Inside the lavish Bali, France birthday trips retirees are booking

Some Australians reaching milestone birthdays are opting for luxurious destination trips, inviting their friends and family overseas to celebrate with no expense spared.

Grandmother and art gallery veteran Janine Van Heynsbergen celebrated her 70^th birthday with a week-long, poolside get-together with family in Canggu, Bali, culminating in an extravagant tropical dance party.

"We had a DJ and the most wonderful cabaret dancers, and it didn't take long before everyone - young and old - was on the dance floor," the grandmother of nine said.

Still enjoying her career as gallery administrator for legendary Australian artist Ken Done, Janine wanted a relaxed "birthday week" at Kasianda Estate, where friends, family and her grandkids could enjoy long breakfasts, lazy afternoons by the pool, shared dinners and events like outdoor movie nights.

At the end of the week, the group threw Janine a "tropical-disco-carnival themed party" leaning into the family's memories.

"We passed around inflatable microphones and sang along to ABBA, which is a family tradition," Janine said. "The night ended with a spectacular fire show, the perfect finale to a great celebration."

Kasianda Estate is owned by Janine's daughter Annabelle Parfitt. The party included catering, free-flowing cocktails, decorations, a DJ, photographer and entertainment, at a cost of around $2200. Booking the entire 12-bedroom resort is around $3000 a night, including accommodation for up to 29 people with daily a la carte breakfasts.

"It was joyful, eccentric, and absolutely perfect," Annabelle said.

Throwing the weeklong bash created a rare occasion for the family, who live in different countries, to spend time together and celebrate, Janine said.

"Once your children grow up, marry, and have families of their own, it becomes surprisingly difficult to gather everyone together. Even Christmas has become complicated with travel and extended-family commitments," Janine said.

A former teacher organised his own lavish two-week 80^th birthday celebration in a picturesque French town after planning the event with his late wife years earlier, in a place they loved to travel together.

"We decided that if you're going to have you celebrate a major event like an 80^th it should be with very good food and wine," said Rex Hewett, former teacher and National TAFE Secretary for the Australian Education Union. "In what other country could you get to celebrate those things, apart from Australia, of course, but France?"

Rex and his late wife Helen Hewett had travelled to the small town of Cassis, east of Marseille, in the French Riveria multiple times before she lost her battle with cancer in 2022.

Helen was a former chief executive of CBUS Super, and founder of not-for-profit Women In Super, which works to improve retired women's lives.

"We love France," Rex said. "Helen, was a very good cook, and she loved French food."

After deciding to celebrate his 80^th in Cassis, which has a population of around 7000, Rex used an online booking site, saying he needed accommodation with at least six bedrooms, four parking spaces and pool.

"I finally found this place. It was really, really, really nice, that was about five minutes walk from the beach."

Rex booked a two-week stay, where they ate, drank, and spent their days by the ocean. After 54 years of marriage with Helen, Rex said he has an extensive community of friends who wanted to join him to celebrate.

"There were about 25 in the group," he said. "There were some that came and went, and others that replaced them ... about half from Australia and half from Europe or England."