Beyond Singapore and Dubai: The hottest new stopover destinations

All but written off during the pandemic, when travellers wanted to get from A to B with as little hassle and risk as possible - think excessive security, mask-wearing, the chance of being infected - the stopover has defied the cynics and is back in a big way

Veterans, and for that matter, masters of long-haul travel by necessity, Australians are once more looking (or should be) to break their journey, pack more into their holiday and explore multiple destinations.

While historically destinations like Fiji haven’t crossed our stopover radar, Australians are being encouraged to look to that island nation as a gateway to North America.

Do some island-hopping while on a stopover. Credit: Tourism Fiji

The recent launch of new twice-weekly flights to Vancouver via Fiji means Australians can now experience a tropical holiday and buzzing cities including Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the one trip.

Andre Viljoen, Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive, says a stopover in Fiji is the perfect antidote to stressful long-haul travel (well he would, wouldn’t he, but who could disagree).

“We’re creating more and more pathways for Australians to access popular travel destinations, cementing Fiji as a convenient connection or stopover destination,” he says.

Other destinations like Qatar, often overlooked in favour of Middle-Eastern stopover Dubai, are offering incentives to lure Australians to break their journey with Qatar Airways offering heavily discounted hotel stays and tours.

Shop while you stop: Apgujeong Rodeo Street in Seoul city, South Korea.Credit: iStock

Seoul’s vast Incheon Airport offers several free and interesting tours enticing travellers to explore the Korean capital. Hong Kong meanwhile hopes to become a popular stopover destination with Australians once more after reopening its borders and resuming quarantine-free travel.

Luvena Lee, team leader of Flight Centre in the inner-Sydney suburb of Zetland, says a stopover offers rest in between long flights, staves off the effects of jet lag, reduces the risk of DVT and helps travellers adjust to a new time zone gradually. Stopovers are beneficial to mental health, too.

“Travel can be stressful, particularly if you’re on a tight schedule, travelling with kids or dealing with unexpected delays – and we’re all still a little out of practice after COVID.”

Stopovers also offer the opportunity to explore another city or destination you may not have visited before and to experience a different culture and food.

“Sometimes the price of the airfare can be better value instead of flying straight through to Europe and London,” Lee says.

Post-lockdowns, her Flight Centre store had seen a rise in Australians stopping on the way home from seeing family in the UK or Europe as many don’t consider visiting relatives a proper holiday.

So as you travel far from home once more, look beyond Singapore and Dubai and kick off your holiday with a day or two at these alternative stopover destinations. You’ll reboard rested, legs stretched and ready to tackle the next haul.

You never know, having deployed Traveller’s following stopovers guide, you may return for a more extended stay at the featured destinations next time.

THE TROPICAL IDYLL STOPOVER

Australia-Nadi-Vancouver

You can check in for your flight at Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa.Credit: Chris McLennan

Fill your cup with turquoise waters, blazing sunsets and swaying palms before heading to Canada or (vice versa) on the new Fiji Airways twice weekly Vancouver via Nadi service. Nadi International Airport is a cinch to navigate (ukulele players serenade passengers at customs). Before you know it, you’ll be exchanging a bula (boo-lah) or three with the locals and setting your watch to Fiji time. Check into the five-star Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa on one of the mainland’s (Viti Levu) best beaches, Natadola, about an hour’s drive from the airport and spend a few days snorkelling, indulging in spa treatments at the award-winning spa and dining on locally sourced cuisine. Fiji Airways passengers can now check in for international flights at the Intercontinental, Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort and the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort and Spa (rolling out to other resorts this year) so you can skip the airport queues and spend more time poolside. See fiji.travel

THE ALTERNATIVE (NORTH) ASIA STOPOVER

Seoul-Australia-Seoul-Europe

Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul.Credit: iStock

Billed increasingly as the “new Tokyo”, the vibrant Korean capital is every bit as frenetic and exhilarating as its Japanese counterpart and more affordable. Give the credit card a workout at high-end boutiques or at Asia’s biggest underground shopping centre; hop between cool bars and get a glimpse into the city’s past. Explore the hip Cheongdam-dong and Apgujeong-dong (also known as Rodeo Drive) districts and visit the so-called Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that demarcates North and South. Incheon Airport offers more than a dozen free bus tours for travellers interested in Korean culture, art and architecture, shopping and more. Alternatively, stay put and explore one of the airport’s seven gardens, catch a movie or even go ice-skating. See koreanair.com; english.visitkorea.or.kr

THE AVOID-LAX-AT-ALL-COSTS STOPOVER

Australia-San Francisco-North America

Avoid LAX with a break in San Francisco.Credit: iStock

Victorian buildings, the Golden Gate Bridge and famous steep streets make the City by the Bay an enticing stopover prospect – not to mention avoiding the pain of entering the US via Los Angeles Airport (LAX). San Francisco International Airport, (SFO) is a mere 21 kilometres from downtown (by taxi or sky train) meaning you can pass through immigration and be slurping on a bowl of clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf in roughly 40 minutes. Jump on one of the city’s famous cable cars, dine at Michelin-star restaurants, hop on a cruise to Alcatraz and walk or cycle the Golden Gate Bridge. No time to leave the airport? Check into the Grand Hyatt at SFO and watch planes take off and land from your freestanding tub or over a vino at the bar. At SFO itself, admire more than 45 curated art spaces at the world’s first and only accredited airport museum or unfurl tight limbs in the yoga room. SFO boasts several eateries from downtown San Francisco so you can tuck into locally sourced produce before your onward connection to Canada, other US ports or Latin America. See sftravel.com

