There’s something about the arrival of summer that feels less like a change in season and more like a permission slip from the universe. A chance to stretch out, to abandon routine, to chase a bit of lightness after months that felt heavier than they should. And while we’re partial to the poetry of daydreaming, we’re also realists: booking matters, travel deals matter, and knowing where to go matters most of all. 

You might be wondering what destinations are worthy of your dime, time, and carefully rationed annual leave. So we’ve done what we do best – gathered the threads of conversation, compared notes, debated with conviction, and finally agreed on the shortlist. Some close, some further afield, all chosen with the kind of restless anticipation only summer can bring. Scroll on to see the trending travel destinations that are firmly on our summer wishlist. And if you need tips on what to pack, we've sorted that, too. See you at the airport.

1. Singapore

A city built for summer heat. Between hawker centres where a plate of char kway teow feels like ceremony and rooftop pools shaded by frangipani trees, Singapore manages to be both intense and soothing. Stay central — the Orchard district or the Singapore River — and wander between gardens and wildlife reserves, galleries, and the kind of cocktail bars that keep you out longer than planned.

2. Perth, Western Australia

There’s a spaciousness to Perth that feels almost cinematic. Wide beaches with blindingly white sand, a food scene that leans local, and a skyline softened by the Indian Ocean light. A day might look like: coffee in Subiaco, ferry to Rottnest Island, then sunset at Cottesloe. Slow, golden, and distinctly West Coast.

3. Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Just thirty minutes from the city, but worlds away in tempo. Adelaide Hills in summer is all rolling vineyards, shaded cellar doors, and towns with sandstone cottages that could easily belong to a European postcard. Go for the wine, stay for the kind of hospitality that feels like you’ve been folded into a local’s living room.

4. Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Waiheke is Auckland’s bohemian cousin — a ferry ride away but dripping in its own atmosphere. Olive groves, clifftop vineyards, secret beaches where the water runs impossibly clear. There’s something about drinking Syrah on a deck with the Hauraki Gulf stretched out in front of you that makes it hard to leave.

5. Fiji

Fiji is shorthand for paradise: palm-fringed beaches, water so clear you forget it’s real, and that gentle pace of life that forces you to exhale. Whether you’re diving coral reefs or simply drifting between hammock and sea, it’s summer distilled. An easy flight from Australia, but a world away once you land.

6. Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania in summer is magic. The East Coast, in particular, delivers a kind of wild beauty that feels untouched. Think Wineglass Bay’s curve of white sand, hidden beaches that belong on postcards, and seafood fresh enough to taste the ocean. Pair it with cool-climate pinot noir and you’ll wonder why you didn’t come sooner.

Image credits:

Feature Image: Ian on Unsplash

Singapore: Coleen Rivas on Unsplash, Zhu Hongzhi on Unsplash

Perth: Tobias Fischer on Unsplash, Nathan Hurst on Unsplash

Adelaide: Syed Hadi Naqvi on Unsplash, @thelanevineyard on Instagram

Waiheke Island: Look Up Look Down Photography on Unsplash, Hongbin on Unsplash

Fiji: Johnny Africa on Unsplash, Louise Smith on Unsplash

Tasmania: Zachary Ferguson on Unsplash, Rod Long on Unsplash