Stopover from Australia? Singapore, Hong Kong or somewhere else?

[NewZealandintherain]

Hi all, we’re flying back from Australia in July. Just my husband and I. Thinking about a stopover for a couple of nights.

We’ve been to Hong Kong 10 years ago and loved it. I would go again. Or Singapore. We haven’t been to Singapore. Not fussed about Kuala Lumpur.

Anyone got any recommendations? Thanks.

Depends on your airline. They have set stops. Singapore airlines will stop in Singapore. Depends on where in Australia you land as to which airlines use those airports,

Used to be able to have more of a choice pre-covid, now the airlines have stopped some routes.

Thanks.We’ve not booked yet so can choose. We’ll be flying back from Cairns and I think we can fly to Singapore or HK directly.

Singapore, Hong Kong or Middle East are the more typical stopover destinations. You can of course chose a route via Tokyo or Seoul for something a bit different, but all of Asia is crazy hot in July. It is also possible to route through the US but it takes longer. I am considering routing through Mauritius next trip, but you have to enter/depart through Perth. We have also gone to the Maldives twice on the way back to the UK, but you have to stop in either KL, Bangkok or Singapore before travelling on to the Maldives, it can be done but it's more of a faff. All my in-laws live in Australia, so we do the trip every few years.

If you've visited HK 10 years ago I'd probably go via Singapore as there's not that much new stuff in HK since 2014 apart from M+ and the new waterpark (not sure if you have dc), and some stuff, like the markets, aren't as good as they were tbh. Singapore is a nice trip for a few days- botanical gardens and the night safari.

Singapore is great for a stopover.

Also if you only have a few hours there is a swimming pool airside attached to a hotel, also airside. It does not cost too much to rent a towel, have a swim and shower and a bit of sunbathing. A perfect break between two long flights.

Loads of shopping obviously. The Jewel shopping centre at the airport is something silly like fifteen storeys, a waterfall in the middle and over 100 restaurants.

Worth visiting as a complete change to modern Singapore, and not far from the airport, is the Changi Prison Museum, on the site of the Japanese prisoner camp. Very moving.

I loved Singapore - 3 nights was perfect

What about the other way via New York. Direct flight from Sydney.

Singapore all day.

We just spent 3 days in Singapore at the end of a cruise- loved it, loads to do but also plenty of fab hotel options. Fairly pricey but in a way that all big cities are. Taxis similar to London prices but the buses were ridiculously cheap. Clean, friendly people.

Thanks everyone. Singapore sounds good. I loved the craziness of HK. It was so diverse and interesting. Is Singapore more like KL?

I’d prefer SE Asia to the Middle East or the United States. Korea would also be cool, but I’ve heard the airline is pretty bad.

Likes others I’d recommend Singapore.

If you do decide to try elsewhere much further afield such as Seoul, HKG etc, then just be aware that with the world as it is (and associated airspace closures) you might be setting yourself up for a very very long flight from wherever you chose in the Far East into Europe. Might be a factor worth considering, might not.

The only problem with a Singapore stopover is that it doesn't split the flight in half, it's, what, 6 hours to Singapore from Cairns, then a completely hellish 15 hours from Singapore to UK.

Can you get a flight to Shanghai from Cairns? It splits the flight times better and a friend went to Shanghai earlier this year and had a great time.

We have just got back from Sydney. Flew Singapore airlines and stayed 2 nights in Sing. Not sure what the weather is like in in July but it was very hot and humid whilst we were there. It’s nice and 2/3 nights is more than enough. There’s usually a light show at the Bay of the Gardens which you can do the day you land and then go back during the day to do the Botanical gardens ( we didn’t go during the day as we had done Botanical gardens in Sydney Melbourne and Adelaide so we’re done lol)
we ate at the Hawker markets -food is amazing. Trains and buses are cheap and easy. For us Sing isn’t a walking city just because it was so hot and humid. Next time we go to Oz we will go through HK so we can see that.
FYI you have to download my ica app and complete the form within 3 days of travel. We did it for both ways. Changi airport is amazing and the best immigration experience ever.
Enjoy your hols!

Singapore every time and I have done HK and ME.

Agree with Singapore. If you don’t stay in the centre then hotels are quite reasonable. Food is pennies in hawker markets so if you mix up where you eat, it can be quite reasonable. The MTR is air conditioned and cheap.

We stayed in Village Hotel Katong for a similar length stay over last year. Location was influenced by friends living nearby but it was actually very convenient - close to the foreshore and half way between the airport and city, with good MTR links. They let us check in at 9am!

Singapore and HK are very different with Singapore feeling a bit less chaotic. For me, I’d pick HK if you want to explore some of the more remote areas, which is easy to do if you stay somewhere like Sai Kung (there is a great new hotel there). I’d probably stay 3 nights. Singapore if you want to shop.

Cairns to Perth then Perth to LHR. It’s very different here from Cairns.

@W0tnow i did love the craziness of HK. Everyone always says Singapore is so clean but I don’t care about that really.

Hi, we’ve friends in Perth so will definitely do that trip another time. I really fancy a quick SE Asia trip.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like it’s between Singapore and HK. For those that have been to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, how do they compare?

Been to all three. Singapore very recently. My choice would be KL.

Singapore Airlines flies direct from Cairns which might be useful for you. Loved Port Douglas and the Daintree Forest. Hired a car and driving is very easy, they drive on the same side of the road as the UK. Crocs everywhere on riverbeds. It’s not dangerous and they Aussie sense of humour is wonderful.

If I had to choose between KL and Sing I would choose Sing. It’s far more efficient when if you have limited time that’s what you want.

I went to the UK via Singapore in July/August. It’s good for a stopover if you've never been. I’m not a fan of the place, whereas HK is one of my favourite cities.

If you’re like me, everything you love about HK is absent from Singapore. I find it soulless and sanitised.

I know all three. Singapore is the most accessible. Clean, organised, good transport, English speaking. Perfect for three days, but perhaps not to live. Population is a mix of Malay Chinese and Indian so food is varied and interesting.

KL is a pain for three days. The airport is quite a distance, public transport is patchy and traffic jams can be bad. It started out as a mining town, so though I love Malaysia, KL is not a great cultural hub, and really hard to get around or out of. KL is also inland so sweatier.

Read a guide book first and plan. Singapore's Indian quarter is frequented by the many migrant workers so retains its cheap shops and restaurants. There is a Malay quarter with a good museum and some authentic coffee shops. The botanic gardens (forget name) are impressive. There are also some flash cocktail bars etc. Singapore is unique and worth visiting for that alone.

@Gorgonemilezola

That almost certainly won’t work ATM if you fly with an airline that can’t/won’t use Russian airspace, though who knows what the state of play will be next summer…so the OP would need to exercise due diligence.

The current flight times Shanghai>London with some airlines are up at around 15 hours because of the very extended routing most western operators are using, hence my comment in a pp.

FWIW due to the geography places like Singapore, KUL and Bangkok are potentially the least affected.