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We’ve been booking flights to Bali and Santorini in the name of relaxation, when apparently we could have just driven or flown (depending on where you are) to the coast.
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has been named the world’s most relaxing holiday destination for 2026, beating 90 other popular spots, including Bali and Santorini.
The ranking comes from Ibiza Summer Villas, which compared almost 100 destinations across six factors, including swimming pools, spa and wellness facilities, temperature, population density, traffic and noise pollution. Each spot was given an overall score based on the average of those rankings.
The Sunshine Coast landed among the top 12 destinations for five of the six measures, with 84 per cent of accommodation boasting swimming pools and average annual temperature sitting at a pleasant 21 degrees. It also ranked fourth for low population density and low noise pollution. Not bad for somewhere you can reach without crossing an ocean.
Stretching more than 60 kilometres north of Brisbane, the region has surf beaches, rainforest walks and hinterland towns, should you feel like doing something between swims. Or you could embrace doing absolutely nothing on holiday, preferably with a book and a cold drink.
Bali came in fourth, despite having swimming pools at 95 per cent of its accommodation offerings, plus spa and wellness facilities at 89 per cent. Spain’s Marbella took second place, followed by Croatia’s Split, while six European destinations made the top ten. The Gold Coast also snuck in at number seven, giving Australia two spots on the list. We’ll take the win.
New York took out last place as the world’s least relaxing holiday destination, followed by San Francisco. Hardly shocking. We go for the bars, the restaurants, the noise and the general sense that 15 things are happening at once.
Of course, no ranking can promise you’ll return from holiday a better version of yourself. But if your idea of bliss is a swim, a long lunch and not having to check the exchange rate every time you order a cocktail, the Sunshine Coast might be calling.
The 10 most relaxing destinations in the world for 2026:
- Sunshine Coast, Australia
- Marbella, Spain
- Split, Croatia
- Bali, Indonesia
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Tenerife, Spain
- Gold Coast, Australia
- Phuket, Thailand
- Santorini, Greece
- Ibiza, Spain