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Eat well, sleep well, learn a new skill, find time for yourself, spend more time with loved ones: realise your New Year’s resolutions Down Under

The new year is often a time for setting new goals for the year ahead, so we’ve put together a list of our Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2026 – and how to achieve them all with a tailored luxury holiday in Australia, New Zealand or Fiji with Southern Crossings.

2026 Luxury Travel Inspiration for Australia, New Zealand and Fiji

How to realise your New Year’s resolutions with a luxury vacation Down Under

1. Eat Well: from fine dining to casual picnics Australia and New Zealand offer deliciously different dining experiences utilising fabulous fresh produce from the land and sea. Dine under the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House or under a stunning canopy of stars, heli-picnic on one of Fiordland’s remote peaks or dive into the deep to catch a fresh cray; forage with chefs in productive kitchen gardens or join a former professional Maori rugby player to fish and feast in his ‘backyard’. The Southern Crossings Travel Design team can recommend the perfect local dining experience for any occasion, including the hottest tables and hidden local favourite restaurants and bars (From mid 2026, we also look forward to the release of MICHELIN’s first restaurant guide for Oceania and finding out which of our favourite New Zealand restaurants have made the list).
   
2. Sleep Well: we are thrilled to be able to share some fabulous new places to rest your head. 2025 has delivered a collection of new properties from lakeside luxury in New Zealand with the opening of ROKI Collection Queenstown to family-friendly stays like The Sundays on Hamilton Island surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef and new lifestyle city hotels, including the Eve in Sydney and the Hannah St Hotel in Melbourne – with more still to follow in 2026. Follow Southern Crossings on Instagram and like us on Facebook to keep up with all the latest openings and updates.

3. Exercise More: sail on Sydney Harbour, cycle through the vineyards or stretch your legs on one of the region’s fabulous multi-days walks. Enjoy a round of golf (or two) at the fabulous Te Arai Links world-class luxury golf resort north of Auckland or the new 7 Mile Beach course in Tasmania. Ride the waves with an Aussie surf legend or have a hit of tennis with one of the greats of the game (our Travel Designers can introduce you to a collection of extraordinary locals and exclusive one-of-a-kind experiences). Alternatively, from April 2026, stretch your legs with a wonderful new multi-day walking experience in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

4. Pick up a new skill: learn to surf, sail or scuba dive, try your hand at fly-fishing; learn the traditional techniques of Aboriginal dot painting or design your own piece of street art with a local street artist; take a wine-blending masterclass or create your own gin with local botanicals; our Travel Design team can introduce you to the local experts.

5. Find time for yourself: take a walk on the beach, relax by the pool with a good book, enjoy a beachside yoga session or a local cooking lesson. From decadent day spas to world class wellness stays, and spectacular multi-day walks the Southern Crossings Travel Design team can tailor time out that is just right for you. With wellness travel on the rise, our destinations have recently welcomed a wonderful collection of new wellness-focussed properties (such as Alba Sanctuary on the Mornington Peninsula and ROKI Collection Queenstown), alongside a collection of beautiful bathhouses and hot pool experiences (like Aluume and the new Bathhouse Queenstown, SOL Elements in the Gold Coast hinterland and Aqua Ignis in the Blue Mountains). Meanwhile Flockhill, Te Arai Links and Halcyon House have also added new wellness offerings; from decadent spa treatments, hot tubs and cold plunge to red-light and Normatec compression therapies. Look out for new spa, gym and wellness enhancements still to follow at qualia in the year ahead too).

6. Spend more time with family and friends: we are delighted to have access to a collection of stunning private villas right across our destinations (including a collection of newcomers like the beautiful new Beach House at Tahi – and more to follow in 2026 including the Estate at AllPress Olive Groves on Waiheke Island, The Lodge at Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay and a stunning new ultraluxe villa opening at Saffire Freycinet). Complete with private chefs and concierge or complete privacy – the choice is yours.

7. Try something different: sleep under outback stars in a cosy swag or high in a treehouse, eat Balmain Bugs (an Australian seafood delicacy) and tuck into some Hokey Pokey (New Zealand Honeycomb toffee ice-cream), take a selfie with a quokka, get up close and personal with a kiwi or dive into the deep with a gentle giant whaleshark. It just so happens that ‘one-of-a-kind’ is our specialty!

8. Work your way through the ultimate Bucket-List travel experiences: watch the sunset over Uluru or see a performance at the Sydney Opera House, cruise Fiordland’s furthest reaches or hike New Zealand’s magnificent Milford Track; scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef or star gaze from an outdoor hot-tub under twinkling southern skies; swing a club at the world’s most impressive new courses or watch the greats of the game at the Australian Open Grand Slam, swim with Manta Rays in Fiji or dive with Minke Whales on the Great Barrier Reef; fish for trophy trout in New Zealand’s spectacular lakes, rivers and streams or catch yourself a prized Barramundi in Australia’s Top End – whatever your passion, we have a bucket list travel experience to match!

9. Do good, give back: With travellers’ heightened consideration for the impact of their travels and a growing desire for more meaningful travel experiences, we at Southern Crossings are proud to be able to offer a collection of luxurious eco-stays, hands-on conservation initiatives and opportunities to off-set, give-back and tread lightly.

10. Travel More: our destinations offer something for everyone and for every season; new air connections are bringing us closer together – and enticing new experiences keep coming. Australia and New Zealand are no longer once-in-a-lifetime destinations: we encourage you to travel slower and deeper, experience more; and to come back soon.   

Whatever your New Year’s resolutions, our Travel Designers would be delighted to help you realise them all in our beautiful part of the world.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2026 from all at Southern Crossings.

Header image: Sunrise heli-touring on New Zealand’s Kaikoura Coast