More and more people are using the New Year to make good on a top resolution: travel more. Traveling for the New Year is a great way to put life in perspective and count your blessings. It’s also a great way to switch traditions and try something new.
While New York City, Miami, Dubai, and Accra have become premiere New Year’s Eve destinations, other exciting cities have some interesting and fun traditions. Here are six underrated places to spend the last night of the year.
Maputo, Mozambique
The capital of the East African country, Mozambique, is a hidden gem for New Year celebrations. Aside from New Year, Maputo is a vibrant city where art plays a huge role in the culture. It’s located on the Indian Ocean, making it a premier vacation destination with beach resorts and international hotels along an impressive coastline.
When bringing in the New Year, visitors will find sparkling lights, street and beach parties, and fireworks in an already entertaining destination. There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate the New Year in Mozambique, but a beach party along the coast is one of the most popular venues. Imhambane, Tofo, Barra, and Massigna are all popular beach parties.
Quito, Ecuador
Travelers looking to bring in the New Year with a new tradition should consider heading to Quito, Ecuador, where people celebrate the new by burning the old.
Ecuador’s fiery and unique tradition is known as “Año Viejo.” Families create effigies or dolls (muñecos). The effigies can represent a famous person, a disliked or irritating person, or a disappointment. They’re made with wood, paper mache, or cardboard before being stuffed with sawdust, paper, dried leaves, and even fireworks. They’re dressed in old clothes, similar to a scarecrow, and a handwritten note is pinned to the effigies explaining why it must be burned. Once the cheering starts, effigies are thrown into the streets, where they are burned to ashes.
It’s all symbolic of burning up the regrets and disappointments of the previous year and starting the new year with hope and new resolutions.
Funchal, Madeira
Thanks to its year-round perfect weather, there’s no wrong time to visit Madeira, an island off the coast of Portugal. However, one of the best times to visit is during New Year because it boasts one of Europe’s best celebrations. In 2006, Madeira received recognition from the Guinness Book of Records as “The Largest Fireworks Show in the World.”
The world-famous fireworks show is the big event in town, evident by the large cruise ships that line the port of Funchal early in the day.
Nightclubs are filled, and the Madeira Orchestra usually puts on an entertaining show at the city pier. Just before midnight, the crowd begins the countdown. Lasting about eight minutes, the fireworks show has plenty of stunning effects you won’t see anywhere else in the world.
St. Kitts and Nevis
If you want to start your Carnival celebrations early, St. Kitts is where you want to go. While many countries start Carnival festivities before Lent, when Christians commemorate the 40 days Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert, St. Kitts’ National Carnival begins in December and typically goes into the New Year.
During the week of New Year, visitors can immerse themselves in street parties, music, the Grand Carnival Parade, and other island traditions.
Zion National Park in Utah
For travelers looking to escape big parties and celebrations, consider visiting a national park like Zion National Park in Utah. There will still be crowds but a different vibe, as you will be surrounded by people who love the cold and looking to hike and be outdoors.
Located less than 2.5 hours from Las Vegas, Zion National Park is perfect for sandstone cliff gazing. The park stretches beyond three counties in Southwestern Utah and consists of some of America’s most scenic canyons. Covering more than 230 square miles are high plateaus, sandstone canyons, and the Virgin River. The highest point is Horse Ranch Mountain, stretching 8,726 feet in elevation.
Cape Town, South Africa
West Africa has stolen the shine in Africa as a top destination for the holidays, which has increased prices significantly. Another underrated city is South Africa’s “Mother City,” Cape Town.
There’s no shortage of fun in South Africa, and there’s something for everyone. South Africa produces some of the best wine in the world, so exploring a local vineyard is a great way to ring in the New Year.
Cape Town is also one of the top places in the world for parties and nightclubs for people looking for a vibrant night scene. Another favorite among tourists and locals is heading to the top of Table Mountain to watch the fireworks at the V & A waterfront.