THE ALTERNATIVE (SOUTH-EAST) ASIAN STOPOVER

Sydney-Ho Chi Minh-Paris

Roses at Ho Chi Minh’s vibrant Ho Thi Ky flower market.Credit: iStock

Dive into Ho Chi Minh’s (also still known as Saigon) fabulous food scene, rooftop bars, historical landmarks and crazy traffic (11 million motorbikes and counting) enroute to Paris, France. Tuck into noodle soup with the locals at the Cambodia Market or try the city’s best Vietnamese pancake at Banh Xeo 46A. Browse the vibrant Ho Thi Ky flower market in HCMC’s District 10 and then watch the twinkling city lights over sundowners from one of the city’s fabulous rooftop bars. A Vespa Adventures’ tour is a great way to get among the country’s biggest metropolis. Be sure and book a hotel with a good pool (it’s hot year-round) like the elegant, French colonial-style Park Hyatt Saigon or Ibis Saigon Airport if you fancy being walking distance from the terminal. Don’t forget that you’ll need a single-entry e-visa for a stopover in Vietnam with Ho Chi Minh Airport about six kilometres from the airport. See vietnam.travel

THE (NOT INDIA) SUBCONTINENTAL STOPOVER

Melbourne-Colombo-Male

One trip, more destinations - a Hindu temple in Sri Lanka.Credit: iStock

Steeped in colonial history and a colourful spice and tea trade, a spirited revival gives ample reason to break your journey in Sri Lanka’s buzzing capital en route to the Maldives via its capital Male, or to be more precise, Male Velana International Airport. In Colombo, admire magnificent colonial buildings housing chic homeware stores, art galleries and department stores, take a tuk tuk (or three-wheeler) tour, hit the baffling Pettah Market, sip on a king coconut from a street vendor and visit the home of the late renowned local architect, Geoffrey Bawa. Before your onward journey to the Maldives’ idyllic shores, stretch your legs with a stroll along the seaside at Galle Face Green where kids fly kites and shy couples hold hands. You’ll find Ceylon Intercontinental Hotel on one side and the magnificent Galle Face Hotel on the other. Sri Lanka Airways flights between Australia and Male include transit accommodation at the airport. A visa is required to enter Sri Lanka. See srilanka.travel

THE OTHER PACIFIC PARADISE STOPOVER

Sydney-Honolulu-New York

Waikiki beach in Honolulu.Credit: iStock

Australians love the Big Apple but there is the matter of the 20-plus hour flight time. Reset on Waikiki’s fair shores, catch a hula show, tuck into a poke bowl then arrive in the city that never sleeps ready to roll. Passing through US customs and immigration in Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is relatively pain-free (especially compared with US hubs like LAX or Dallas-Fort Worth). Before you can say “aloha”, you’ll be on the famed Waikiki strip with a Mai Tai in hand, fragrant lei around your neck. Stay at one of Hawaii’s finest hotels, the Halekulani and stroll the verdant gardens with its magnificent century-old Kiawe tree and do the heart-pumping trek to Diamond Head - known as Le’ahi in Hawaiian; reservations required - for sweeping Honolulu vistas. If time permits, take a tour of the famed surfing beaches on Oahu’s North Shore. Australian travellers with a current Australian passport can stay for up to 90 days without a visa however as Hawaii is a US state you must get an ESTA. See gohawaii.com.au; hawaiianairlines.com.au

THE SURPRISING SOUTH-EAST ASIAN GOURMET STOPOVER

Melbourne-Manila-New York

Manila is a great city for foodies.Credit: Bloomberg

Filipino street food, Asia’s largest urban park and cocktails in an old airport tower are among the unexpected reasons to break your Big Apple holiday in Manila. Work up an appetite on a stroll around Intramuros, the old walled city housing most of the Spanish colonial-era landmarks or hire a bike and ride through La Mesa Eco Park – Manila’s last rainforest. A stroll through Rizal Park (Luneta), Asia’s largest urban park, is a must. Karrivin Plaza is an artistic enclave home to art spaces showcasing local and international contemporary art and Toyo Eatery, one of the Philippines’ best restaurants. Foodies will also love Salcedo market with its fresh local produce and some of the city’s best street food or follow the expats to fine diner Blackbird with its garden terrace in the art deco Nielson Tower, found in the city’s old airport tower. Manila’s traffic is notoriously bad (Grab rather than Uber operates here) so allow plenty of time or don’t stray too far from the airport. An army of airport hotels is available including the Hilton Manila with pool, swim-up bar, 24-hour gym and choice of restaurants and the Manila Manila, Philippines, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Marriott Hotel with elegant suites and rooms, tranquil Quan Spa and an alfresco pool overlooking the city. Many rooms overlook the runway and are within walking distance of the airport’s Terminal 3. See manila-airport.net; tourismphilippines.com.au

