1 hour ago
2
Top destinations for 2026: Beaches and islands
From the sun-drenched European glamour of the next real-life White Lotus hotel, to a tiny south-west African island’s newest World Heritage-listed site, 2026 is the year to chase tropical dreams. We look at the destinations making big waves: the island billed as Asia’s new Phuket but still affordable, and the Micronesian beauty where new flights from Australia are feeding a rising tide of divers seeking untouched marine sanctuaries.
Cap-Ferrat, France
It’s The White Lotus effect on repeat. After the first three seasons of the HBO series transformed its host destinations of Maui, Sicily and Koh Samui, the next is set to do the same to the French Riviera. It’s strongly rumoured the iconic Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat will be the setting for series four of The White Lotus, slated to screen in 2026. The speculation is enough to swamp the area with fans; though rooms here start from about $1200 a night. A stay at the hotel provides the quintessential Riviera experience, minus the crowds of nearby Nice or Monaco. See saintjeancapferrat-tourisme.fr
New Caledonia
Our closest neighbour in the South Pacific was closed to international visitors in 2024 due to civil unrest. By January this year, the Australian government lowered its travel advisory with Qantas and Aircalin recently increasing the number of direct flights there. As a result, a new chapter awaits Australian visitors as the French government paves a path to lasting peace by granting more autonomy for New Caledonia’s Indigenous population. Meanwhile, with visitor numbers still drastically down, you can have your own piece of South Pacific paradise virtually to yourself. See au.newcaledonia.travel
Raja Ampat, Indonesia
The fact these islands in Indonesia’s eastern extremities remain hard to access is precisely what makes them so enticing. One way to reach Raja Ampat, is a five-hour flight to West Papua from Bali, followed by a ferry ride. But forget everywhere else in the ocean – this is the new diving-snorkelling mega-spot. You’ll find the greatest diversity of marine life on Earth, with little evidence of human impact. Some of the world’s best small luxury cruises operate here. One such cruise company, Aqua Blu, has room for just 30 passengers. Or simply disappear within lodges or home-stays in the jungle; extreme biodiversity extends to the land. See rajaampat.indonesia-tourism.com
Aeolian Islands, Italy
When Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hits cinemas in July 2026, the world’s attention will shift to seven tiny volcanic isles just off the north coast of Sicily. The movie, shot entirely with IMAX 70 millimetre film cameras, will feature these islands of active volcanoes, ancient towns and bubbling thermal waters alongside stars such as Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya. Get here before the crowds do. You can take ferries between the World-Heritage-listed Aeolians, sleeping in inns beside tiny harbours and swimming at beaches set below two active volcanoes. The best bit could be watching the volcanoes erupt against the night sky. See visitsicily.info
Okinawa, Japan
The “invasion” of Japan by Australians may have started with snow skiers, but next year expect it to continue with beach-lovers. Dubbed the Hawaii of Japan due to its subtropical climate, Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa is where you’ll find Japan’s best beaches. Alongside the beaches, nature lovers will enjoy Okinawa’s cycle routes and forested, mountainous hinterland, ideal for hiking. There’s culture here too: castles more than 700 years old, Japan’s best seafood and more than 400 karate training dojos (it’s the birthplace of karate). The good news is this archipelago of 160 islands is now more accessible via flights from Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo. See visitokinawajapan.com
Gold Coast, Queensland
It attracts 13 million visitors a year and has become Queensland’s No.1 tourist destination yet, with 57 kilometres of beaches, there’s always somewhere to escape the crowds. And next year promises to be the Gold Coast’s biggest on record. Two global surfing competitions will be held on its southern beaches – in February and May – alongside one of Australia’s largest free music festivals, Blues On Broadbeach, which runs for four days, right beside the sand in May. Look up to the sky because in August 2026 Australia’s largest airshow, The Pacific Airshow, returns to the Gold Coast with more than 250,000 attendees expected. See experiencegoldcoast.com
Vis, Croatia
