Where could we visit on the way to New Zealand?

[Curlewwoohoo]

Early stages of planning a trip to NZ to see my dad and his family on South Island. Will be me and dh with kids who are 6 & 9yo currently. Thinking to go this time next year, or the one after. Where could we stop to break up the trip? The ideal would be a couple of day lay up where the airport is convenient to see some sights. I would love the kids to experience a different culture. Even better if it helps with jet lag and flight prices, not sure if that's possible!

Singapore

Would suggest Singapore too. Plenty of flights and safe and easy with kids that age. Enough to do for a couple of days.

Another vote for Singapore!

100% Singapore.

We travelled to South Island in August 2014. Our children were 9,12 and 15. We stopped over in Dubai just for a few hours which was roughly 7 hour flight.Then Singapore for 2 nights ( brilliant) another 7 hours.Brisbane for 6 nights, which was another 7 hours flight. Was 3.5 I think from Brisbane to Queenstown NZ. Loved every minute of our trip. Hope to go again one day. Have a great time

Another vote for Singapore, mine were y5 and y7 and loved it when we stopped on the way to Aus.

Surprised by all the love for Singapore, what's there to see? In my head it's just skyscrapers? Probably completely wrong I've never looked it up!

I used to fly back and forth quite a lot.

Singapore is fine but a little dull if you ask me.

Hong Kong is great and feels very different to the UK and you can see a lot in a long weekend.

I've also stopped over in LA (flights were more expensive this way and I would not particularly recommend LA as it takes ages to get about).

I've also stopped over in Brunei once which was fine . I only did this way as the flights were cheaper so I didn't really try to look around much.

You might be better off just sucking it up and going direct. As the jet lag and tiredness are still significant on a stop over.

We've just come back from Aus via Singapore. The gardens by the bay in Singapore are genuinely brilliant and will fill a day. There's also universal studios / zoo/ river park etc so enough to do and an easy introduction to a different culture.

We did Singapore on the way out (ok if you like shopping but would have preferred Hong Kong -- Singapore is like being in a laundrette and all the women are so beautifully dressed that I felt like a sweaty, crumpled heap!) and San Francisco on the way back, which we both enjoyed very much, but we had been there several times before so knew what things we'd like.

We did this regularly when I was a child as used to live in NZ. We used to stop in Singapore or LA. LA is good with kids those ages as you can do Disney, Universal etc. I did not appreciate Singapore at that age, just wanted to stay in swimming pool while parents wanted to drag us out sightseeing.

Various routes out -

Los Angeles works but the airport is not fun. There is stuff to see but the traffic is a nightmare

Dubai is possible - never been that way

Singapore is most popular - there is a Zoo and various other things to fill a few days

Could also do more exotic routes like Bangkok etc.

Singapore was great. We stayed two nights at a Changi airport hotel and visited the Bukit Timah nature reserve to see monkeys, the Gardens by the Bay, and Pasir Ris park, all on the train lines. Barely noticed the skyscrapers.

Singapore:
Jewel at the airport (tons of stuff for children)
Universal Studios on Sentosa
Singapore Zoo/Night Safari/Bird Paradise/River Wonders
Gardens by the Bay

Most common and cost-effective flight route is usually Auckland via Doha. However, you can go via JFK (we are coming back that way later this year).

We did LA and then the Cook Islands on route!

We did Singapore for the airport, but took the train into Malaysia. It was a long trip so had 2 nights in Singapore outbound, 5 weeks in NZ and 3 weeks in Malaysia homebound.
Malaysia is fab - lots to see, different culture, different food.

We stopped over in Japan. Took the train to the Japanese Alps to see the snow monkeys. Went skiing the next morning before catching the train back to Tokyo. New Zealand was a bit of an anticlimax after that stop-over. Admittedly, it was my second visit to NZ but Japan was amazing, we stopped there on the way home too but visiting the snow monkeys was an absolute highlight.

Another vote for Singapore, done it twice on travel in that direction and stayed for 3 nights both times. Super safe and clean, with lots of things to see and do!

Singapore for me too. You can also go over the bridge into Malaysia.

Food in Singapore is amazing too.

I would go via LA and go to Disneyland - most kids would love it at that age.

Singapore!

I was cabin crew for years. I’d pick Hong Kong over Singapore any day. Singapore is lovely and has plenty to see, but it’s so man made and characterless. Very clean and safe though. Hong Kong feels more real. Has beautiful countryside and beaches, plus the big city.

Unless you have 3 months or so, I'd fly direct. (Well, you change somewhere, but do all the traveling in one day).
Get the advantage of the extra time there.

I agree with PP. I found Hong Kong had more character.