New Years Eve: It’s a minefield. Personally, I don’t know one person who has ever had the New Years Eve of their dreams; something with such a build up can only ever really be a letdown. Right?
Wrong! We’ve discovered the answer, and all it takes a plane ride and a little enthusiasm. We’ve picked out some of our top destinations for bringing in 2013 with a bang…
Thailand
Image by Dave_B
If the world was fair, New Years Eve would reside in the summer months, when one could potentially head to a park with music, a few beers and a bevvy of best friends, and it would be a fabulous (and frugal) night. As it stands, NYE lies within the deepest depths of winter, meaning packed clubs, sky high prices, coats and the annual epic battle of Sparkly Minidress vs Evil Wind. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? We suggest bringing in your new year in Thailand. If 27ºC+ weather or wild parties don’t tempt you, how about 80p drinks? Thought so. From debauched full moon parties to simply having the opportunity to melt away your hangover in the ocean breeze, we can’t think of a good reason not to.
Dublin
It’s a bit of a cliche that the Irish love a drink, but there’s no smoke without, well, Guinness, and Dublin on New Years Eve has to be seen to believed. It’s a town that knows how to party; from noisy St Stephen’s Green with its annual fireworks display, or a torchlit procession of fire breathers, entertainers and floats that makes its way through the city. Fire breathers aside, you’ll find most of the action in Dublin’s famous pubs – that, in our opinion, is where the real New Years Eve magic happens in Ireland’s rambunctious capital. Hartigan’s in Merrion Square is our top tip – we wish you all the best come New Years Day. Ouch.
Prague
Prague is an incredible destination for a New Years Break; the Old Town looks gorgeously romantic and mystical in deep winter, and the banks of the Vlatva at midnight are alive with colour, light and, well, drunk people. If you cannot bring in a new year without loud noises and sparkly things (we’re with you on that one) the fireworks over the castle are worth the trip on their own.
Las Vegas
As you’d expect, they don’t take New Years Eve lightly in Vegas. Not a city famed for its subtlety, an event like New Years is to Vegas what dropped-crotch trousers are to Justin Bieber; it’s a city, after all, where it feels like New Years Eve every night. On the actual New Years Eve, however, the Vegas Strip becomes an outdoor pedestrianised street party; stand out there, or head to the Stratosphere for the best view of the city’s pyrotechnics. The Fremont Street Experience is also worth checking out too.
