Want to spend Easter explore the Sahara in Morocco? How does Labour Day in rural Japan sound?
If you want to add another layer of adventure to your holidays in 2026, you’ve come to the right place. Intrepid can get you going further – and to help you with your planning, we’ve crunched the numbers on making the most of your annual leave for 2026.
Key dates:
- New Year’s Day: Take off 2 January and 5 to 9 January for an 11-day holiday.
- 26 January: Take off 27 to 30 January for a nine-day holiday.
- Easter: Take off 30 March to 2 April and 7 to 10 April for a 16-day holiday.
- ANZAC Day: Take off 28 April to 1 May for a nine-day holiday.
- King’s Birthday (excl. QLD & WA): Take off 9 to 12 June for a nine-day holiday.
- Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA): Take off 6 to 9 October for a nine-day holiday.
- Christmas and New Year’s Day 2026: Take off 21 to 24 December and 29 to 31 December for a 16-day holiday.
January – New Year’s Day and 26 January
Start the year off in style (aka, still in holiday mode) by stretching out the New Year’s celebrations or extending a long weekend later in the month. For New Year’s Day, take off 2 January and 5 to 9 January for an 11-day holiday, and for 26 January you can take off 27 to 30 January for a nine-day holiday.
With all that extra time, you could climb the rock fortress of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, hop across Kangaroo Island‘s selection of stunning beaches or mix a soul-stirring Hat Xam performance with an overnight cruise in World Heritage-listed Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.
April – Easter and ANZAC Day
If you get your plans sorted early, you’ve got the chance to start and finish April with a pair of pretty sweet getaways. For Easter, take off 30 March to 2 April and 7 to 10 April for a 16-day holiday. Then, for ANZAC Day, take off 28 April to 1 May for a nine-day holiday.
You’ll have all the time in the world to see a bit of the world. Why not travel by camel across the red dunes of the Sahara in Morocco? Or take on the final 100 km of Spain’s iconic Camino de Santiago? For something slightly more laidback, you could swim, snorkel and sail your way around the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece.
June – King’s Birthday (excl. QLD & WA)
As the cooler temperatures begin to take hold, why not skip the mid-year slump with a well-earned break? Turn King’s Birthday into a weeklong bash by taking off 9 to 12 June for a nine-day holiday.
You could use that time to tackle the ancient road to Machu Picchu in Peru, sample some locally-made limoncello in Italy or keep things close to home and discover First Nations culture and striking landscapes in Australia’s Red Centre.
October – Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA) and King’s Birthday (QLD)
A change of season tends to mean quieter crowds, making October the perfect time for a quick escape. For Labour Day, take off 6 to 9 October for a nine-day holiday.
You could spice up the start of spring with a home-cooked dinner at a local cave home in Turkey, settle into rural Japanese life at a local farmstay or trek through the unique wilderness of takayna/Tarkine in Tasmania.
Read more: Crying over baklava: An afternoon in a stranger’s cave home in Turkey
December – Christmas and New Year’s Day
Work hard, but holiday harder. The end of the year is here, and it’d only be right to reward your efforts. Why not turn the holiday season into an extended adventure? For both Christmas and New Year’s Day 2027, take off 21 to 24 December and 29 to 31 December for a 16-day holiday.
Give yourself the gift of exploring Vietnam’s Mekong Delta alongside your loved ones, spending time getting to know the Black Mambas in South Africa or sailing through the spectacular scenery of New Zealand’s South Island.
Inspired to maximise your time off? Join a small group adventure with Intrepid.
