‘New Year’ represents a beginning anew, a time when many people set intentions and wish for better luck. In many cultures, there’s a widespread belief that paying respects at the start of the year can enhance luck and start the year positively. This is why so many people in Thailand and around the world choose to visit temples during the New Year holiday. Although Thai temples are popular for locals, there is an increasing trend of people venturing abroad to worship and ask for blessings in temples located in other countries, believing that new places bring new spiritual strength. ไหว้พระขอพร สายมูต่างประเทศและในไทย
Across the globe, there are countless temples, shrines, and sacred landmarks that not only stand out with architectural marvels but also carry powerful religious and spiritual significance. In Japan, for example, many visitors flock to places like Meiji Shrine in Tokyo or Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto to ask the gods for a good year. These shrines become packed with people on January 1st as both locals and tourists line up to offer coins, clap, bow, and pray. It's not just about tradition—it’s about starting the year off with hope, energy, and protection from unseen forces. The atmosphere is inspiring, and for anyone seeking renewal, it’s an unforgettable experience.
In South Korea, temples like Jogyesa in Seoul or Bulguksa in Gyeongju are also famous for New Year visits. People light incense, leave offerings, and participate in meditation to center themselves. The Korean tradition of bowing to elders and visiting ancestral tombs adds a deep cultural touch to the idea of paying respects at the start of the year. It’s not only a form of worship but a way to connect the past, present, and future in a harmonious cycle.
Moving westward, countries like India offer temples of immense energy and spiritual depth. Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in the world, sees many tourists who come to dip in the Ganges River and visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple for divine blessings. For many, this is a powerful way to cleanse one’s spirit and set the tone for the year ahead. In southern India, temples like Meenakshi in Madurai or Padmanabhaswamy in Kerala are majestic, sacred places where tradition and grandeur meet. The rituals performed there during New Year’s are believed to enhance life.
In Europe, one might be surprised to know that spiritual tourism is also quite prominent. Many Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike visit Fo Guang Shan in France or Plum Village founded by Thich Nhat Hanh. These are peaceful retreats where mindfulness and prayer can help bring clarity. Pilgrimage routes like the Camino de Santiago in Spain, although Christian in origin, are walked by people from all faiths and walks of life, seeking clarity, healing, and new beginnings. It’s the journey itself that becomes a form of prayer.
For those drawn to the mystique of the Himalayas, Nepal's Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple) or Pashupatinath Forehead are thought religious powerhouses. All through New Year, several travelers journey here not only to experience the architecture or tradition but to get joys from monks and priests, believing that beginning the entire year with sacred power from this type of high-altitude place aligns one's power positively. The combination of mountain air, religious vibration, and age-old habit provides an unique way to start the year.
Another fascinating location is Myanmar, where temples like Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon delightful throngs of people all through New Springs celebrations. The fantastic spire and chanting monks offer a serene and holy ambiance that many find emotionally moving. Similarly, in Cambodia, Angkor Wat is not only a traditional question but a living temple wherever wishes and blessings are element of everyday life. Beginning your year by seeing the dawn over Angkor Wat and giving hopes is said to create perspective, understanding, and function to the season ahead.
Even in American places like the United Claims, religious centers and Buddhist temples are now catering to New Year blessing ceremonies. Cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York have lively Asian communities and temples where you can participate in New Year's rituals, chant for good health, make benefit, or meditate with the community. These temples offer a feeling of house and tradition for expats while also being open to religious seekers of most backgrounds.
There exists a general need for peace, luck, and renewal that crosses spiritual and national boundaries. People want to start the season with a hopeful heart, and visiting temples—whether near home or tens of thousands of miles away—presents to be able to do just that. While many Thai people happen to be acquainted with visiting regional temples during New Year, broadening the perception to add sacred places abroad adds new meaning, taste, and experience to the annually tradition. These global spiritual journeys not just offer as powerful symbolic works of beginning anew but also as meaningful journey experiences wherever people obtain understanding into different countries, deepen their understanding of world wide faith traditions, and return with stories, thoughts, and power that last far beyond January.
Every destination presents something unique. Whether it's the peaceful cherry plants of China, the rhythmic gongs in a Tibetan monastery, the chanting of Theravada monks in Sri Lanka, or the sacred seas of Bali's Tirta Empul forehead, each place has the energy to form your internal journey. The New Year is just a mark, but what we do to honor that symbol becomes the experience. If you are preparing the next New Springs holiday, contemplate adding a brow visit—whether in your house place or abroad. It might you should be the main element to unlocking a year full of blessings.
In South Korea, temples like Jogyesa in Seoul or Bulguksa in Gyeongju are also famous for New Year visits. People light incense, leave offerings, and participate in meditation to center themselves. The Korean tradition of bowing to elders and visiting ancestral tombs adds a deep cultural touch to the idea of paying respects at the start of the year. It’s not only a form of worship but a way to connect the past, present, and future in a harmonious cycle. ng benefits from a place full of eternal spirit—wherever will it be?