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Beach and island holidays

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Little Polynesian Resort, Rarotonga.

Island resort offers a wonderfully laid-back escape from winter

Set in lush gardens with a backdrop of volcanic mountains and the ocean beckoning beachside, Little Polynesian is your textbook tropical escape.

  • Trudi Jenkins

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Palau is a nation of approximately 340 islands scattered across 466 square kilometres.

The stunning Pacific island nation just waiting to be discovered

It boasts brilliant marine life, sun-kissed beaches and rich historical experiences. And Qantas wants to take you, with a new direct service from Brisbane.

  • Matt Shea
Paros is no longer the chilled alternative to Mykonos it once was.

Party tourists ruined Mykonos. Now they’re heading for another island

The island is now a far cry from the unassuming, undeveloped outpost it once was. It will soon be too late to reverse the damage.

  • Heidi Fuller-Love
Venture into the hinterland for lunch at the restored 1902 Eltham Hotel.

The must-do highlights of Byron Bay in three days

Tick off Byron Bay’s top attractions and explore its lesser-known neighbours and hinterland gems in a long weekend with this action-packed itinerary.

  • Angela Saurine
A sprawling resort with appeal across demographics.

The best places to stay in Byron Bay

There are still plenty of hostels around, but this surf town’s gentrification has given rise to a crop of trendy and beautiful new stays.

  • Angela Saurine
A sea snake is basically a land snake … that swims.

The day an 80-year-old helped me overcome my biggest travel fear

“People getting bitten is very rare,” our guide says. “If they come towards you, fold your arms across your body and stay still.”

  • Julietta Jameson
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Aerial panorama of the tropical beach and clear sea with coral reefs in the town of Mirissa, Sri Lanka.

Can a second trip somewhere outdo the first? Follow these tips for recapturing the magic

I lived by a beach in Sri Lanka for six months. Years later, I returned.

  • Mark Daffey
Ancient stunner...Lord Howe Island.

How Aussie island’s ’70s-style apartments became a luxe ‘house hotel’

Begun in 2016 and delayed by COVID, this project created a retreat that’s difficult to leave, despite Lord Howe’s abundant outdoor attractions.

  • Jane Richards
One of the rooms with a private plunge pool at 28 Degrees Byron Bay.

Can you still chill in overcrowded Byron? At this perfect spot you can

A multimillion-dollar overhaul has turned this guesthouse into the ultimate hideaway in one of NSW’s buzziest tourist towns.

  • Katherine Scott
Komodo’s Pink Beach.

Does Indonesia’s iconic pink beach live up to the hype? I found out

This rare beach is an Instagram delight, but there’s more to this destination’s wonders than just the colour of the sand.

  • Brian Johnston

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/beach-and-island-holidays-l5j