Photo: Contiki
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In 2026 we’re not letting burnout get the better of us, so what are we going to do? Take ALL our annual leave possible! How? By following our nifty little Hack the Leave guide below.
Basically, we care about your holiday and your time off and your human right to relax and unwind. So, we’ve figured out how you can maximise your annual leave by taking advantage of those public holidays which are given to you for free! Below you’ll find our calculations and our expert recommendations using the example of 20 days of annual leave.
Customise these options how you like! All we ask is that you have the time of your life while you’re free and unchained from that desk.
January – New Year’s Day & Australia Day
To kick off the new and exciting year, you get a public holiday on the 1st of January – a Thursday. Slightly frustrating, but you can take a day off on Friday to give yourself a lovely 4-day holiday. Where to spend it? At the beach of course! Our Great Barrier Reef Explorer will open up the glorious world under the ocean’s surface, letting you glimpse friendly fish and colourful corals.
OR, instead of taking 1 day of annual leave, why not take 4 between the 27th and 30th to bank yourself an 8 day break to celebrate Australia Day. Stay in the country and get a little rugged with the Australia: Uluru Explorer trip, taking you to the glowing Outback!
But if you fancy getting a shiny new stamp in your passport and heading abroad, you’re a hop, skip, and jump away from a fabulous time on our Malaysia & Singapore Highlights. Hot weather and even hotter food with lots of sights and shopping in between.
Happy New Year to you!
Image source:Contiki
April – Easter & ANZAC Day
April comes with a blessing in the form of Easter! Two public holidays + 8 days of annual leave + 3 sets of weekend = 16 whole days for you to escape life and explore! Take the following days off and then we’ll tell you where to go:
30th of March to 2nd of April
7th to 10th of April
If you want a taste of Asia in the early spring before things get too hot and sticky, we’d recommend some East Thai Island Hopping. Beach, ocean, more beach, pad thai and spice, sunshine and tan lines – need we say more? And, if you’re in a more restless mood, get your hike and culture on with Ireland in a Week. The trip is exactly what it sounds like: walks, pubs, views, and moody castles.
Later in the month, on Saturday 25th, it’s time to celebrate ANZAC Day! If you decide that you don’t want two weeks off for Easter, you can take 5 days of leave instead between the 20th and 24th for 9 days, and get yourself to Europe for a bit! Spotlight on Greece for ruins and tzatziki and golden days, or Iceland Fire and Ice if you’re in the mood for some wilderness.
June – King’s Birthday
On the 8th of June you get a public holiday celebrating the King’s Birthday! A regal affair which demands equally regal celebration – like aboard a boat in Croatia where you’re treated like a monarch.
Take off 4 days between the 9th and the 12th of June, and get yourself on our Croatia Island Sail for, you guessed it, Croatian views, island vibes, and the sailing life. Pure and total bliss (plus a chef on board!).
Want to stay closer to home? New Zealand: Sun and Steam awaits you with, you guessed this one too, lots of sun and plenty of Kiwi and Māori culture served on the side.
Image source:Contiki
October – Labour Day
Right when you need a little pick up before the end of year holiday season, Labour Day comes in clutch! Falling on the 5th of October, take the following days off and book yourself a holiday:
6th to 9th of October
Where to go? Well, as always, here are options.
If you want a taste of Europe we recommend the Portugal Highlights where you will have plenty of pastel de natas to fill your belly (as well as all the traditional cod dishes on offer), beautiful cities and streets to admire, and plenty of sun and beach.
If you want to stay closer to home but still explore a totally new world, the Cambodia & Laos Uncovered trip is a perfect option. This is a great time to visit South East Asia as the weather is still warm but not unbearably sticky, and there’ll be fewer crowds blocking your temple views.
If you want to try something different and new, like safaris and bungee jumping and rafting all with a backdrop of waterfalls, Victoria Falls Explorer is the one for you. Zimbabwe, a perfect place to soak up the last rays of the year.
December – Christmas
And finally, December comes bearing gifts in the form of Christmas and (a replacement) Boxing Day. On the 25th and 28th you’ll get some time off, giving you a lovely four day weekend to thoroughly enjoy. Our recommendation? Explore your hometown and city, have a big BBQ with your loved ones, and cherish the time together.
Or, if you wanted to reorganise some of the annual leave we mentioned taking above, you can hop on Contiki’s Vietnam Highlights to see Christmas in a different part of the world! You’ll have to take the 22nd to the 24th and the 29th to the 31st off for this – 6 days for almost two weeks in paradise.
