Four great overseas breaks (and one here) you can do in just five days

Whether you’re led by your tastebuds or a love of the great outdoors, who says you need a full week to hit the “reset” button? These destinations tick all the boxes for a hassle-free holiday. Now all that’s left is to decide where, and be sure to tell the boss you’ll return inspired, refreshed and way more productive.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Good for Avid food explorers, culture lovers.

Clay pot chicken rice on the burners at a Kuala Lumpur night market.Credit: iStock

Stay Occupying the historic art deco Lee Rubber Building in Chinatown, Else hotel offers enticing a la carte breakfasts, gym, library and rooftop infinity pool. The sustainably led EQ Kuala Lumpur meanwhile has unrivalled city vistas, a 25-metre infinity pool, a wellness floor, six restaurants, swanky rooftop bar Blue overlooking the Petronas Towers and one of the city’s finest private art collections.

See + do + eat A heady cultural and religious melting pot makes KL fascinating, says interior designer and travel writer Jason Mowen who heads small groups tours to South-East Asia (including Malaysia), Italy and Morocco. Visit Sri Mahamariamman Temple, KL’s oldest Hindu temple, then search out Shhhbuuuleee, tucked away in what once was the city’s largest cinema (now reincarnated as REXKL) for chef Mui Kai Quan’s modern Chinese take on food. Lose yourself in the bibliophilic labyrinth BookXCess on the way out. Enjoy intimate pre-dinner drinks at Penrose in Chinatown before taking a seat at Beta, recently awarded its first Michelin star, where each dish represents each of Malaysia’s 13 states. At Sitka Studio (open weekends only and seating 14) the set menu by Mexican-Scottish chef Christian Recomio pays homage to both South-East Asia and his own multicultural roots.

Don’t miss The Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia (IAMM) houses an astonishing collection of artefacts, artworks and scale models of different masjid (mosques).

Essentials Fly direct from Melbourne and Sydney. See elseretreats.com; eqkualalumpur.equatorial.com; thepursuitof.com.au

Bali, Indonesia

Good for Yogis, free spirits.

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

Stay With 19 restaurants and bars, 12 swimming pools, a world-class spa and its own private beach, the expansive Ayana Bali is a destination unto itself. A short dash from Denpasar Airport will have you poolside with a lime-infused cocktail in hand before you can say “terima kasih” (Indonesian for thank you). Ayana Villas Bali offers private pool sanctuaries where 24/7 butlers ferry guests around the lush, rambling 90-hectare property in golf carts that wind along stone pathways. The new 205-room Ayana Segara meanwhile offers a contemporary take on Ayana’s signature classic resort style.

See + do + eat Start the day with an a la carte breakfast at Dava or tuck into traditional nasi goreng at Segara’s Karang. Waft between lunch poolside at Sami Sami, aquatonic therapy at Asia’s largest Thalassotherapy facility and rooftop drinks at Luna Rooftop Bar. Sundowners at Ayana’s famous Rock Bar are not to be missed.

Don’t miss Learn about Nyepi (Balinese day of silence) and the artistic and cultural expressions connected to the Balinese principle of Tri Hita Karana (the traditional philosophy for life) at Ayana’s newly opened Saka Museum.

Essentials Qantas flies direct between Melbourne and Sydney and Denpasar. Jetstar operates a game changing daytime flight between Denpasar and Sydney. See qantas.com; jetstar.com; ayana.com

Singapore

Good for Shopping, eating.

QT Singapore is officially open.

Stay QT makes its first foray into Asia with the opening of QT Singapore this week. The 134-room hotel offers a restaurant by chef Sean Connolly, rooftop pool and bar for chilled frescas and mezcal margaritas and a plum location opposite Lau Pa Sat, near to Singapore City Gallery and Marina.

See + do + eat Bustling hawker markets, art galleries (alongside vibrant street art), hip bars and contemporary hotels abound in Singapore. Explore Haji Lane’s boutiques housed in historic shophouses, take a spin on the Singapore Flyer and chow down on the famed Pang’s Satay at Chinatown Food Complex, accompanied by a craft beer from the world’s first hawker beer stall, Smith Street Taps. Wendy Wu’s four-day Gardens of the Bay tour includes the treasure trove that is Kampong Glam, Singapore’s Muslim district, one of Singapore’s oldest Buddhist-Taoist temples and the whimsical Gardens of the Bay.

Don’t miss Learn about the Straits Peranakan Culture in a traditional house crammed with artefacts over an intimate tea session at The Intan.

Essentials Fly direct from Sydney and Melbourne in roughly eight hours. Singapore is hot year-round but you can avoid May and June when humidity is at its worst. See visitsingapore.com; the-intan.com; qthotels.com/singapore; wendywutours.com.au

Fiji

Good for Young families, lovers.

Poolside at Fiji’s Outrigger Resort.

Stay Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, fresh from a multi-million-dollar makeover, has unveiled swish new premium ocean view rooms complete with Talai butler service. A significant refurbishment of the former Pullman Nadi – now the Crowne Plaza Fiji on Wailoaloa Beach (billed as the next Denarau) – is drawing to a close. Three pools, spa, 324-rooms, three restaurants, nightclub and whiskey bar will be on offer once complete.

Small and secluded more your thing? New adults-only Waya Island Resort has 17 bures fronting a rugged shoreline with a backdrop of volcanic peaks in the Yasawa Islands.

See + do + eat Dive the reef that inspired Finding Nemo with the team from Jean-Michel Resort Cousteau. So impressive is the coral and marine life at the protected Namena Marine Reserve, it was the inspiration for the Pixar film’s animators. Day trippers with kids in tow will love Castaway Island Fiji’s new water park (paid entry). Food lovers, meanwhile, should make a beeline (pun intended) to the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa’s immersive beehive tour with high tea. Or sign up for its Kokoda cooking class and learn how to make Fiji’s national dish.

Don’t miss Laze in a hammock swung between coconut trees and lose track of time.

Essentials Fiji Airways flies direct between Sydney and Nadi up to three times daily; twice daily from Melbourne. The national carrier added two new A350 aircraft to its fleet last year. See fiji.intercontinental.com; fijiairways.com; outrigger.com; ihg.com

High Country, Victoria, Australia

Good for history buffs, outdoorsy types.

Cycling along the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail.Credit: Karen Webb

Stay John and Jane’s Beechworth offers twin barn-style luxury holiday homes at the heart of the historic goldfields’ town. The two-storey steel-clad design is a nod to the Alpine region’s tobacco kilns while interiors feature soaring ceilings, oak panelling, heated terrazzo floors, wood-burning fireplaces and oversized nook windows. Each home sleeps eight, from $670 a night (two-night minimum stay).

See + do + eat Cycle all or part of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, explore gold rush towns from Rutherglen, Yackandandah to Milawa, pop into boutique cellar doors, fill your basket with the region’s rich bounty, hit the slopes and take in sunset vistas atop Mount Pilot.

Don’t miss Allow chef-owner Michael Ryan to take you on a journey via his 18-course Japanese-influenced menu at two-hatted, Provenance.

Essentials Victoria’s High Country is a 2.5-hour drive from Melbourne on the Hume Highway. Fly from Sydney to Albury Airport or travel by train from Sydney or Melbourne. See victoriashighcountry.com.au; theprovenance.com.au; johnandjanesbeechworth.com.au