Destination Suggestions close to Australia!

[Keshia]

Helloooooo!

Looking for some suggestions of destinations outside of Australia but close by - eg: NZ, Fiji etc that are great for a solo traveler going for around 7 days.

I want to add more destinations to my travel bucket list that I can enjoy on my own but with working full time it's not very easy for me to take too much annual leave to go to places like Europe or America.

Appreciate the suggestions, including if you have recommendations for hotels/spots!

 

[VPS]

might help if you give us some idea of what you like to do eg lie on a beach at a resort or visit museums and art galleries

 

[AIRwin]

Bali?!

 

[kookaburra75]

Spots that spring to mind are:

• Lord Howe Island - check out Tripadvisor for places to stay and things to do
• NZ North Island - fly into Auckland, a couple of days there, wander down to Wellington by car, a couple of days in Wellington
• NZ South Island - fly into Christchurch, a couple of days there, grab a car and drive down the middle to Queenstown, and back up the east coast to Christchurch

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

might help if you give us some idea of what you like to do eg lie on a beach at a resort or visit museums and art galleries

And time of year, and budget, etc...

 

[Denali]

My first thought was Niue (part of NZ but tiny, tiny island close to international date line) or Lord Howe Is (Aust)

 

[UP4014]

7 days is plenty to go further afield which if you're on this site you likely have not issue with the travel. Places I've been for a week but not nearby, Johannesburg, California, Peru, Mexico. and I did get to look around a little.

What about Tahiti, I wouldn't mind giving that a try for a week.

 

[offshore171]

Yeah Tahiti is a great suggestion. Also Japan worth considering for 7 days. It's a longer flight, but virtually the same timezone, so no jet lag.

 

[RooFlyer]

I have the philosophy of 'travel days'. If I am travelling international >5 hours (incl departure and arrival formalities), I block the entire day off, or rather, don't plan on doing anything else (but often can). So for me, an 8 or 10 hour flight counts the same as a 2-3 hour one.

I appreciate cost may be an issue, but if you have 7 days, go somewhere very different from Australia, or away from places where many Australians go for short trips. Laos, Cambodia, Burma are easy to get to in a day, can be very comfortable and hugely interesting. Japan - same time zone, so walk off and enjoy immediately. Singapore is really interesting once you get beyond the cliché shopping; maybe not a week though. Malaysia?

in the Destination Trip Report area, you can see what other AFFers have done in various places, including hotels etc.

 

[ap_spd]

Hongkong, with a side trip to Macau.
Singapore, with trip around Indonesia
Vietnam
Cambodia
South Korea

 

[Denali]

Siem Reap is a good one for 7 days.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Helloooooo!

Looking for some suggestions of destinations outside of Australia but close by - eg: NZ, Fiji etc that are great for a solo traveler going for around 7 days.

I want to add more destinations to my travel bucket list that I can enjoy on my own but with working full time it's not very easy for me to take too much annual leave to go to places like Europe or America.

Appreciate the suggestions, including if you have recommendations for hotels/spots!

Is thailand too far? Suggestion to stay Bangkok for a couple days, max yourself out at somewhere like Healthlands for a spa package over a couple days (good product, respectable, Thai prices... although pricing for Thais with money!).

Day three - take an air/bus/ferry combo (really nice journey, the bus component is just one hour connecting from the airport to the ferry pier) and head over to Koh Phagnan. Costs around USD30 for the whole trip. Stay: Coco Gardens. Private beach hut, right on the water, USD30 a night: Welcome to Coco Garden Resort beachside bungalow accommodation, Koh PhaNgan, Thailand It's rather sociable at the restaurant/lounge area (right on the water) and bar.

Otherwise there's bali, new Calidonia.

 

[RB]

Pretty easy to tailor a trip to Sri Lanka to fit the days you have.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

I am a sucker for Taiwan and will always go there for a short trip to recharge.

Closer to home we have been eyeing off Vanuatu and Samoa.

 

[Allegro Vivace]

Hong Kong.
8 1/2 flying time, and the HKG Arts Festival is on now

 

[rtrudeau]

Samoa or Lord Howe

 

[Cocitus23]

To me Lord Howe island is the standout answer to this question.

Cocitus23

 

[offshore171]

To me Lord Howe island is the standout answer to this question.

Cocitus23

The OP did ask for something outside Australia though.

 

[Dalescott]

New Caledonia a little piece of France in the South Pacific. Cheap to get to, and the hotels are brilliant. Try the Le Meridian at Normea, breach frontage, only one in Normea, top hotel and walking distance to eateries.

 

[Boca68]

It does depend on what you are looking for, but......

Sri Lanka, PNG, Phillipines (especially Palawan, Jolo), Malaysia (Perhentian Islands, Borneo), Singapore, Maldives, Japan, Thailand, HKG, NZ, and on and on and on......
So many 'beach' places, but Singapore, Hong Kong or Auckland for interesting cities too. Trekking in Borneo or Thailand. Ramen in Osaka? Shopping in Hong Kong? And don't get me started on food!