Easter break holiday destinations: the perfect time to sneak away

For more sunny days with a side of city chic, book an Easter break in Brisbane where the sun’s (almost) always shining. Newly opened, ultra-cool The Calile Hotel finds itself in some equally cool company on Brisbane’s chicest street, James Street, full of independent boutiques, coffee shops, bars and restaurants. Oh, and there’s even an arthouse cinema!

You’ll want to spend some time at this stylish hotel though, one of the highlights is definitely lounging by the 1920s art deco-style outdoor pool in a deck chair in the sun, sipping on a cocktail. After enjoying some gastronomic delights – choose from one of the three onsite restaurants offering Greek, modern Australian and Thai cuisine – head over to the lobby bar for a late-night cocktail.

On James Street, you’ll find yourself within easy reach of the city centre, the perfect place for an afternoon of window shopping along the Queen Street Mall. The cultural precinct, South Bank, is also just a ferry ride away, where you’ll find the world-class Gallery of Modern Art with always-surprising exhibitions. The more alternative bars and restaurants of Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley are within walking distance from your base too.

For a sunny Easter getaway a bit further afield, take a trip to Hoi An in Vietnam where you can experience the best of both town and beach life. Base yourself at Cam An beach at Boutique Hoi An Resort and find Hoi An’s charming old town centre only a 15 minute taxi ride away for further explorations.

At Boutique Hoi An Resort, you’ll be staying right on the untouched, white-sand beaches of Cam An, where you can chill poolside at your hotel facing the sea, with the beach only footsteps away. Buffet lunches including plenty of authentic local Vietnamese cuisine are served in the outdoor terrace just steps away from the pool, overlooking the ocean. The very local beach-shack restaurants and bars of Cam An are just a short walk away from your resort along the beach for a change of scene.

Head into the bustling town centre of Hoi An at night by tuk-tuk or taxi to dine under lantern-lit restaurants along the picturesque Thu Bon River. The markets in and around town offer many interesting snacks and meals like sweet coffee, bahn mi sandwiches and freshly squeezed sugar cane juice, as well as all the eye-candy you’d expect from an Asian marketplace, great inspiration for foodies and photographers alike. Hoi An is also famous for its tailors, so be sure to spend some time getting measured and picking materials to get some beautiful pieces made to measure to take back home.

If you’ve got the time to hop on a plane but you’re looking for somewhere a little closer to home, why not head to Queenstown in New Zealand and get a nature fix?

Stay on awe-inspiring Lake Wakatipu, sits inside a deep valley carved into the mountains by ancient glaciers, at Kamana Lakehouse, the highest situated hotel in Queenstown. This hotel gives you the perfect place to maximise time spent enjoying incredible lake and mountain views. Dining in the hotel’s Nest Kitchen and Bar, you’ll be able to savour modern Mediterranean classics with that jaw-dropping lake view in the background – the restaurant features floor to ceiling windows.

This time of year is ideal for an adventure holiday in this part of the world, where it’s never too hot or cold to get outside and get active. Walk or cycle with the gold and red hues of autumn covering the mountains all around you. A particularly beautiful and fun way to see the sites of the lake is the Lake Wakatipu Ride, where you’ll cycle leisurely between attractions including wineries, historic Arrowtown and the bungy jump bridge.

Make the most of the end of Summer and head up to North Queensland for a perfect Easter family holiday. Whilst your mind might jump immediately to scenes of millionaires and their trophy wives on yachts and swanky island resorts or retirees hooning around Hamilton Island between rounds of golf, there’s so much more to The Whitsundays than this. Enjoying the beaches, islands, reefs and rainforests can be done affordably by staying around Airlie Beach, hiring a car and jumping on day trip boat excursions.

Escape the backpacker scene on the main street by staying in the green, quiet hills above the town at the Whitsundays Rainforest Retreat. Relax on the deck of your hotel for a panoramic view over the colourful sunsets and tranquil ocean waters and enjoy a swim in the retreat’s Roman-style baths. Many boat excursions leave from Airlie Beach so you can easily day-trip out to the Great Barrier Reef or the islands for some snorkelling and swimming in clear, blue waters from here. For even more swim spots but without the tourist crowds, head by car to the bays and beaches of idyllic Cape Gloucester, one of the Whitsundays’ best kept secrets and only a short drive from Airlie Beach.

There are so many diverse, quieter spots to be explored around Bali, beyond the well-worn path of Kuta and Seminyak which tend to be overrun by tourists, especially at Easter time. Head South of Kuta to the Uluwatu area of Bali on the island’s South-West coast for the best cliffside beaches and resorts. You’ll find stunning beaches and some very cool outdoor bars and restaurants overlooking the ocean.

Our pick for where to stay? On the cliffs overlooking down-to-earth Bingin Beach at the eclectically-decorated Sal Secret Spot. Exploring, swimming and surfing at Bingin Beach at the base of your hotel, you’ll have rickety fresh seafood shacks and hippie-cool health food cafes within barefoot walking distance. Note well, you’ll have to take the thousand-step walk to get down to the water’s edge and beachside cafes of Bingin Beach but it’s certainly well worth the effort.

Check out Sundays Beach Club for a day at a swanky resort by the beach or head to more popular Padang Padang beach for a more local experience. Sunset at Single Fin is rather infamous, where you can perch on the top of a cliff at their outdoor bar, watching the sun go down on the surfers riding waves out on the horizon.

Take advantage of the springtime weather and cherry blossom season in Tokyo this Easter Break, getting to know a city bursting with zany things to do, incredible eating and drinking from low to high-end and some of the world’s best shopping.

Stay at the modern, ultra-hip Hotel Shibuya Granbell and get the best of both worlds; have a drink closer to home at the hotel’s own rooftop bar, a rarity in this city, or take a short walk to the hole-in-the-wall yakitori fry-up shacks and poky cocktail bars of the Golden Gai and its unique nightlife scene.

The hotel is nestled amongst Yoyogi Park and the green spaces and temples of Tokyo, right near the famed Harajuku and Shibuya shopping and eating areas, famous for the quirky street style of the locals.

Some top tips in the city: check out the Robot Restaurant, one of the many cat cafés, the big-name shopping paradise of the Ginza strip and most of all, keep your eyes open for more local tiny bars and restaurants, karaoke spots and pachinko gaming parlours.

Hobart in Tasmania is a great Easter city break, where you can spend your holiday exploring the city and its surrounds with a mix of nature excursions, interesting dining options and quirky art galleries.

A perfect base for seeing all the city has to offer is the St Ives Apartments at historic Battery Point, surrounded by antique shops and local restaurants. The apartments are also just a seven minute stroll away from Hobart’s waterfront Salamanca Place, where you’ll find rows of pretty converted warehouses which now serve as restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and even theatres. On Saturday mornings, wander the Salamanca Markets too for local crafts, antiques and produce.

Get yourself to daring MONA – Museum of Old and New Art – too, the building is carved into a cliffside and boasts an unusual and diverse mix of art owned by art collector David Walsh and put on show in what has become known as Australia’s largest private museum.

Venture a little further out of the city for a unique nature fix at Mount Wellington Summit for views for miles around you, or take a hike through one of the many walking tracks around Wellington Park.