Chasing Dreams Travel NZ/AUS

09/09/2026

This is the 7-bedroom luxury villa your next group holiday needs.

And we know… because we’ve stayed there. 😉

Think space. So much space. An open-plan design made for bringing everyone together, lazy afternoons and making the most of that incredible Indonesian warmth.

📍 Set on Gili T, you can swim straight off the beach with turtles, explore the island by bike, settle in for seriously good Indonesian food and soak up the social buzz of this unique little island.

Want to venture further? Hop on a boat for a day of snorkelling with tropical fish, island hopping or exploring some of the region’s world-class surf breaks.

This is the kind of place where your group will make memories you’ll still be talking about years from now.

And the best part? You enjoy the holiday. We’ll make the rest seamless. ✨

Tag the person in your group who needs to see this 👇

08/09/2026

🎿 Calling all Aussie ski & snowboard enthusiasts!

More time on the mountain? Absolutely.

Cardrona has announced an extension to its 2026 ski season, and will now be operating until 18 October!

One of New Zealand’s top ski resorts, set in the spectacular Otago region of the South Island, Cardrona is the perfect place to experience the best of Kiwi ski culture — from epic mountain days to that laid-back après-ski vibe.

Want to make a trip of it? We can tailor a package to suit, including return airfares, accommodation, lift passes and equipment hire.

[email protected]

Tag someone who dreams of a New Zealand ski escape! 🏔️🎿

07/09/2026

5 Bali Holiday Styles – Packed with Savings

What's your style? A luxurious villa escape, a fun-filled family break or a relaxing resort stay? We've got you...

🌴 The Villa Stay
7 nights at Tony’s Villas & Resort

Daily breakfast
Unlimited refreshments in the lobby
2 complimentary bottles of water in your room
30-minute massage for 2 people
15% off spa treatments
10% off Balinese cooking classes
10% off romantic dinners
Private return airport transfers
1 night free
Complimentary 3-course lunch for 2
Complimentary 60-minute massage for 2
From NZD $586pp twin share | From AUD$472pp twin share

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Cheap & Cheerful Family Holiday
7 nights at Bali Dynasty Resort

A fantastic-value family escape with plenty to keep everyone entertained.

Full daily breakfast
Kids eat free*
Complimentary kids' club*
Free use of bikes
50% off Happy Hour
Private return airport transfers
Save up to NZD $325 per room
Bonus Bali Value Booklet with 15 discount vouchers
From NZD $511pp family share | From AUD$411pp family share

🌺 The Seminyak Resort Stay
7 nights at Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa
Garden Cottage accommodation

Daily breakfast
Private return airport transfers
Save up to NZD $774 per room
Complimentary 2-course lunch
Complimentary Happy Hour
10% off food & beverage
From NZD $1,532pp | From AUD$1,235pp

✨ The Luxury Resort Stay You’ll Talk About for Years
3 nights at RIMBA by AYANA Bali or AYANA Resort Bali

For those looking to experience Bali in true luxury, this one is hard to beat.

Daily breakfast
Private return airport transfers
Complimentary SAKA Museum access
Rock Bar reservation with a complimentary drink
From NZD $541pp | From AUD$435pp

🌴 Paradisus by Meliá
7 nights in a Premium Garden Room

A beautifully indulgent stay with plenty of extras included from the moment you arrive.

Daily buffet breakfast
Welcome drink
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Access to the arrival/departure lounge
Complimentary Kids' Club and Teen Kingdom
Private return airport transfers
Save up to NZD $605 per room
From NZD $1,274pp | From AUD$1,025pp

Deserve to have something on your horizon?
[email protected]

04/09/2026

Behind the Scenes Friday

As you’d expect, over time, as trust and experience grow, so too do the requests we receive. And I have to say, I absolutely love some of the trips we’re asked to create these days!

In the early days, we were probably best known for Pacific Island package getaways and Aussie sojourns for our Kiwi clients. Then COVID hit, and we found ourselves in a rather unexpected niche — helping South Americans get home. Who knew that would become part of our story?

These days, we’re seeing more and more expedition travel — Antarctica, Africa, and wonderfully niche adventures like far-flung wine and food journeys. We’re also creating an increasing number of incredible multi-generational adventures around the world.

While it can be hard bringing such extraordinary trips to life when our own luggage stays at home, I never get bored of the itineraries we prepare.

The world is vast, and there are so many different ways to experience it. Every itinerary we create is unique, and we couldn’t be happier to be the ones entrusted with turning those ideas into reality.

Always yours in travel,
Alex ###

03/09/2026

Sometimes you know your clients better than they know what they want… ✈️

A client recently came to me looking for a fabulous family holiday in Fiji, with a resort similar to the incredible one we’d booked for them in Khao Lak.

Of course, I could have simply put together the Fiji option they asked for.

