Quick getaways:These are the best short holidays
Holiday guide

Quick getaways:These are the best short holidays

If only you could get away for a night or two. Yes,we hear you. But why stop at just one night? For a true break from the daily grind,make it five nights (or four,three or even two) within Australia or easy-to-reach overseas destinations in our Asia-Pacific ’hood. Where to start? Glad you asked. Traveller has you covered with a thrilling variety of short breaks of different durations that are absolutely not short on great (doable) ideas. All you need to do is decide where and for how long.

The Gold Coast’s new Cheshire Cat Motel.

Two- and three-day escapes

The key to short-break success is not returning more exhausted than before you left,and these two- and three-day trips promise dual adventure and relaxation.

  • bySheriden Rhodes
Overwater hammock at The Moso,Vanuatu.

Four-day escapes

It’s not the length but what you do with it when it comes to a great holiday,and these short domestic and overseas trips are fab – and,crucially,fuss-free.

  • bySheriden Rhodes
No shortage of private and public pools at Ayana Villas Bali.

Five-day escapes

Who says you need a full week to hit the “reset” button? These destinations tick all the boxes for a hassle-free holiday.

  • bySheriden Rhodes
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Bora Bora – many resorts have special deals.

How to snare the ultimate short-break deal

If there’s one thing better than an enjoyable escape,it’s knowing you’ve paid less for it than you might have done without a little strategic thinking.

  • byBrian Johnston
Plunge Pool - Deck 18 Midship Starboard Wonder of the Seas - Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas. World's biggest passenger ship,part of the cruise line's Oasis class. Supplied PR image for Traveller,check for reuse

Six stress-melting mini cruises you can do this summer

A cruise is a hassle-free,good-value way of enjoying a short break. Here are six summer options that will have you sailing away.

  • byBrian Johnston
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur

This greatly underrated foodie heaven provides a quintessential South-East Asian city experience at a bargain price.

  • byJulie Miller
The beautifully surreal Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay.

Singapore

Still consider this city a place in which to merely pause on the way to somewhere else (or somewhere more interesting)? It’s time to catch up.

  • byAnthony Dennis
Grand Pacific Hotel,Suva.

Suva,Fiji

This overlooked gem is home to a third of Fiji’s population,is one of the most cosmopolitan centres in the South Pacific and has a great nightlife.

  • byCraig Tansley
Nearby Pele Island … a snorkelling gem.

Port Vila,Vanuatu

Tiny Port Vila,with a population just over 61,000,has come of age. The capital of Vanuatu is home to chic restaurants,bars and gourmet produce outlets.

  • byCraig Tansley
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The French colonial style of Ho Chi Minh City Hall.

Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam

Vietnam’s frenetic and underrated financial centre offers a rich history and one of the most exciting – and bargainous – food scenes in South-East Asia.

  • byKatherine Scott
Auckland city by night.

Auckland,New Zealand

New Zealand’s biggest city has been utterly transformed by the dramatic redevelopment of its once no-go waterfront as well as a quality food scene.

  • byAnthony Dennis
Feel every bit the tourist while punting down the Avon.

Christchurch,New Zealand

With a spectacular natural playground on its doorstep,this big small-city has undergone a revitalisation of unimaginable scale since the 2011 earthquake.

  • byKatherine Scott
Explore One Foot Island on a lagoon tour of Aitutaki.

The 19 new must-do highlights of the Pacific and Australasia

Nothing says “holiday” more than an expanse of sparkling water,fine wine and nature in her element.

  • byCraig Tansley
Rosewood Phnom Penh.

Forget Thailand and Vietnam:South-East Asia’s enticing new travel frontier

Forget everything you know about Cambodia:Here are five ways to savour the rich mosaic of this intriguing and ever-evolving kingdom.

  • byJulie Miller
The turquoise coast of Atauro Island.

Like Bali in the 1970s:This island on our doorstep remains unspoiled

Consistently rated one of the world’s top diving sites,and still unspoiled by mass tourism,Atauro has thankfully avoided becoming a resort destination.

  • byJon Faine
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