I have no idea what my plans are going to be for New Year’s Eve but all I can hope, is that they top all the other new years I’ve had in countries across the world. From Colombia to the Philippines, here are some of the best countries to spend New Year’s Eve in 2026. ENJOY.

The best countries to spend New Year’s Eve in 2026

Canggu, Bali

I spent a one New Year’s Eve in Canggu, a popular coastal resort in Bali, Indonesia, and it was one of the best countries to spend New Year’s Eve. Staying at the wonderful Lay Day hostel – which I’ve been a firm favourite of since I first visited in 2017 – it’s close to a variety of cafés, restaurants and bars. I celebrated the beginning of a new year with tons of people at Old Man’s, Canggu’s original beach bar, which always has a fun event to attend, surrounded by fireworks. The following morning, you can relax at the hostel with all your new friends, mellowing out by the pool or catching waves on your surf board, down at the beach. Or if you’re the guy who passed out on your motorbike, you’re probably just recovering.

Cartagena, Colombia

I loved Colombia – I mean, who doesn’t right? I chose to bring in the new year in Cartagena. I stayed at Casa Del Pozo and a huge group of us walked to a viewing spot by the bay/marina, where we could see the fireworks. There’s numerous rooftop bars that you can reserve a table at on New Year’s Eve, and of course, clubs to party at after – again you will need to reserve in advance. Recommendations include Movida, which has an expansive rooftop and is located in the historic centre and Alquimico, which offers cocktail bars across different floors and a huge rooftop too. Hostels, of course, usually offer entry tickets to events or put on their own pre drinks party.

Boracay Island, The Philippines

A few years ago, my best friend and I decided to book a three-week trip to the Philippines, where we were keen to island hop, drink cocktails, go snorkelling and surfing and of course, celebrate the new year in a hot place. We chose Boracay Island, and originally chose a hostel to stay at. With hostels, you are almost always guaranteed to have something to book for New Year’s Eve – and of course, we drunk and made friends at the event the hostel was putting on for pre drinks. We all headed to the beach and watched fireworks when midnight hit, before dancing at a beach club we had access to – after buying an entry ticket at our hostel. If you’re looking for a hostel to stay at, then Frendz is a recommendation – although we booked the cheapest room, and it was just a bit too crowded for our liking. We did enjoy the event they put on though! There is always a beach club to party at, whether that’s at Epic Boracay or OM Boracay – just make sure you book your ticket in advance, and it’s another of the best countries to spend New Year’s Eve in 2026.

Funny New Year’s Eve Story in the Philippines: After a few too many drinks on the beach after the fireworks had finished, I thought I had seen a hotel deal at the Savoy online which I excitedly booked with Mollie’s approval. We ran to our hostel, took all of our bags and happily checked into the Savoy – where the following morning, bleary-eyed with horrendous headaches, we realised we had completely misread the price, and ended up paying double. Oops. Nice reception area it had above though, right? Great tree.

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Santa Teresa is one of my favourite places in Costa Rica. With a stretch of great cafés, restaurants, beautiful sandy beaches, pretty boutique and truly great people, you’re guaranteed to have a great time here – whether it’s New Year’s Eve or not. But that’s not what this blog is about, so instead, let me tell you what you can do. If you’re not like me, you can pay for an extremely expensive ticket to an all night club like UMA Beachfront or Banana Beach, where you’ll be dancing until the sun comes up. But if you are like me, you’ll find someone great to hang out, you’ll get dinner and drinks, buy alcohol, head to the beach and find a local family to dance reggaeton with, whilst you’re sharing the shots, around a bonfire. Then after 4am, you can head to one of the clubs for free entry hooray! We went to Banana Beach and danced until daytime. What a life; one of the best countries to spend New Year’s Eve, hands down.

London, England

Okay, hear me out guys. Sometimes London can actually be great. Years ago (and I’m talking about years) it was around £5 to see the fireworks, or you could find a corner and see them for free, but now, the best view can often be at home with a glass of champagne, watching the fireworks live on TV. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you can always find a great New Year’s Eve set menu with gorgeous food and great drinks. I once went to Gaucho, and the food didn’t disappoint, just make sure you book in advance! Alternatively, it’s great to just gather a group of friends and celebrate the new year together with a bottle of red or white (or both!) Could it be one of the best countries to spend New Year’s Eve in? Well, with good vibes and good people, I don’t see why not.

Where’s your favourite country to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Where will you be spending New Year’s Eve in 2026? Let me know in the comments below.

Looking to know what to pack for your backpacking trip? Here’s your ultimate list of backpacking essentials you’re going to need for your trip.