THE NORTH AMERICAN BEFORE-YOU-GO-STATESIDE STOPOVER

Australia-Vancouver-North America

Downtown Vancouver.Credit: iStock

The new twice-weekly Nadi-Vancouver service operated by Fiji Airways entices Australians to sample Vancouver’s rising culinary scene and nearby ski resorts - iconic Whistler Blackcomb is a mere 90 minutes away before travelling on to other parts of North America. Hemmed by snow-capped mountains one side: the Pacific the other, Vancouver is billed as a city where you can ski in the morning, stroll along a beach in the afternoon and dine at Michelin-starred restaurants at night. A 30-minute train or taxi ride will land you in downtown Vancouver (passing through immigration is straightforward) where you can admire an ever-expanding gallery of street art gallery in the burgeoning Mount Pleasant district, stroll along Coal Harbour and through Stanley Park and, if time permits, visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge, the world’s longest and highest pedestrian suspension bridge. Alternatively, simply break your onward journey at the luxurious 386-room Fairmont Vancouver Airport, considered one of the world’s best airport hotels and conveniently located above the US departures area. See destinationvancouver.com; destinationbc.ca

THE NOT DUBAI MIDDLE EAST STOPOVER

Australia-Doha-Europe

See cutting-edge architecture in Qatar including at the Museum of Islamic Art.Credit: iStock

Luxury hotels, upscale restaurants, the world’s largest Islamic art collection, desert dune bashing and more make Doha a fabulous alternative middle east stopover Ridiculously rich thanks to oil and gas, Qatar is also miniscule in size meaning you can drive from top to bottom in just over two hours while the airport is a 20-minute ride away. Marvel at the country’s cutting edge cutting-edge architecture including the National Museum of Qatar and Museum of Islamic Art . Lose yourself in the alleyways of the Doha’s Souq Waqif (on the site of an old Bedouin marketplace) with its open air cafes and restaurant and shops selling every conceivable spice and perfume and jump aboard a traditional dhow to admire the skyline of lofty skyscrapers from the Arabian Gulf. More time? Do a four-wheel drive tour of the dunes of Khor Al Adaid, home to the Arabian oryx (Qatar’s endangered national symbol) or opt for a sunset desert safari. Qatar Airways offers seriously enticing stopover packages at four star hotels from $20 per night. See qatarairways.com; visitqatar.com

THE CANTONESE CAPITAL STOPOVER

Sydney- Guangzhou-Europe

Guangzhou is home to the 604-metre twisting Canton Tower featuring the world’s highest outdoor observation deck.Credit: iStock

Stopover in the port city of Guangzhou – China’s economic powerhouse - for up to six days visa-free and eat your way through the capital of Cantonese cuisine. Visit temples and soaring towers, tuck into dim sum and duck down alleyways off Beijing Road for hidden markets. Perched at the mouth of the Pearl River, the city is home to the 604-metre twisting Canton Tower featuring the world’s highest outdoor observation deck from where at sundown you can view Guangzhou’s twinkling lights. Back at ground level, sample the city’s best dumplings at the 100-year-old Liwan Famous Eatery, do a food tour with local guides and visit the must-see Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, the Sacred Heart Cathedral (dubbed the Notre Dame of the East) and the fascinating Qingping Chinese Medicine Market. See gzly.gov.cn; csair.com.au

FIVE CLASSIC STOPOVER DESTINATIONS TO CONSIDER

Bangkok, Thailand

Explore Chinatown’s labyrinth of eat streets, visit gilded temples and take coffee at Instagrammable cafes. Transit hotels are available at the airport but if time permits opt for the elegant Anantara Siam with its gorgeous pool in the heart of Bangkok. See bangkokairportonline.com; tourismthailand.org; anantara.com

Dubai, UAE

Mega malls, theme parks, seven-star hotels, traditional souks, desert safaris, and even skiing and ice skating, make Dubai a worthy stopover to and from Europe. Dubai International Airport has paid lounges, a gym, a transit hotel and Scandinavian-style sleep and fly Sleep Lounges. See dubaiairports.ae; visitdubai.com

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Incense-tinged temples, frenzied hawker markets and towering skyscrapers beckon a break in your journey in this food and shopping hotspot. Visit lush KL Forest Eco Park, the city’s last tract of tropical rainforest and stay at the gracious Majestic Hotel. See airports.malaysiaairports.com.my; malaysia.travel; majestickl.com

Tokyo, Japan

Ryokans, cherry blossoms, incredible food, hidden alleyways and seeing the craziness of the Shibuya Crossing – not to mention Japan’s equidistance between Australia and Europe - makes Tokyo a perennial stopover favourite. See www.narita-airport.jp/en; www.japan.travel

Singapore

Singapore remains one of the world’s best - if not the best - stopover cities. No time to pass through customs? The multi-award-winning Changi Airport offers everything from spas, shopping, indoor waterfalls and mazes along with first-rate transit hotels. See changiairport.com; visitsingapore.com