The Most Impressive Firework Display for New Year’s Eve in Dubai

The Most Impressive Firework Display for New Year’s Eve in Dubai

Dubai

Burj Khalifa | The World’s Tallest Building

When I think of where to celebrate the New Year’s Eve, Dubai’s spectacular New Year Eve firework display at the Burj Khalifa come to my mind. The city is known for hosting a magnificent display of lights every year. People travel to Dubai to have an experience of a lifetime.

The Burj Khalifa is located in Downtown Dubai, next to the Dubai Mall. In the New Year Eve, security was bolstered everywhere to ensure public safety. Make sure to plan ahead as roads and access to the Downtown area will be restricted after 8pm for crowd control. It’s almost impossible to get in unless you enter the mall hours before the show starts. Even then, getting a good spot at The Dubai Mall is extremely hard. 

Dubai Mall | Dubai doesn’t do anything small

The Dubai Mall is located right next to Burj Khalifa. This is the most popular location for watching the New Year Eve’s fireworks show. This Mall is gigantic. It’s got not only shops (over 1200 stores), department stores, food outlets, but also has a indoor ski resort, ice skating rink, movie theater, waterfall and an aquarium. The architecture is jaw dropping!

Dubai Mall on New Year’s Eve
Dubai Mall decorations
Roads are closed in Burj Khalifa downtown area
Burj Khalifa fireworks to ring in 2019

Roads are closed and barriers set up inBurj Khalifa for crowd control. Hundreds of thousands headed to the family viewing areas in Burj Khalifa to witness the iconic show. The area is swamped a few hours before the fireworks. It is extremely difficult to walk back to the hotel from the Dubai Mall.

Huge crowd waiting across the Dubai mall
People wait to witness the fireworks at Burj Khalifa
Manzil Hotel NYE pass

The hotel stuff told us as long as we have this NYE pass, then the security will let us come back to the hotel. Well, it turned out the security guard at the Dubai Mall doesn’t recognize this pass. We had to try other routes in order to get back to the hotel. It was quite frustrated.

Hotel Manzil Dotwntown

Finally got back to hotel Manzil Downtown to watch the fireworks.

Burj Khalifa fireworks to ring in 2019

The fireworks are lit just after the stroke of midnight. We get back to Hotel Manzil Downtown just in time to catch a good spot to watch from.

The fireworks display at Burj Khalifa on New Year’s Eve in 2019

The duration of the fireworks display is about 20 minutes. Emaar host the world-renowned firework display on the world’s tallest building this year (Emaar is the master developer of Burj Khalifa). The fireworks display on New Year’s Eve is phenomenal!

The fireworks display at Burj Khalifa on New Year’s Eve
Fireworks explode around the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Lasers beam from the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building
New Year’s Eve Magic in Chiang Mai, Thailand

New Year’s Eve Magic in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand

Chiang Mai has always been a popular destination for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Every restaurant and bar is packed full and street vendors can be found all along the major streets. Fireworks, sky lanterns, delicious food, and all manner of party objects to add to the atmosphere.

Thai traditions for this New Year Eve’s celebration

Thai people often exchange gifts or cards with family members and friends during this day. They celebrate in their hometowns with family and friends eating, drinking, and preparing meals together. It is also common for Thai people to pay a visit to their local temple to mark the changing of the year with good luck and prosperity either on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Making merit and giving alms to monks are common. It’s the Thai spiritual way to begin the new year with peace of mind. If you want to catch a unique cultural experience, I recommend you go to one of the prominent temples in Chiang Mai.

Wat Phra Singh (Gold Temple)

For the most memorable experience, try to coincide with a festival.

To receive blessings from the temple

De Naga Hotel Chiang Mai

For four nights we stayed at De Naga Hotel, a small bed and breakfast located in the historic old city of Chiang Mai. Only 5 minutes walk to the Tha Phae Gate. The location was perfect, close enough to walk to many shops and restaurants. After our new year eve dinner, we walked around the Tha pae Gate and the night market that leads up to it. 

De Naga Hotel New Year Eve Buffet

De Naga Hotel Traditional Thai Live Music & Dance

De Naga Hotel Buffet

Chiang Mai Night Market

Chiang Mai Night Market

Tuk Tuk

Wat Phan Tao Temple at night

Next to the famous Wat Chedi Luang, the entire temple was made from teak wood and had been previously part of the royal palace. The monks began their ceremony around 10:30pm. Thousands were gathered here with the monks to spend the last few hours of the year in meditation and chanting in a serene candle-lit hall. The place was fully candle-lit, lanterns hang from the trees, and the water was lined with sparkling lights, which made the atmosphere feel even more magical.

Lanterns twinkle in the water in Wat Phan Tao Temple

New Year’s Eve Magic in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Pray with the monks at the Wat Phan Tao

Wat Phan Tao Temple at night

Along the banks of the river

This was the scene along the banks of the river in Chiang Mai during the New Year’s Eve celebration. We spent a while just absorbing the environment and watching all the different folks light their lanterns. The candle was placed inside the lantern, the flame then heated the air within the lantern causing it to rise into the sky until the fire went out. According to tradition, releasing a lantern in the sky symbolizes new beginnings and good luck.

Dozens of people lined along the banks of the river

Beautiful lanterns released into the night sky

Lanterns light up the river

Tha Phae Gate

Tha Phae Gate was the place to release lanterns. This was the most central location for the countdown to midnight. As it got closer to 11pm, we joined lots of people at the main square near Thapae Gate in releasing lanterns into the sky. We had bought one big lantern to let off for good luck in the new year. As the clock counted down to zero, you saw thousands of lanterns released into the sky. We made a wish and released the lantern. Our lantern floated into the sky and joined the hundreds of other lanterns disappearing into the darkness. It was such an amazing night. We had lots of fun! The experience celebrating the new year in Chiang Mai was an unforgettable one. The last day of 2017, I felt blessed and grateful and being with awesome friends who make the world a better place.

Letting off lanterns

SFFC lantern

SFFC lantern

Chiang Mai New Year Countdown

The square was filled with Thais and tourists from all over world enjoying the celebrations together. It was truly spectacular to see hundreds of sky lanterns floating up into the night sky.

SFFC lantern

Our own milky way of lights!

Sky lantern during New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Watch dazzling fireworks illuminate the night