Finnish Lapland
Where would you like to be as you count down the final seconds to 2016?
Saying goodbye to the old and ringing in the new is sure to create mixed feelings of nostalgia and anticipation. It’s what makes New Year’s Eve such a memorable time. This year, why not make it extra special and even more unforgettable with a destination celebration? With the help of Varinnia Colemere of Nervig Travel in downtown Panama City, we’ve hit the highlights of a few destinations near and far that have their own special ways of ringing in the New Year. [/box]
Better than any firework, nature offers a sophisticated lightshow – the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, on the Northern Hemisphere and Aurora Australis on the Southern Hemisphere. It is a spectacular sight of moving beams of light and color across the sky if you can manage to be at the right place at the right time.
Chances to see this natural phenomenon increase the further north you travel. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finnish Lapland Finnish Lapland is situated approximately 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle (66°N). While it is not the most secluded place to see the night sky, it offers a number of unusual accommodations: glass igloos, a glass tepee, and snow bungalows. The glass igloo makes the nightly wait and keeping watch for the Northern Lights a comfortable adventure… gaze at the stars through the igloo’s glass ceiling from the comfort of your bed. Everyone else who hunts the Northern Lights better be well dressed with a repertoire of cold weather essentials on their hunt for this natural phenomenon. Find out more about the resort at www.kakslauttanen.
Travel from Panama City will include two connecting flights to Helsinki with a travel time of approximately 18 hours. We recommend spending a few days in Helsinki to appreciate the Scandinavian culture and get acclimated.
To continue your travels north, it would take 12 hours by car to get to Lapland or catch another flight (1.5 hours) to Ivalo Airport. From there, it is a short drive to Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Best rent a car at the airport to be able to get around. Finnish Lapland is home to ski resorts and other activities such as husky and reindeer safaris, and ice fishing.
Do your research on sunspot activity before booking your trip. Once at your destination, keep close watch on the space weather and local weather and hope for a cloud-free sky. For information on solar activity visit www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast and www.aurora-service.org/solar-activity.
Aurora information for the three continents Europe, America and Australia can be found at http://www.aurora-service.org/