Top New Year's Eve celebrations and holiday spots in Asia
Top New Year's Eve celebrations and holiday spots in Asia
Asia rings in the new year through two very different traditions, sometimes just hours apart, from massive countdown parties to quiet temple visits meant for reflection rather than celebration.
Major cities across the region put on some of the world's biggest fireworks displays, with Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour lighting up the skyline in front of huge waterfront crowds. Japan takes an entirely different approach, where many spend the final hours of the year at a temple listening to bells rung one hundred and eight times before heading home for a quiet family meal. Southeast Asian cities tend to combine both moods, with street festivals and countdown concerts that stretch well past midnight. Weather stays warm across most of the region, which keeps celebrations outdoors even after dark.
The New Year's Eve destinations on our list for Asia carry that same range, from loud countdown moments to quieter, more reflective ones.
Lists by region
Country
Singapore
Tropical city-state of hawker food and gardens
Crowds gather on the waterfront at Marina Bay to count down together. Fireworks light the sky above the water, with Marina Bay Sands and the Esplanade in the background. Gardens by the Bay has a light show nearby. Trains and buses run late on New Year's Eve, so getting home is easy.
City in Japan
Tokyo
Japan's capital of temples, towers and food
This huge capital on Honshu island has hundreds of temples and shrines. Temples ring their bells 108 times on December 31. Zojoji Temple does this beside Tokyo Tower. Shibuya Crossing is crowded for the countdown. Many people visit Meiji Shrine in early January to pray for the year.
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