With the year anew comes brand new adventures waiting to be experienced. The winter somber of January might be causing you to crave the warm tropical paradises. If it’s not so wintery where you are, you might be looking to indulge in chic ski resorts to complete your winter holidays. So whether you’re a beach bum or a winter sports enthusiast, we compiled a list of tasteful luxury destinations to help you start your year in the best possible way.
Sydney
The first major international city to ring in the New Year in Sydney. What better way to greet the incoming year than by being part of the iconic Sydney crowd that gets to start the year first? Known for its vibrant and energetic New Year’s Eve celebration every December 31st, Sydney offers a striking fireworks display that is accompanied by magnificent light shows and the merriest of music to make for the ultimate New Year experience. The celebrated fireworks attract a million spectators with the world’s crowd flocking in and around the city’s harbor. The magnificent event also enchants a global audience of one billion as it is televised around the globe for the whole world to see.
Steer clear of this crowd when you take in the majestic fireworks action from the Royal Botanic Gardens’ sprawling lush grounds. An all-exclusive premiere event named Midnights at the Oasis awaits guests: you get incredible views of the harbor, live music to match, and a sumptuous 3-course meal. A grandstand built for the very purpose of viewing the fireworks over the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge offers a panoramic view of all the eventualities. There is nothing more indulging than sipping champagne while fireworks go off in the distance as you reflect on the past year and look forward to the next.
When all greetings have been exchanged and the holiday spirit has started to mellow, there is more to Sydney than the New Year’s Eve celebrations. January is in the middle of the sweet Australian summer so the ever-popular Bondi Beach offers a great holiday ender. The beautiful sunrise of Bondi makes waking up early a worthy chore. It’s also a surfer’s paradise, known for rocky reefs and wild waves. The clear waters also offer the luxury of snorkeling and scuba diving to explore the vivacious marine life off the coast more intimately. It’s Australia’s most famous beach for a reason!
Montreal, Canada
If you’re tired of the common winter activities you’ve attended year after year, you might want to visit Quebec for an incredibly jazzy January. Music enthusiasts from all over the world flock to this Canadian city to attend one of the most distinctive music festivals: Montreal’s outdoor Igloofest. Since its debut in 2007, the world’s coldest music festival has amassed tens of thousands of music fans to its popping dance floor. Despite the freezing temperatures, the upbeat attendees warm themselves up by grooving and jumping to the beats of the world’s top electronic artists. It’s a winter wonderland leveled up!
January is also “Happening Gourmand” season in Old Montreal and it’s another reason to let out the foodie in you. This widely popular festival enables gastronomes to indulge in the culinary brilliance of Old Montreal’s most prestigious restaurants at incredible rates. The gourmet meals at these fine restaurants will help you breeze through Canada’s January freeze.
After all that freezing fun, you might want to take a break from the wintry cold by visiting the sensational Bota Bota Spa. It’s located in a parked river ferry now converted into a treatment haven that offers soothing hot and cold thermal experiences. The spa also has a restaurant called La Traversée where you can head off for the freshest and finest of Quebecois fares.
Val D’lsere, France
There’s no ski resort chicer and more lavish than Val D’Isere. Burrowed in the heart of the French Alps, this winter resort features luxurious chalets and boasts its phenomenal natural beauty. The resort is part of the renowned Espace Killy Ski Area, a namesake of the three-time Olympic alpine skiing legend, Jean-Claude Killy who hailed from the charming commune of Val d’Isere. There’s no limiting the adventure you’ll be having with more than 300 kilometers of ski running area! There’s a reason it’s hailed as one of the world’s best ski resorts!
You can also feast your eyes on snow-blanketed La Daille apartments at the lower end of the plains. Le Fornet, on the other hand, also has chalets that exude a distinct rustic allure. Wherever you choose to stay, both villages have their own entrances to the ski area so it’s merely a matter of taste.
Beyond the ski resort’s thrilling slopes, Val d’Isere is also known for outstanding cuisine. There’s no reason for you to not indulge in the double Michelin star L’Atelier d’Edmond in the quaint village of Le Fornet. The weather’s harshness will surely mellow, thanks to the heartwarming meals.
Gran Canaria
Winter destinations in the winter are nothing new, so why not spice it up by going the opposite way? Get some sunshine and warmth for yourself on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. There’s no need to count until the summer days return, you can always fly to eternal summer paradises!
This flavorful island offers the ideal cure for the winter blues thanks to its consistently warm temperatures 365 days in a row. This island’s heavenly sandy coasts and sparkling waters await you in the Atlantic. The island’s southern shore is home to a few of the greatest seashores, including Maspalomas, which is famed for its white powdery sands and picturesque scenery of sand dunes.
Discover the sands in style as you go on a luxurious camel tour. Gran Canaria is inarguably a mecca for water sports: it has an astonishing range of activities that you and your family can enjoy, from snorkeling to jet skiing. Charming restaurants serving traditional Canarian fare are sprinkled across the popular coastline so don’t forget to fill up!
Myanmar (Burma)
Southeast Asian country Myanmar has just recently allowed visitors after the end of its military dictatorship, making it a true hidden treasure waiting for your exploration. When you arrive at Yangon, the nation’s capital, it’s easy to make out just how important Buddhism is to the country’s identity. It’s all the more evident because of the shining, golden Shwedagon Pagoda, that dominates the city’s skyline.
The 2,500-year-old temple, which is supposed to contain traces of the Buddha’s hair, is revered as the most important Buddhist landmark in Myanmar. While it is a sight to admire any time of the day, owing to its elaborate embellishments containing over 4,500 diamonds, it is most stunning after evening as well as at daybreak when its numerous golden panels shine in the early morning sunlight.
Myanmar, a nation of breathtaking natural scenery, is home to the magnificent Mergui Archipelago, a collection of around 800 islands encircled by mesmerizing virgin coral reefs. To see the Island chain in all its splendor, we advise renting a luxury yacht. You can expect to observe a wide variety of birds and, if you’re fortunate, you could even get to visit the seafaring nomads or the Nomek people, who have lived on the archipelago for hundreds of centuries.
Truly, January is one of the most popular months for holidays with a whole plethora of delightful destinations matched by splendid weather. After a hectic December holiday of shopping and gift-giving, why not reward yourself with a lavish vacation? No matter where you decide to venture, these opulent locations will undoubtedly give you a memorable holiday.
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