When I was younger and first finding my party feet – in four-inch heels, of course – the biggest night of the year was New Year’s Eve. I would spend months planning it, hours getting ready and even longer talking about it. As my hate of aching feet and overpriced nightclubs increased and my love of travel grew, I have been lucky enough to see in new years in many European countries and a few years ago I stood and watched the fireworks light up Sydney Harbour.
But the New Year’s Eve that I am still recovering from has to be the best New Year’s Eve experience I’ve ever had. And yes, it was quite a party, but more than that it was a full-on, once in a lifetime, not-going-to-forget-this-in-a-hurry magical way to celebrate the passing of one year and to welcome the beginning of another.
World Record Fireworks Display
The setting was Dubai, my host the 5-star resort Atlantis, The Palm and the focus of the celebrations was not just new year but also Dubai’s attempt to win the world record and a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the location of the largest ever fireworks display.
Exploring The Atlantis The Palm
I arrived in Dubai early on the morning of the 30th December, eager to explore the resort as much as I was to witness a world record.
Why was I so eager to explore the resort? Well, do the words “Shark Tunnel” and “Waterslide” mean anything to you? Possibly not. but I have a secret love of waterparks and Atlantis, The Palm happens to be home to one of the world’s largest in Aquaventura and one of the features is a waterslide that includes a tunnel through a shark tank. I was giddy just thinking about it! But there are other things to enjoy at Atlantis. In fact, if you can’t find something you enjoy at Atlantis you’re a little bit stuck. With its own private beach, an award-winning spa, two huge swimming pools, a shopping mall, the Lost Chambers aquarium, opportunities to feed sting rays and swim with dolphins not to mention more than 20 different restaurants, Atantis, The Palm is more like a theme park than a holiday resort. I’ll be sure to come back to TravMonkey soon to share my favourite things about Atlantis, The Palm.
New Year’s Celebrations
But back to New Year’s Eve. I was invited to watch the world record fireworks display at the Gala Dinner, an event that was attended by over 3000 people. Just metres from the beach and overlooked by a gigantic stage where live music played all night, I found the setting almost as wonderfully surreal as the reason I was there, but true to my younger partying self I eased into the hardship of free-flowing champagne and a selection of live-cooking stations and delicious buffet food that never ended. (Yes, I hate myself a bit too.)
Of course, the talk of the night was the fireworks and as midnight approached (and more champagne was poured) I felt quite giddy about watching a world record happen. I followed the many others who had moved closer to the beach and to the view out across The Palm and Dubai’s skyline.
After midnight struck and hugs and cheers sounded out, there followed an eerie silence. Where were the fireworks? Had something gone wrong? People next to me shuffled nervously and I began to ask myself what would happen if the world record attempt never even began let alone achieved success?
As if to silence my silly little doubts a loud “Oooh!” echoed around me as people pointed their fingers and phones to the Burj Khalifa in the distance. Even from many miles away its needle like presence still amazed and seeing tens of thousands of fireworks fly off it was arguably the most impressive sight of the night. (You can watch a video of these fireworks here.)
Of course, this was just a preview of the main event as we quickly turned our heads back out to the sea and The Palm. Just as it seemed Dubai’s skyline was going back to normal – no impromptu fireworks in the distance – a great whoosh of light illuminated the sea and land as far as the eye could see.
There followed upside down fountains of glitter, light and sparkle in reds, pinks, yellows and gold.
People next to me had started to turn around and look back towards the castle-like main building of Atlantis and I realised that there were even more fireworks to be seen behind and to the side of me.
I have no doubt that the best view of these fireworks would have been from the air, but even from where I stood, the constantly changing colours of the sky and the illuminous reflection of the fireworks on the sea just metres in front of me, well, that was a pretty spectacular view too.
The display lasted six minutes, but it felt like six seconds; time flies by when you’re having fun they say… (You can watch an aerial view video of the fireworks here.)
World Record Fireworks Display Holders, Dubai
And did they do it? Does Dubai now hold the world record for the biggest firework display in the world? Abso-fire-cracking-lutely! They smashed the record in the first few seconds, apparently.
As I got in my taxi home that night – my feet aching and my ears still ringing from the whizzes and bangs – my driver was keen to ask me what I thought about the display.
“It was incredible.” I said through a yawn. “It just makes me wonder if they can top it next year? What can they possibly do to beat that?”
“Who knows?” The driver said with a smile and I smiled back, because I had no idea how Atlantis, The Palm or Dubai can top what I’d just witnessed, but I have no doubt they’ll come up with something.
