Top 5 overseas holidays you can do in less than a week
Hawaii
HEAD DIRECTLY TO: Before going to Waikiki make a pitstop to the last original tiki bar in Oahu, La Mariana Sailing Club right near the airport. They are still serving exotic cocktails in original tiki mugs. Aloha to that!
DON’T MISS: Perched on a cliff at Diamond Head is philanthropist Doris Duke’s mansion, known as Shangri La, a shrine to her vast collection of art. Guided tours begin at the Honolulu Museum of Art
WHERE TO STAY: Check out the new Surfjack Hotel, a 112-room boutique hotel close to Waikiki Beach. The pool has an Instagram-worthy readymade postcard mosaic of ‘wish you were here’ etched to it to make your workmates jealous.
New Zealand
HEAD DIRECTLY TO: Waiheke Island, a 30-minute ferry ride from Auckland, the island is home to olive groves, beautiful beaches and fabulous wineries, including Mudbrick Winery which has a Tuscan-like vine-covered restaurant that looks out over the valley.
DON’T MISS: Fish and chips, and oysters too, overlooking the bay at The Oyster Inn
WHERE TO STAY: Book into The Oyster Inn, a beautifully designed boutique hotel and restaurant located in the heart of Waiheke’s shopping and eating precinct, Oneroa. The under-floor heating and Aesop toiletries are an added bonus!
Bali
HEAD DIRECTLY TO: Nusa Dua. It’s no wonder some of the world’s best resorts choose to be situated here, the beaches are beautiful, best seen at sunset.
DON’T MISS: Boutique shopping in Seminyak, and stop in for a cocktail (and a dip in the pool) at the new Mrs Sippy.
WHERE TO STAY: The Sofitel Nusa Dua villas effortlessly blend the outdoors with the indoors. Spacious rooms open up to a private terrace garden with splashes of vivid colour from heliconias and frangipani. You can spend all day poolside or head down to the beach for a massage and a swim before choosing which restaurant in the hotel to dine in, all are superb.
Fiji
HEAD DIRECTLY TO: The Coral Coast. Families will love the new Kula Wild Adventure Park featuring Fiji's only rollercoaster forest canopy zip rail ride and hillside water slide, the 110m Kula Splash Mountain Jungle Slide.
DON’T MISS: Go on a Sigatoka River Safari to explore the Sigatoka Valley - Fiji’s ‘salad bowl’. You’ll visit local villages and learn of local customs.
WHERE TO STAY: Right next door to Kula is the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort where you can loll about at one of the pools, enjoy a cocktail at sunset after a bobo massage and get possibly the friendliest ‘Bula’ greeting in Fiji!
Hong Kong
HEAD DIRECTLY TO: Kowloon. Hong Kong is a world city full of chic restaurants, bars and hotels, and it just keeps getting better. Drop your bags off at the new Kerry Hotel on the waterfront at Victoria Harbour and explore!
DON’T MISS: Across on Hong Kong Island, walk up Aberdeen Street to PMQ. Previously the Police Married Quarters, PMQ has recently been revitalised and is home to scores of creative and design industries. Perfect for pressie buying!
WHERE TO STAY: The new Kerry Hotel where all five of the hotel’s restaurants as well as its bar offer outdoor landscaped terraces overlooking Victoria Harbour. There are also more than 1,000 art pieces on display.
