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2018 is about to go out with a bang and nothing will say that louder and prouder than a brilliant display of rainbow-colored fireworks to mark both the end of a year as well as a new beginning.
If you are globetrotting around Asia-Pacific right into the new year, be sure to make your way over to the best viewing area where you can watch the stunning New Year’s Eve fireworks light up the sky at the stroke of midnight.
Get your countdown on at these places:
Australia: Sydney
Sydney rings in the new year with a multi-tiered event held at Sydney Harbour. It is also the first major international city to greet the new year at midnight.
Each year, a new theme will be chosen, featuring fireworks exploding off the arches, catwalk, and roadway of the Harbour Bridge, including the Opera House, nearby city buildings and up to eight barges evenly divided on both sides of the bridge.
This year’s celebration, themed “The pulse of Sydney”, is set to be the biggest ever, with organizers promising to blast off a record number of fireworks along with designs and colors, including two never-before-used colors in the display.
“There will be lime and peach-colored fireworks over Sydney Harbour for the first time, thanks to new technology which allows for the use of more pastel colors,” ABC News reported.
To add on, for the first time, there will a “Calling Country” segment just after 9pm which will include images of Australia’s Indigenous heritage being projected onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
According to fireworks director Fortunato Foti, a total of 8.5 tonnes of pyrotechnics will be shot into the night’s sky to mark 2019, around 500 kilograms more than 2018.
Secure a spot on one of the islands in the harbor or the parks on either side for the best views.
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
Although various spots in around Kuala Lumpur will throw their very own fireworks party annually, it is without a doubt that the Petronas Twin Towers located right in the heart of the bustling Malaysian capital city is where the New Year’s Eve party is at.
Petronas Twin Towers, which is surrounded by a lush, family-friendly park, is relatively quiet for the most part of the year.
But come Dec 31, the Malaysian landmark will be transformed into a massive New Year’s Eve celebration venue complete with a beautiful musical fountain “dancing” to the pulsating beats, live music performances, and of course, jaw-dropping fireworks.
Every year, locals and tourists alike arrive in droves to be a part of the fun-loving, cheery crowd.
To be sure that you will have an unobstructed view, go early to the park and plonk yourself down on a spot at one of the open spaces.
The United Arab Emirates: Dubai
Last year, Dubai’s annual display of fireworks at the attention-grabbing Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, was replaced by a laser light and sound show for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
This New Year’s Eve, as a nod to the fact that the city is quickly becoming a popular new year’s eve destination, Burj Khalifa developer Emaar Properties is bringing it back for the benefit of spectators.
Aside from the fireworks display, Dubai’s New Year’s Eve gala will also involve water-music performances from The Dubai Fountain which will be coordinated and produced by a team of world-class experts.
The best places to catch this magnificent show will be on special viewing platforms which will be set up across Downtown Dubai.
Taiwan: Taipei
The Taipei 101, formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a landmark skyscraper in Taipei’s Xinyi District. It was once the world’s tallest until the completion of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
The iconic structure is also the most popular place to ring in the new year in Taiwan.
This year, the building will present a six-minute grand fireworks display, the longest in the history of the annual event, which will be further enhanced by a massive light-emitting diode (LED) display, according to Taiwan News.
Themed “Happy Together”, the light and fireworks show will feature 140,000 LED lights covering the tower’s exterior from the 35th floor and going all the way up to the 90th.
“Starting from one minute before midnight, fireworks will be launched from Taipei 101 for a full six minutes (360 seconds), more than two minutes longer than last year’s pyrotechnic display,” Taiwan News reported.
Taipei 101’s pyrotechnic extravaganza can be viewed from a score of locations including in front of the Taipei City Hall Plaza, the Xianjiyan Hiking Trail in Wenshan District, or the Zhinan scenic spot in the Maokong area.
Hong Kong
As if Victoria Harbour was not already stunning enough at night with the dramatic Hong Kong skyline as its backdrop, come Dec 31 every year, it transforms into the premier destination for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
Ordinarily, the celebration starts with “Shooting Stars”, where bursts of shimmering light pierce into the sky at every 15-minute interval from the rooftops of the skyscrapers surrounding the harbor.
Simultaneously, on the ground, the crowd will be entertained by a lively street party and performances by various artists.
Then, at 12 midnight sharp, giant splashes of fire and light will illuminate the territory’s dark, inky night with a mind-blowing spectacle that can be seen from just about anywhere in Hong Kong.
Last year, the fireworks lasted approximately 10 minutes and featured for the first time, pyrotechnics from an award-winning European fireworks maker set to music composed and produced veteran local music director Chiu Tsang Hei.
Road closures start as early as 6:30pm so be sure to head out early to take out your viewing place at any of the public places along Victoria Harbour.
The post The best places to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Asia-Pacific appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.
Source: travelwireasia.com