Best Places in Asia to Celebrate the New Year 2017

By Rea Gabriel
Celebrating New Year in Asia
Singapore Harbour Pixabay

There are different beliefs and traditions that people in Asia practice annually to celebrate the New Year 2017. From warding off evil spirits to praying solemnly on New Year's Eve, experiencing various customs of the East could certainly be a good start for the entrance of 2017.

Bangkok in Thailand is the foreign tourists' go-to place in celebrating the New Year in Asia. The city offers a variety of high-end shopping markets, restaurants, and bustling night life. The people gathers in the Central World Square to celebrate the New Year and watch the firework shows. The event also features live bands and parties. Bangkok is riddled with establishments, like five-star hotels and restaurants, which offer quality service to cater for tourists in different demographics.

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia offers a variety of skyscrapers where tourists can view the fireworks. By staying a night in the Petronas Tower during the New Year's Eve, spectators can see a magnificent view of the fireworks closely. According to Forbes, the best place in Petronas Tower to book a room is the Marini's on 57. Most of the hotels, restaurants and bars conduct their own New Year parties for guests to take part in. The Sunway Pyramid, Damansara Mutiara, Bukit Bintang, and Dataran Merdeka will conduct their own fireworks display and parties.

Manila is the most lively and noisiest city in Asia that celebrates the New Year. Every household conduct their own firecrackers and fireworks display to celebrate the New Year. Filipinos believe that the most boisterous and loudest antics done in the start of the year will ward off evil spirits and bad luck for the entire year. Tourists anywhere in the Philippines who want to take part in the rowdy celebration can just pick a nice and high spot, like a rooftop, and view the fireworks of the neighboring residents which normally starts fifteen minutes before the New Year's Eve.

The exact opposite of Manila, Tokyo conducts the most solemn celebration of the New Year. The Japanese people greets the start of the year by going in a temple for "hatsumode" or first prayers. This is perfect for tourists who want to spend the first day of the year differently, without the fireworks and parties, by having a solemn and silent experience. The temple that is perfect for the New Year celebration is Zōjō-ji Temple near the Meiji Shrine.

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