But alongside it, I gently suggested that what I really thought they were looking for was a pool-access room in exclusive Nusa Dua, Bali, followed by a little barefoot luxury in the Gili Islands — with plenty of snorkelling and turtles thrown in.

It didn’t take much convincing. We all knew this was much more them than Fiji.

And really, it all started about two years earlier.

We’d booked an incredible multi-region Thailand adventure for this family of five, only for flash flooding to hit just as they landed in Chiang Mai.

I was on my way to a four-year-old’s birthday party that Saturday when the phone rang. I dropped everything and went into action mode.

We got them onto the next flight and pivoted the trip to Khao Lak — which, as it turned out, became one of the highlights they talked about for years afterwards.

So when they came back wanting to recreate certain elements of that trip, but this time in Fiji, I knew there was a bigger picture.

Their adventurous side extends well beyond the obvious.

And this is one of my favourite parts of what I do: over time, you build a real understanding of your clients. You learn what makes them tick, what they love, what they don’t, and the kind of experiences that will have them talking about a trip for years.

Sometimes the best travel advice is knowing when to say:

“I know you asked for Fiji… but I think I know what you’re actually looking for.” 🌴🐢

01/09/2026

Fiji Tourism Tax — here’s the latest

There’s been a change to the new 5% Fiji Tourism Tax, and thankfully, it’s good news for travellers who had already booked.

The Fijian Government introduced the 5% tourism tax from 1 September 2026. But there was an obvious issue: where's the "fair" for travellers who had already booked and paid for their holidays before the tax was announced?

New Zealand tourism heads lobbied hard for a change — and it worked.

The outcome?

The 5% Fiji Tourism Tax will now apply to new bookings from 1 September 2026 onwards.

So if your Fiji holiday was already booked before the change, you won’t suddenly find an extra 5% added to the cost.

A win for travellers — and a good reminder that sometimes the industry does listen! 🌴☀️

31/08/2026

Still travelling through Middle East. And here’s the insider tip… ✈️

Yes, things are still a little up in the air in the Middle East. But you know what? It hasn’t stopped our clients travelling — far from it.

I’m regularly asked whether it’s better to fly via the Middle East or Asia at the moment. From what we’re seeing, the answer is pretty clear: the Middle East is still offering the best value, hands down.

Think:
✈️ Higher-grade airlines
✈️ Muuuuuuch cheaper airfares than the alternative
✈️ Fewer connections
✈️ And a surprisingly seamless way to travel across the world

This month alone, we have passengers travelling via Doha or Dubai to/from the UK, Spain, Tanzania and Croatia.

The world hasn’t stopped travelling. And with the right advice, there are still some seriously good fares to be found. Emirates has even offered insurance on some fares.

28/08/2026

Behind the Scenes Friday

One of the trickiest parts of being a travel agent is knowing when to gently question a customer's choice.

Every now and then, a client comes to me with an itinerary already partly decided and says:

“For these nights, we'd like to stay at ### Resort, please.”

And my first thought is that they've chosen it for a reason.

Maybe they've stayed there before. Maybe they've had a recommendation. Maybe they've seen something online that they love. Whatever the reason, I don't want to steamroll over that and tell them what I think they should do instead.

But here's the thing…

We are constantly receiving updates on hotels and resorts — renovations, management changes, new openings, changes to service levels, developments in the surrounding area — and we have access to platforms and product intelligence that allow us to compare properties in a way a traveller simply can't always do from the outside.

And sometimes, the property someone has specifically requested isn't the property I'd choose for them today.

I've had clients come home and say:

“It wasn't quite as good as last time.”
“It was more run down this time.”
“The area has become so built up.”

And I'm sitting there thinking…

I knew that. 🤦‍♀️

Not because they made a bad choice — but because I should have found a better way to say “I know you've asked for this one, but can I show you a couple of alternatives before we lock it in?”

I don't always get it right. Sometimes I've let it be.

But I think that's part of being a good travel advisor — knowing when to step in, without overstepping.

And I'm getting better at that.

Because sometimes the best value we add isn't finding the hotel you asked for.

It's knowing when to ask, “Are you sure?”

25/08/2026

It’s quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for Kiwis and Aussies right now.

But, as they say, you don’t know what you don’t know, right?

Give this a 2-minute read before planning your first trip to Vietnam.

Vietnam is a top pick for Kiwis and Aussies seeking culture, adventure, and value - here’s your quick guide to planning the perfect Vietnam trip.

24/08/2026

That feeling when you wake up in a beautiful, light-filled room, with nothing but peace and quiet around you…

Then step straight from your bed into your private pool before wandering down to breakfast.

This little glimpse comes from one of our travellers, who was very happy with the room we booked for them.

Want this to be you?
Let’s start planning: [email protected]