best places to celebrate new year

If you fancy a New Years with a difference, then check out Dubais Desert New Year Party. Featuring a live band, DJ, belly dancing, Sheesha smoking, international buffet and BBQ this is a party on a huge scale. At 399 AED (around

With celebrations lasting up to a week, Japan enjoys one of the lengthiest New Years celebrations around. Tokyo is where its at during shogatsu (Japanese term for New Year), although you can find something going on at virtually every shrine and temple across the country during hatsumode (a tradition marking the years first visit to a shrine or temple). The citys Meiji Shrine is well worth a visit, although as one of the countrys most popular tourist hotspots you can expect a fairly lengthy queue.

How about spending your New Year en piste? No, were not talking about imbuing too much of the local liquor, but rather visiting one of Austrias finest ski resorts. Celebrations this year feature a unique firework display set to music in the Streif ski course region. You can also marvel at the talents of the Rote Teufel ski school all for free.

Pretty much the largest New Years celebration in the country, the event marks the culmination of the Winter Festival of Lights. Not only is the event free, but there are no less than two full firework displays set against one of the worlds most dramatic backdrops. This televised event regularly attracts crowds in excess of 30,000, so a party atmosphere is guaranteed. Oh, and theres a music concert thrown in for good measure.

Fancy celebrating New Years under swaying palm trees and a starlit sky? World famous for its full moon parties and festive spirit, Koh Phangan is a hugely popular destination for travellers the world over. Of course, New Years is no exception. Celebrations on this popular Thai island have been known to attract more than 50,000 revellers. Just dont forget your swimsuit.

Arguably one of the worlds most famous New Years extravaganzas Sydney Harbour provides a truly spectacular setting in which to see in the New Year. Its fair to say the Aussies know how to throw a party, with highlights including an immense firework display and parade of tall ships across the harbour. If youre visiting for a few days and fancy a little daredevil action, why not try the world famous bridge climb? Its worth noting that the attraction is closed on 30/31 December.

We love Hollywoods exclusive club scene, rowdy pub crawls and over the top Cleopatras New Years Eve Ball, but this year downtowns new Grand Park features live music, art installations, food trucks and a digital video show on the walls of City Hall. Post midnight, head to Pasadena to watch floats being assembled for the legendary New Years Day Tournament of Roses Parade.

When the sun sets around 4 p.m., visitors in Reykjavik bide their time while locals enjoy mass, neighborhood bonfires and an annual comedy show on T.V. Come midnight, though, Icelands capital explodes with 500 tons of fireworks. If youre lucky, the Northern Lights will blaze above the city, too. Making up for the late start, bars and clubs beckon until five in the morning.

The biggest New Years Eve show in Latin America takes place in the Valpara

While winter is the slow season in northern California wine country, it makes for a more laid back, less crowded holiday experience. On New Years Eve, many larger hotels and wineries offer their own wine fueled parties in cellars and wine caves, including the Black and White Gala at Etoile at Domaine Chandon, a candlelit multicourse dinner in the Trinitas Cellars wine cave at the Meritage Resort, and a five course dinner and masquerade ball in the Grand Barrel Room at Castello di Amorosa winery. The Napa Valley Wine Train hosts a Blackjack Ball in its restored Pullman cars as they make their way up and down the valley. For a more low key celebration, make reservations at one of the areas famed restaurants, such as Redd, Bottega, or Thomas Kellers Ad Hoc or Bouchon in Yountville, and then retreat to a luxury inn for a private midnight toast by the fire.