January 26th is Australia Day, marking the establishment of Australia’s first colony. It’s a national holiday that just about the whole country celebrates, with fireworks, parades, barbeques and even a surfing race across Sydney harbour. It’s a great time to see the Aussies at their partying best.

A bonanza of dancing, music and extravagant costumes, Rio Carnival is one of the greatest parties on earth. The huge parades are a riot of colour and noise, with various floats and Samba schools competing to the biggest and best. It really is a sight to behold – just be ready to join in!

The celebration of Japan’s Sakura flowers bursting into bloom has been a tradition since the 7th century. Join in the honouring of Japan’s national flower with parties, tea ceremonies, dancing and picnics. The first blossoms appear in the south, though the season goes on elsewhere until May.

Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year celebration during which you can expect to see locals flinging water at each other. Traditionally this symbolises a Buddhist cleansing ritual, though as the festival falls during the hottest season, the water also provides welcome relief..

Fondly known as Jazz Fest, this celebration of the music that has made New Orleans famous will be even more spectacular than usual in 2008. Alongside music events, the Heritage Fair celebrates the best of Louisiana: head to the Food Fair to sample ‘po’boy sandwiches’ and Creole delicacies.

Celebrate the majesty of Nature with one of the most spectacular sights: the great migration of 2 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles across the Serengeti Plain, in search of fresh grazing. This annual event occurs in a stunning setting and offers visitors the chance to see lions, cheetahs, and many other incredible species.

On July 4th the USA is coloured red, white and blue with decorations, colourful parades, and breathtaking fireworks displays. Boston's spectacular concerts and pyrotechnics on the banks of the Charles River have become unmissable.

Arequipa has a stunning setting in the foothills of El Misti volcano. Every year it celebrates the date of its establishment as a Spanish city, amid the lasting legacy of splendid colonial architecture. Join in the colourful fiestas; shop at handicraft fairs; and sample local specialities at the Folk Feast.

In the UK we may think a barbecue is just a rare opportunity for al fresco eating, but in South Africa the barbecue – or braai – is, quite literally, a national institution and one which Archbishop Desmond Tutu has hailed as uniting all South African peoples. Make sure you sample the sausage dish boerewors.

Aloha festivals is an annual programme of events designed to showcase and preserve traditions unique to Hawaii's islands over several weeks between August and October. The festivals follow a different theme every year, and each island will have its own events. The theme for 2008 is currently undecided, but the event is sure to be a colourful and unforgettable experience.

This 3,200m thoroughbred horse race is billed as ‘the race that stops a nation’, and the day it falls (the second Tuesday of November) is observed as a public holiday in Australia’s Capital Territory. If you can get to the race itself (and over 110,000 do), be sure to look sharp for a chance to win the ‘Fashions on the Field’ event.

Join an exclusive cruise in Sydney Harbour and enjoy a fully-inclusive four-course meal as you gaze at the fantastic New Year's fireworks display - it's the perfect precursor to our Blue Mountains and Beyond self-drive. Alternatively, join the count down in New York's Times Square for a dazzling New Year celebration that you'll never forget!