This tiny island, off Split in southern Croatia, remains a secret to most and offers travellers the chance to see the Mediterranean as it once was. It was closed to tourism from 1950 to 1989 because it operated as a Yugoslav military base and remnants of communist submarine docks are still visible. Take a ferry from Split to the historic village of Vis Town and hire a scooter or bike to discover beaches, set between pine forests and citrus groves, that rival any others in Croatia. See vis-tourism.com/en
Rottnest Island, Western Australia
Only 30 minutes off the West Australian coast, Rottnest Island is fast becoming a national and international favourite and not just a playground for locals. Its famous residents – quokkas – became international stars after personalities such as Matt Damon and Roger Federer posed with the popular marsupials on Instagram, but there’s much more to the island. Protected within a marine sanctuary, there are 63 beaches, 20 bays and no cars. An overnight stay at the new lakeside resort, The Lodge Wadjemup, means that after the last day ferry leaves, you’ll have the island practically to yourself. See rottnestisland.com
Brunswick Islands, North Carolina, US
The Summer I Turned Pretty, one of Amazon Prime’s biggest shows of 2025, has been the world’s guilty pleasure. And it’s all filmed here, in North Carolina. Fans of all ages are flocking to this barely known part of the US east coast. You’ll recognise the settings – all based around a dreamy piece of coastline, among walkable historic towns set by the water, in among a collection of little-known islands. Take boats or kayak between the islands and the mainland, especially Wilmington where filming was centred – to find your favourite hideaway. See ncbrunswick.com
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
This little island off the southern Vietnamese coast has been billed as the new Phuket for two decades, but who’s actually been? Travel + Leisure’s 2024 World’s Best Awards ranked it second-best island in the world while advising readers it’s one-third the price of Koh Samui. So get here soon. Only an hour’s flight from Ho Chi Minh City, there are 150 kilometres of coastline so perhaps allow a week to see some of South-East Asia’s best beaches. There’s plenty of luxury accommodation and just as many ramshackle beach bars selling cold beer. See vietnam.travel
Great Keppel Island, Queensland
In the 1970s, Great Keppel Island was a popular family holiday destination. In the 1980s, its advertising turned more provocative, exhorting young Australians to “Get Wrecked On Keppel”. A thousand people a day came and then, when the main resort closed in 2008 during the global financial crisis, it all went quiet and Great Keppel Island lost its mojo. But a major revitalisation project is under way to return the island to its former glory. Access from the mainland by ferry has been improved, and its facilities have been overhauled. What have never changed are its 17 beaches – some of Australia’s best – all accessible only by hiking or by boat. See visitcapricorn.com.au
Palau, Micronesia
Palau is one of Australia’s favourite new island destinations with visitor numbers rising more than 100 per cent in 2025. In August, Qantas announced a continuation of its six-hour direct flights from Brisbane known as the Palau Paradise Express route. Australian visitors are drawn to Palau’s pristine marine environment. Some of the world’s best diving can be found in its protected marine reserves, including the world’s first shark sanctuary, and cruises around its 340 islands can be experienced on anything, from a small humble sailing boat to the five-star Four Seasons Explorer. See pristineparadisepalau.com
Tiwai Island, Sierra Leone
It’s a heck of a trip to get to south-west Africa, but once there you will have the chance to spend quality time with one of the highest concentrations (11 species) of primates on Earth, on one of the world’s newest World Heritage-listed sites. After 50 years of conservation work, this 12-square-kilometre island now offers visitors a rare chance for a private audience with everything from endangered pygmy hippopotamuses to leopards and eight different kinds of hornbills in wilderness barely touched by humans. Be gentle. See tiwaiisland.org
Sumba, Indonesia
It’s only a 50-minute flight east of Bali, but it’s twice the size and attracts fewer tourists. Long known for its surfing breaks, several new boutique hotels are attracting a new kind of traveller seeking a hybrid experience of restrained luxury and authentic culture. A stay in smaller, bespoke accommodation options such as Alamayah (run by two Australian surfers) offers a window into this ancient animistic society. See indonesia.travel
