Holiday breaks
Australian summer school holidays: where to go
Australia's year-end break is its summer holiday — the longest school break, often six weeks. That length opens up Europe or Japan's winter, but it is also peak season for nearby Asia and the Pacific, so the trade-off is crowds and price versus flight time.
The example this page uses
- From
- Sydney
- Travelling as
- Family · 4 people
- Trip length
- 14 days
- Month
- January
- Total budget
- AUD 22,000
- Currency
- AUD
The trip tool works by month, not exact holiday dates. Results are modelled estimates, not live fares. Change any value after opening it.
Official dates and scope
| NSW example: holidays 18 Dec 2026 – 27 Jan 2027 (Eastern) / 3 Feb (Western division) | NSW public schools only; other states and territories differ. |
| Students return after staff development days (3 Feb / 10 Feb) | NSW public schools only; other states and territories differ. |
Destinations that fit this example
Example: from Sydney, 14 days, total budget AUD 22,000, January. Edit any of it in the trip tool.
- MalaysiaMalaysiaEstimated whole trip11,850–18,600 AUDWithin budget · Great in JanuaryAffordable on your budget and one of the closest matches to the trip you described. It covers nature and beach.
- Sri LankaSri LankaEstimated whole trip11,850–18,600 AUDWithin budget · Great in JanuaryAffordable on your budget and one of the closest matches to the trip you described. It covers nature and beach.
- ThailandThailandEstimated whole trip11,500–17,900 AUDWithin budget · Great in JanuaryAffordable on your budget and one of the closest matches to the trip you described. It covers beach and nature.
- Kerala & GoaIndiaEstimated whole trip9,850–15,300 AUDWithin budget · Great in JanuaryOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers beach and nature.
- Bali & LombokIndonesiaEstimated whole trip9,600–15,200 AUDWithin budget · Off-season in JanuaryOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers beach and nature.
- VietnamVietnamEstimated whole trip9,700–15,300 AUDWithin budget · Fine in JanuaryOne of the strongest realistic options within your current budget and trip requirements. It covers nature.
What to weigh
- Bali, Thailand and Fiji are close but busiest in January; book early or travel off the school weeks.
- Japan's winter offers snow and cities if you want a real change of season.
- Two weeks is the sweet spot for Europe; less than ten days loses too much to the flights.
Observed travel (historical, not a forecast)
ABS figures for January 2026 show New Zealand, Indonesia and Japan among the top countries Australian residents returned from.
ABS — Overseas arrivals and departures, Jan 2026 — Historical resident returns; not a forecast.
Questions
- Do other states share these dates?
- No. Each state and territory publishes its own calendar; NSW is shown as an example.
- Are these live prices?
- No. They are modelled whole-trip estimates for the example inputs shown. Change the departure city, days, budget or party to recalculate.
Sources
- NSW Department of Education — 2027 calendar — NSW public schools only; other states and territories differ.
Checked 2026-10-11. Always confirm with your own school, employer or authority.
Related breaks
Photo credits
- kallerna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wrobell · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Mastertongapollo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Augustus Binu : flickr · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- LukeTriton · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Taewangkorea · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Costs are modelled estimates for the example inputs, not live holiday fares or exact-date availability. Calendar facts quote official sources for the scope stated; travel tips are editorial planning suggestions.