Love it or loathe it, New Years Eve is the time of year to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. For some, it’s a celebration brimming with excitement and expectation. For others, it’s an annual anti-climax, burdened with the added pressure of making it the “best party ever”. Whatever your attitude towards December 31, consider spending the countdown in some of these hotspots around the world. Some cultures put a unique twist on saying “out with the old and in with the new”, while others really know how to ring in the year with a bang. If you’re looking for a memorable experience complete with bragging-rights, here’s a global overview of some of the best places to spend New Years Eve. Find out where they wear yellow underwear, throw plates or countdown twice on the same day.
1. Kiribati
Want to be the first in the world to greet the new year? By virtue of its position on the International Date Line, this environmentally precarious island nation in the central Pacific (the only country to be situated in all four hemispheres) is first to start the annual countdown. To be specific, Millennium Island – formerly Caroline Island – in the Line Island chain of atolls technically reaches that milestone first. All bars and guesthouses in Kiribati have something special going on for New Years Eve, plus there are traditional celebrations at local maneaba meeting houses.