When it comes to New Year’s celebrations, the world’s largest continent of Asia has plenty of options to offer for the big occasion, from lavish beach parties to dazzling light shows. Here are a few of the best yachting destinations in South East Asia to spend The Holidays!

Andaman Islands, India: All I want for Christmas is… gourmet dining on the beach!

Andaman & Nicobar Islands one of the cleanest and greenest parts of India, with a lot of calm and peace. Christmas and New Year are a big deal in Andaman, with Christmas lights and decorations all around the Islands. In between all these festivities, allow some time to dig into the Islands of the Andaman. Visit museums in Port Blair to explore Andaman’s cultural curiosities and then head out to Havelock Island for the best beaches.

For the best gourmet dining, consider a reservation in Havelock Island at the Havelock Island Beach Resort, blending upscale dining and a party atmosphere, offering you the best of both to celebrate the new year. Savor the elegant cuisine of the Sea Dragon bar and restaurant. For a trendy ambiance and a memorable candlelight dinner, reserve a seat at Nemo Beach café and bar.

Every year there is a wide variety of New Year’s Eve parties on Havelock Island and your agent can book in advance for NYE events. Here guests from around the world gather at the showcase lagoon for an exciting midnight celebration as Havelock Island lights up the city in three New Year’s Festival countdowns!

Bali, Indonesia: 12 days of Karma.

In light of the season of giving, Karma Kandara will have a giving tree initiative. A series of Christmas trees placed throughout the resort, where guests are asked to donate 300k – this money will be used to purchase gifts for the disadvantaged kids of Bali Life Foundation. On Christmas Eve, they will visit Di Mare restaurant for carols, and afterwards receive a special visit from Santa, with gifts purchased from the money donated.

Continue the party at the recently refurbished Karma Beach Bali. The beachside space has long been a hub of live music and nightlife, and this festive season will remain a haven for those who want to dance the night away. During the 12 Days of Karma there will be daily parties with a rotating line-up of international DJs. After indulging in some lively New Year’s Eve celebrations, guests can recover at a pop-up hangover remedy bar courtesy of a collaboration with Cocoon Medical Spa. Infusion packages aplenty are available here for a decent dose of vitamins; choose from the jet lag hydration booster, detox and recharge, and anti-ageing rejuvenation.

Bali’s Nusa Dua’s most exciting beach club, Manarai Beach House, is set to take everyone on a journey where sounds from all around the world collide. Ending the year on a high note, the Carnival of Rhythm is the ultimate beach party where you’ll definitely get a taste of mix customs. Located right at the beachfront, Manarai is a perfect blend of Balinese tradition and modernity.

Langkawi, Malaysia: Flying lighted lanterns.

An archipelago along the western coast of Malaysia, Langkawi celebrates New Year in a different style. Enchanting celebrations start with lighted lanterns released into the sky an hour prior to midnight creating a fairytale feeling. Home to extensive diversity of ethnicities, the people of Malaysia are always seen celebrating various festivals and events, making it one of the happiest destinations on earth. From New Years and Christmas to Onam and Hungry Ghost Festival, being a part of these events leave every traveler spellbound.

Langkawi island’s restaurants for Xmas and NYE dinners are mostly located at Kuah, Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah with delicious fresh seafood such as crabs, prawns, lobsters and squid on offer. After sundown at Pantai Cenang, comes the sky lanterns, released into the skies, symbolising good luck and letting go of worries and fears as 2023 is ushered in Fireworks will light up the sky of Pantai Cenang as the sky lantern count-down to a new decade concludes at midnight.

Maldives – New Years in the middle of the ocean

Exotic Maldives is a great place for international yacht visitors seeking unique holiday events and celebrating Christmas and New Year. Examples of a luxurious New Year’s party might be W Maldives (Fesdu Atoll) or a gala dinner at Hard Rock (South Male’) resort with the symbolic burning of the old year. Or a special program at the Huvafen Fushi Spa (North Male’) or see the festive extravaganza at Lily Beach (Ari Atoll). Almost all resorts have nice large lagoons enabling yacht anchorage and day access to yacht clients.

There are so many options to choose from and the following suggestions can be arranged by Asia Pacific Superyachts Maldives:

–           Book private uninhabited island or resort for private groups of families and friends

–           Book day visit to resorts for kids to witness ‘Santa Arrival on Christmas day’

–           Relaxing Spa experiences at various high-end resorts en-route the journey

–           Experience multi-cuisine restaurants at various high-end resorts en-route the journey

–           Experience one-of-a-kind underwater restaurants for holiday feast

–           Book Xmas / NYE Gala Dinner at high-end resort – live music, fire shows & entertainment

Phuket, Thailand

Visit the Land of Smiles, Thailand! On New Year’s Eve Phuket turns into one giant disco with world-famous music bands, fireworks and barbecues literally on every beach. For yacht visitors it‘s easy to combine the colossal range of New Year’s Eve events with privacy and maximum mobility.

