Choosing a Stop Off Destination For Travel From Australia
A trip to Australia needs careful planning as it is a long way from any other continent. Travel times are usually very long (22 hours from Europe and 14 hours from the US.) A great option is to include a stop off on the way or way back from Australia. Alternatively you could stay longer and visit another country in the southern hemisphere.
This solution won’t work for everyone though. You need at least 3 weeks to visit Australia so adding on a couple of 3 night stop offs will sadly reduce your time too much. One stop off for a couple of days however could be manageable.
So a stop off is a good idea and many choose to take a few days in Asia. It’s a good option as most of the flights from Europe stop to refuel in Asia so there is generally a very limited cost to including a stop off to your flight. It is also a great way to get you over the jet lag and break up the flight. See below for my stop off recommendations:
Bangkok and Thailand
Many Australians choose this destination for a holiday or a stop off on their way to Europe. There are a few operators flying to Thailand which keeps the prices reasonable. Plus, Thailand is still relatively inexpensive when you arrive.
Here are some suggestions as to what to do whilst in Bangkok:
1) Grand Palace. is high up on most tourists agendas. It is where the King of Thailand used to live but now it is just used for special occasions. Whilst you can’t actually go inside the buildings, the outside is beautiful enough to admire.
2) Visit The Wat Sai Floating Market by barge. You can pick one up outside the Grand Palace and try and get one that will take you to the Royal Barges Museum too. The boats here are beautiful and have been used for the King.
3) Chatuchak Weekend Market The place to shop in Bangkok. It has everything here including restaurants too. Go early to avoid the heat and the crowds (opens from 7am)
4) If you would like to see more of Bangkok, then take a Segway Tour. This is a tour with a difference as you will be on a 2 wheeled electronic device. They are easy to use and they give you a real sense of freedom as you cruise the streets of Bangkok.
5) Enjoy the nightlife. A night in Bangkok is usually good value and we’ve all heard of the lady boy shows etc. Bars are a plentiful and generally offer a good night out.
If you would rather head to the beaches of Thailand then consider the area around Phuket. Jet Star fly directly to and from Phuket from Sydney and at certain times of the year there are special reduced fares.
Phuket is not for everyone though. This place is like Ibiza but in Asia. It’s big, very touristy and full of pubs, bars and restaurants. If you’d rather have a quieter experience then the areas around Phuket are lovely. Phi Phi Island is a popular day trip from Phuket but you can stay here instead. It is close to where they filmed the movie “The Beach.”
There are plenty of other stop over destinations that can’t be explored in this article. Other recommendations include Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. If you are heading to or from the US, then consider the beautiful islands of Fiji as an alternative to Asia.
If you have more time and are planning a longer trip to Australia (months rather than weeks) then I’d recommend combining your trip with New Zealand or even Bali. Flight times from Australia are only a few hours.
Jennifer Schellington has nearly half a decade of experience in travelling Australia and has recently had a baby. Her site, www.realaustraliatravel.com offers practical information for planning your visit to Australia as well as where to go and what to do. Click here for more details on Stop off destinations and travel from Australia
