Getting to Europe is an arduous slog if you don’t stopover at least once on the way. For most Australian travellers, this means spending a few days in the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok or Dubai.
Fine if you want to visit those destinations, but for frequent flyers and those who want to visit somewhere a little different, there are other options. By taking a punt on more obscure airlines or being prepared to add a few hours to the trip, there are some relatively untouched destinations that you can stop over in. Such as…
Réunion
A taste of France in the Indian Ocean, Réunion is to the east of Madagascar and to the south-west of Mauritius. Regarded as an integral part of France, this was where the first euros were ever spent, and now there are attempts being made to market it as a tourist destination.
Amongst the first people to catch on are birdwatchers – there are thousands of rare birds that call the island home – and walkers – the volcanoes of the island’s interior are awesome.
Réunion has been dubbed a miniature version of Hawai’i (although it’s more ooh la la than aloha) and there’s a surprising amount packed into such a small area. The island has city life, giant lava fields, quality beaches and plenty of action activities such as horse-riding and mountain biking.
Who with? Air Austral.
Taiwan
To most of us, little is known about the island formerly known as Formosa aside from the ‘Made in Taiwan’ label on toys and electronic goods.
Those of us who hazard to guess a little more tend to see Taiwan as a heavily industrialised, urban state. Sure, this applies to the capital Taipei, but the clue is that the Portuguese called it Ilha Formosa – which means beautiful island. Much of it is undeveloped wilderness, crammed with towering mountains. Once out of the cities, Taiwan is a bit of an outdoor-lover’s playground.
And for those with a shorter timeframe, Taipei itself has a few cool quick fixes. Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world until the Burj Dubai topped it, and the National Palace Museum hosts an enormous collection of ancient Chinese artefacts and artworks.
Who with? EVA.
Mauritius
Mauritius is almost a byword for luxury resorts and high-end holidays, but there’s more to it than spending a fortune to get pampered.
Many visitors come to lounge around on white sand beaches and gawp at lagoons, but the forested interior boasts National Parks and adventure for those wanting more.
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Mauritius is the culture – it’s a real mix of African, Indian and French. This leads to some fascinating markets and awesome restaurants.
The island is also something of a diving hotspot.
Who with? Air Mauritius.
Johannesburg
And then there’s the African option. Jo’burg is the gateway to the continent, and on a longer stopover, it’d be possible to take in the likes of the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the massive sand dunes of Namibia and Victoria Falls. But if you’ve only got a few days, Johannesburg has a fair bit to offer. Highlights include the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City where you can you can get to grips with South Africa’s massive gold mining industry.
For those wanting to get a feeling for the South Africa beyond the gated-off hotels, it’s possible to go on a tour of the Soweto township – or, even better, stay there.
Who with? Qantas/ British Airways.
Brunei
Something of an Asian oddity, Brunei is entirely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the huge island of Borneo.
Ruled by the one of the richest men in the world – the Sultan of Brunei – the country manages to be a mix of low-key Islamic culture, cute little water villages and stunning rainforest.
Speedboat trips, enormous mosques and museums related to the cashed-up sultan are amongst the highlights – and there’s certainly enough to keep visitors occupied of for a couple of days on a stopover.
Who with? Royal Brunei Airlines.
Other options
There are direct flights to both Vancouver (with Air Canada) and Buenos Aires (Qantas/ BA) from Sydney and London. However, they tend to be prohibitively expensive if just being used as a stop-over unless bought as part of a round-the-world ticket.
This article was originally written for Ninemsn.
Copyright David Whitley