Each December, the more popular beaches around Phuket become effectively giant parties. Hundreds gather on the sand to see in the New Year. Patong Beach has organised music and entertainment and is definitely the most popular choice, but you’ll also find celebrations on Karon, Kata, Kamala and Bangtao beaches, among others.

The pulsing club scene in Bangla Road close to Surin, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, adds to the already hip aura of partying here on the last day of the year. Since Paris Hilton partied here two years ago the entire island is essentially transformed into a party haven with fireworks, beach barbecues, live entertainment and exclusive gala dinners! Many of the west coast hotels celebrate the New Year with their own shows – virtually the entire coast from Surin to Kamala and Patong, turning it into Asia’s largest free party!

You can anchor right in front of Amanpuri, which invites yachtsmen to join its beach discos, cooking extravaganza and fire show (pre-registration required) and the nearby Twinpalms Phuket Resort with the Oriental Spoon Restaurant offers a special seafood menu.

Koh Samui, Thailand. Nikki Beach in the Tropics.

Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand and is one of the most attractive destinations in SE Asia for welcoming the new year. A beautiful island with white sandy beaches and an ambient tropical weather, it’s unlike any other in the region. The dark Koh Samui night sky lights up radiantly with the most spectacular fireworks during New Year’s Eve.

On the west side, Nikki Beach entertainment comes with Live Bands, acclaimed DJs, and melodious music and a fireworks display with numerous fireworks illuminating the sea water below. W Retreat Koh Samui is a great place to visit in the New Year with some gentle music, a glass of champagne, and a spectacular display of fireworks. On the east side at Chaweng Beach, yacht visitors can anchor and join the popular Ark Bar celebrations on the beach. Big-name DJs and huge fire shows, it’s a raucous affair! Or, you can simply enjoy the firework displays from your yacht.

Seychelles, Creole Christmas.

Visiting the Seychelles during the end-of-year holidays, you can enjoy a festive atmosphere in the tropics. In the capital of Victoria on the island of Mahé you can wander through the alleys in which the Creole houses lining the streets are decorated with Christmas lights.

Christmas is a time of celebration and discovery of all the other riches adorning this city. Stroll through the city streets to the rhythm of the Creole music played by locals in a tradition that will make your trip to Seychelles for the New Year magical. Your taste buds will be tantalised by traditional street-food stalls and the many barbecues organised for end-of-year meals with exotic Seychellois cuisine.

New Year’s in Seychelles will culminate with a countdown at midnight and magnificent fireworks which light up the sky of the Seychelles islands. This is an opportunity to discover the history and culture of these islands while enjoying the festive atmosphere of the tropics at the end of the year.

Singapore Keep your wishes afloat.

Watching the fireworks at Marina Bay, attending a beach party and visiting the Civic District are some of the most popular activities in Singapore on New Year’s Eve. It’s hard to single out just one celebration in Singapore as one of Asia’s most popular New Year’s destinations hosts several fireworks displays and beachfront parties. Though perhaps the most unique aspect is the tradition of the ‘Wishing Spheres’, special orbs on which people write their wishes for the New Year, which are then lit and set afloat in the night sky.

Sri Lanka. Beachside New Years Eve parties.

Sail into the capital city of Galle and moor up at the Galle Fort, one of the most popular attractions, built in the 17th century by Dutch colonists. Here, you can participate in some of the interesting activities in Galle to ring in the New Year 2023.

More upmarket NYE parties are found in the Colombo town hotels; e.g. Galle Face Hotel always has a huge one, and all upmarket hotels with discos like the Taj and the Hilton offer great celebrations.

Since Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, some of the best New Year’s Eve parties happen by the sea. Beachside parties are a common sight during this time of the year, and the best areas for this are Mirissa, Hikkaduwa, Bentota, and Unawatuna. After exploring, relax and dine in some of the most beautiful boutique hotels and adventure lodges the country has to offer.

Post New Year

International visitors can continue the area’s yachting season, joining in celebrating the Chinese New Year in late January, an event that lasts fifteen days. This is also known as the Spring Festival, one of the most important celebrations in the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year 2023 will fall on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023, starting the year of the Rabbit. Celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival.

Many festivities take place in the cruising grounds of South East Asia islands during the holidays. Spending a holiday in a new cultural setting definitely adds a unique, memorable experience to a yachting journey. If you are planning to immerse yourself in the holiday traditions and celebrations in South East Asia during a cruising voyage, hopefully the above destination descriptions will provide some useful insights!

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