Sapporo’s famous Yuki Matsuri Snow Festival is held Feb 5-11 and features an international snow sculpture competition.
Vietnam:
Both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are dry and pleasant Nov-Mar. The Vietnamese New Year, Tet Nguyen Dan (Tet) is the country’s biggest and most important festival, beginning Feb 9 and continuing for a week of feasting, religious rituals and parades.
Thailand:
Jan-Feb are the best months to visit the beaches of Phuket, when rainfall is low and the Christmas crowds have departed. Bangkok and the Golden Triangle are also dry and cool from Nov-Mar. On Dec 5, the King’s birthday is celebrated countrywide, with thousands of yellow-clad well-wishers gathering in Bangkok.
Myanmar:
Nov-Feb, the weather is dry and cool. Jan 13-15 is the Naga New Year Festival, when the Naga mountain tribes perform traditional dances and ceremonies, dressed in their colorful best. These celebrations have only recently been open to visitors.
UAE:
Dubai is at its best Oct-Dec and Feb-Apr, when temperatures are moderate. Though there is sunshine almost year-round, January can be relatively rainy and overcast.
India:
February means nearly perfect weather in Agra, making it an ideal time to visit the Taj Mahal. Many of the country’s most colorful festivals happen in winter and early spring.
The Americas
New York City:
The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, ice skating in Central Park, great shopping, New Year’s Eve in Times Square — there’s nothing like a trip to Manhattan to get you in the holiday spirit.
Aspen, Colorado:
Snowmass is considered one of the best ski resorts in North America — it’s size and diversity of terrain make it ideal for families. Other ways to enjoy the winter landscape include cross-county skiing, dog sledding and sleigh rides.
Panama:
February is the peak of the dry season and best time to view the country’s enormous variety of birds, as several migratory species are passing through.
Angel Falls, Venezuela:
These impressive falls are at their best in early December, when the rainy season has just ended, leaving the falls flowing strong but offering clear skies and good visibility.
Brazil:
Rio’s New Year’s Eve party,
Réveillon, held in honor of Iemanja, goddess of the sea, is celebrated by millions of white-costumed partiers who gather on the beach to watch fireworks, float small boats laden with flowers out to sea, and dance till dawn. At Salvador da Bahia’s Bonfim Festival (Jan 17), thousands of celebrants in traditional costumes parade through the streets to wash the steps of Bonfim Church in perfumed water. And of course, there’s the famous Carnival in February, celebrated in spectacular style in Rio and Bahia.
Argentina:
The Argentine Open Polo Championships, one of the most revered events in polo worldwide, happens in Buenos Aires Nov 5-Dec 31. The best time to visit the glaciers, rivers and steppes of Patagonia is Dec-Feb, when the weather is warmest and driest and more services are available.
Europe
Vienna:
From mid Nov-late Dec, festive Christmas Markets light up the city, offering handicrafts, seasonal treats and lots of holiday cheer. Dec 31 marks the beginning of Vienna’s incomparable ball season, which lasts until March and features some 300 events.
Dolomites, Italy:
January is the best time for a ski vacation here, when the holiday crowds have gone, and better-value accommodations are available.
Switzerland:
The ski villages of the Swiss Alps offer gorgeous scenery, great skiing and snowboarding and, and fun winter festivals like the World Snow Festival in Grindelwald, the polo-on-snow tournaments in Val d’Isere, Megève, Courchevel and St. Moritz, and the International Dog Sled Festival in Saignelégier (all take place in January).
Sweden:
Each December, the world’s largest snow and ice hotel is built in Jukkasjärvi — a night in one of the luxurious ice suites is unforgettable.
Croatia:
Some of Europe’s largest, most vibrant pre-Lenten celebrations (called Karneval or Maskare) are held here each spring. Rijeka’s month-long festival is the most famous, but Dubrovnik, Split, Samobor and Pag Island are also renowned for their long-standing and colorful traditions.
Australia & New Zealand
Sydney:
Spend New Year’s Eve along the harbor, watching the world’s most spectacular fireworks display. Dec-Feb offers warm, sunny weather for enjoying the city’s gorgeous beaches.
North Island, New Zealand:
The summer months here (Dec-Feb) are warm and dry, perfect for exploring the diversity of landscapes, from rainforests to vast mountain lakes to idyllic beaches.
Africa
Tanzania:
Jan-Feb is a dry season between two periods of rain, ideal for a safari — the scenery is green and lush and there’s a chance of spotting baby animals. This is also the best time for diving off the coast, when you’re likely to see manta rays and whale sharks.
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