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If you’re feeling fed up with grey skies, long commutes and watching everyone else live it up on a Euro summer, we’ve got some tempting news. Australia’s favourite island destination isn’t buried deep in the South Pacific or halfway across Europe. It’s a dreamy, turquoise-watered French territory sitting less than three hours away from Australia’s east coast.
This week, Expedia released its 2026 Island Hot List, revealing the ten close-to-home island escapes Australians are most obsessed with right now. Interest in island getaways has surged by an average of 40 per cent over the past year, with Aussie travellers craving short-haul trips that deliver big on value, natural beauty, relaxation and culture. Sounds about right!
The #1 trending island for 2026 is New Caledonia, a dreamy French overseas territory floating in the South Pacific just 1,500 kilometres east of Australia. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, welcoming only 30,000 Aussie travellers during its peak in 2023 – a tiny fraction of the 434,000 who flocked to Fiji that same year.
Aussie searches for New Caledonia have increased 75 per cent year-on-year – and it’s easy to see why. Renowned for its blissful weather, the Pacific's third-largest island enjoys an average annual temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, with lagoon waters between a balmy 22 and 28 degrees all year round.
Besides swimming in its UNESCO World Heritage-listed lagoon – the largest and best-preserved on Earth – visitors can hike more than 75 spectacular trails, zipline through lush rainforests, fly over the iconic Heart of Voh, ride horses through the mountains, discover traditional crafts in tribal villages, and sample some of the finest French-inspired fare in the Pacific. To top it off, one of New Caledonia’s most luxurious resorts, the DoubleTree by Hilton Noumea Ilot Maitre, boasts the closest overwater bungalow experience to Australia. Think Maldives vibes with a touch of French flair (crêpes and croissants included)!
As one of Australia's closest island neighbours, you can reach this slice of paradise on a direct flight from Sydney or Brisbane in under three hours. That's shorter than a flight from the east coast to Perth!
Other underrated gems featured on Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List include Palau, Langkawi (Malaysia), Jeju Island (South Korea) and Okinawa (Japan), with The Whitsundays securing Australia’s sole spot. You can check out the top ten trending islands below.
The 10 top trending island destinations for Australian travellers in 2026:
- New Caledonia (+75%)
- Palau (+60%)
- Vanuatu (+45%)
- Cebu, Philippines (+25%)
- Langkawi, Malaysia (+25%)
- Jeju Island, South Korea (+20%)
- Fiji (+15%)
- Okinawa, Japan (+15%)
- The Whitsundays, Australia (+10%)
- Cook Islands (+10%)