4 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve twice

Is time travel possible? It may sound like science fiction, but you can actually celebrate New Year’s Eve twice due to the International Date Line. We did it, and so can you!

As the Earth is divided into time zones, when the clock strikes midnight on one side of the Date Line, it’s already new day on the other side. For example, we celebrated New Year twice,  first evening in Samoa and second evening in American Samoa. There was no rush and we got more than enough sleep between both celebrations. How is that possible?

Before we delve into journey between Samoa and American Samoa, let’s briefly understand what a timeline and International Date Line are:

Understanding the Timeline:
A timeline is a way of organizing and measuring time, typically divided into hours, minutes and seconds. As we move east or west across the globe, we cross various time zones, each representing a different hour of the day.

The International Date Line:
The International Date Line, often abbreviated as IDL, is and imaginary line located in the Pacific Ocean. It marks the transition from one calendar day to the next and it is crucial for coordinating time globally.

Now let’s explore how to leverage time difference between Samoa and American Samoa to celebrate New Year twice.

Starting in Samoa:
Samoa, situated just west of the International Data Line, is one of the first places to welcome the New Year. Begin your journey here, enjoying the local festivities as the clock strikes midnight.
Crossing the International Date Line: The adventure continues as you travel eastward, crossing the International Date Line. This journey essentially takes you back in time, creating opportunity to experience New Year’s celebration once again.
Arriving in American Samoa: As you step into American Samoa, you’ll find yourself in a different time and date, providing a second chance to celebrate the New Year.
As you can see on the photo below, we flew out of Samoa on January 1st at 1.00 pm and arrived to American Samoa on December 31st at 12.35 pm. Isn’t this mind blowing?

So let’s explore 4 ways to celebrate the New Year twice in the different parts of the world:

Option 1:  Flying from Samoa  to American Samoa
As already mentioned we choose this combination to celebrate twice. Samoa and American Samoa are well connected through Samoa Airways, which operates flights several times a day. This allows travellers to smoothly transition between the two destinations and experience the time zone magic.
While Samoa wasn’t known for elaborate New Year celebrations in the past, recent years have seen a shift in traditions.

Samoa Sheraton Aggie Grey’s celebration

However, it’s essential to note that traditional New Year celebrations in Samoa, might differ from what you’d expect in more globally recognized festivities. The concept of fireworks is relatively new to Samoans, introduced only in 2019.
In the absence of local widespread celebrations, the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s stepped in to fill the gap. In 2018, it hosted the primary New Year celebration, offering a lively event where locals and visitors alike could come together to welcome the upcoming year. The festive atmosphere, with mandatory masks, created a unique celebration. We enjoyed it thoroughly, without worrying about needing to get up early or feeling a rush to catch the second New Year.

As we awoke on the morning of January 1st, it was time to check out and head to the airport for our 1:00 PM flight. A brief, half-hour journey with Samoan Airways, treated us to incredible views upon landing in Pago Pago, American Samoa.
However, upon arrival, it was December 31st again, and the time was 12:35 PM. Undeterred, we hopped into a taxi bound for our hotel, Sadie’s by the Sea, and relished the additional afternoon before the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Later that evening, fate took a humorous turn as we encountered another group of “time travellers” and we joined them in celebrating New Year’s Eve once more.  Our brief conversation revealed, that we had all attended  the same party the night before. Thus, we found ourselves toasting to 2018 together for a second time, creating an unexpected but memorable encore to our New Year’s festivities.

Itinerary from our ticket.

Option 2: Crossing the Bridge from Sweden to Finland
If Polynesia sounds too exotic, there is another option in Europe, although the countries are only one hour apart. Known as Karesuando on the Swedish side of the national line, and Karesuvanto on the Finnish side, this town offers a unique and chilly experience to celebrate New Year’s Eve twice. The first country to celebrate is Finland, located on the east bank of the river Muonio. After raising a glass, time travelers can take a leisurely stroll across the bridge and relive the last hour of the year for a second time.

Option 3: New Zealand and Cook Islands
New Zealand is the second country to welcome the New Year. However, the Cook Islands are among the last places on the planet to hear the decisive ticking of the clock. The flight time between the two locations is only four hours, with direct flights available from Air New Zealand.

Option 4: Guam and Honolulu
This is also an intriguing option. A flight from Guam departs on January 1 at 7:40 in the morning, which means it is possible to party in Guam until 4:00 am, catch a decent sleep on a 7-hour flight, and arrive in Honolulu at 6:45 pm on December 31, leaving plenty of time to prepare for a new celebration.

And here’s a bonus: How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve Three Times? Well, that would be possible down under. There aren’t many places where you can celebrate New Year’s Eve three times, but there is a tiny town in Australia with only two permanent residents getting ready to do just that. It’s called Cameron Corner, and it is located at the border of three states. The first state to enter is New South Wales, followed by South Australia, and finally, Queensland.

Did you know? With 38 different local times in use, it takes the New Year 26 hours to pass all the time zones.

I am adding countries in the order they enter the New Year in a hope to inspire you, with some new combination.

December 31

• 10 am – Samoa and Christmas Island/Kiribati
• 10:15 am – New Zealand
• 1 pm – Most of Australia
• 3 pm – Japan, South Korea, and North Korea
• 4 pm – China, Philippines, Singapore
• 5 pm – Thailand, Cambodia, and large parts of Indonesia
• 6 pm – Bangladesh
• 6.15 pm – Nepal
• 6.30 pm – India and Sri Lanka
• 7 pm – Pakistan
• 8 pm – Azerbaijan
• 8.30 pm – Iran
• 9 pm – Turkey, Iraq, Kenya, and most of Russia
• 10 pm – Greece, Romania, South Africa, Hungary, and other central and eastern European cities
• 11 pm – Germany, France, Italy, Algeria, Belgium, Spain
• Midnight – UK, Ireland, Ghana, Iceland, Portugal

January 1

• 2 am – Regions of Brazil
• 3 am – Argentina, regions of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay
• 4 am – Some regions of Canada, Bolivia, Puerto Rico
• 5 am – Eastern Standard Time in the US – New York, Washington, Detroit, and Cuba
• 6 am – Central Standard Time in the US – Chicago
• 7 am – Mountain Standard Time in the US – Colorado, Arizona
• 8 am – Pacific Standard Time  in the US – LA, Nevada
• 9 am – Alaska
• 10 am – Hawaii
• 11 am – American Samoa
• 12pm – Baker Island, Howland Island