Our Stopovers

Fifty years ago, when Qantas began its Kangaroo flights from London to Sydney on prop-driven Constellations, the journey took 94 hours and involved stops in Rome, Tripoli, Cairo, Calcutta, Singapore and Darwin. Today the trip can be done in under 20 hours with just one brief stop to take on fuel and a fresh team of horses.
 
But what's the rush? Despite the speed and range of modern aircraft, more than half the people who now go on holiday to Australia and New Zealand choose to give themselves a proper break along the way. Since Australia and New Zealand lie on the far side of the globe, the advantages of making a pit stop, especially once the lion's share of the mileage and the worst of the time zones are in your rear-view mirror, are obvious. But there's more to be had from a two or three-day break in one of the vibrant Asian cities - or maybe in Dubai, Los Angeles or on a South Sea island - than the welcome physical rest. You can choose your emphasis, from historic sights and cut-price shopping to exotic food and fabulous beaches.
 
Here are our top suggestions for taking time out along the way. To keep things simple, we are recommending just two hotels in each, one at the top of the pile and one in a more modest league. It's an added bonus that in most of our chosen stopovers, even the most luxurious hotels are far less budget-busting than those stars would suggest.