We’ve officially retired the “fly-and-flop” holiday. Looking at the shift in travel over the last year and backed by the newly released Explore Worldwide 2026 Travel Trends report, it is clear we are no longer just escaping our busy lives; we are fundamentally reimagining them.
From swapping crowded European summers for the golden autumns of South America, to trading high-speed rail for the rhythmic, grounded pace of a gaited horse, for me and hubby of 30 years, 2026 is all about “micro-dosing” retirement.
“Micro-dosing” retirement
According to Explore Worldwide, 2025 was the year of the “Cool-cation” (escaping the heat) and “Set-jetting” (chasing The White Lotus filming locations). This year, however, travel has taken a more soulful, deliberate turn. We aren’t just looking for better weather or a cinematic backdrop anymore. We are seeking out the “non-viral” corners of the map and refusing to wait until our twilight years to see them.
Here is how the landscape has shifted, and how we’ve been putting these 2026 trends to the ultimate test across South America.
1. From the “Radical Sabbatical” to “Micro-Dosing” Retirement
In 2025, the trend was the Radical Sabbatical, taking a massive, month-long break to hit reset. By 2026, this has evolved into micro-dosing the Big Retirement Trip. Instead of waiting for a gold watch at 67, we’re taking those fabulous journeys in high-impact bursts right now.
Our South American Reality: Currently, Jonathan and I are deep into a two-month odyssey through Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. It is the very definition of a micro-retirement. As a media executive, the old “wait until you’re old” narrative never sat well with me. Why wait to see the peaks of Patagonia when I can still climb them today?
2. The Great Deceleration: Rail, Pedal, and Paddock
Last year saw a shift where “change was better than a rest”. We wanted new skills and active hobbies. 2026 has doubled down on this with the “Rail Revival” and “Pedal Power.” It’s about the journey being the destination, not just a logistical hurdle.
Our South American Reality: While the world is rediscovering the joy of slow rail in Europe, Hubby and I have been opting for an even more traditional “slow” mode of transport. Recently, that meant taking the scenic bus route from Rio to Paraty and later from Paraty to São Sebastião and via boat to Ilhabela, an archipelago off the southeast coast of Brazil. But earlier, during our time in Puerto Natales, it was all about the slow gait of a horse. Immersing ourselves in the equestrian culture of the Modern Gaucho is, we discovered, the ultimate “wellness through community” experience. There is something profoundly restorative about the rhythm of a gaited horse that no high-speed train can match.
3. Seeking the “Non-Viral” and the “Off-Peak”
The 2025 Explore Worldwide report highlighted “Elevated Experiences” (accessible luxury), but 2026 is reacting against overtourism. We are now looking for Non-Viral Destinations, the places TikTok hasn’t ruined yet and embracing Off-Peak Time-Tripping.
Our South American Reality: Travelling through South America in April and May is the ultimate time-trip because of the off-season benefits. While the crowds are starting to swarm the Northern Hemisphere for summer, we’re luxuriating in the golden autumn of the Southern Hemisphere. We’ve traded “viral” photo-ops for authentic, community-led wellness in remote lodges. It turns out that a digital detox is much easier to achieve when you’re more interested in the local culture than finding a 5G signal to post a reel..
The 2026 Travel Verdict
We are moving away from “checking boxes” and toward “creating perspective.”
Whether it’s catching the solar eclipse, astro tourism or inviting our adult children along for Family 2:0 adventures (the new inheritance!), travel has become a conscious choice to live better, sooner.
As I sit here in Ilhabela, Brazil, balancing my roles as a journalist and an adventurer, I can confirm: the “hidden season” is where the magic happens.
For those seeking a true disconnect, where we are now, Ilhabela meaning “Beautiful Island” in a mountainous retreat off the coast of São Paulo is an eco tourism jewel.
For those seeking a true disconnect, where we are now – Ilhabela, appropriately translating to “Beautiful Island” – is a premier mountainous retreat off the coast of São Paulo, and an absolute eco-tourism jewel. With 94% of the island protected as dense Atlantic Forest, it is the perfect place to drop off the radar.
So if this is what “micro-retiring” feels like, I might just stay retired for another month or at least until my next deadline calls.