Stopover cities worth adding to your holiday

When you’re planning a long-haul holiday, the connection between flights can feel like something to get through. But with a few extra nights, that airport stop could become dinner beside Singapore’s waterfront, a ferry ride across Hong Kong harbour or an evening exploring Bangkok’s food stalls.

A stopover gives you the chance to try somewhere new without dedicating your whole holiday to it. It can also bring a different experience into the trip, adding city life before a beach stay or a few comfortable nights between longer flights.

The best choice depends on where you’re heading and what you’d enjoy doing along the way. These six cities offer very different reasons to step outside the airport.

Singapore: an easy first taste of Asia

Singapore is a strong choice if you’re new to Asia or want a short stay that’s easy to navigate. You can experience several sides of the city in a few days, from Marina Bay’s striking skyline to the shophouses, cafés and street art around Kampong Gelam. The pleasure is in making time for both, rather than spending the whole visit around the best-known landmarks.

Food gives the days a natural shape. Breakfast might lead into a neighbourhood walk, lunch could be a chance to try something at a hawker centre, and the evening might take you back towards the waterfront. Leave space between those outings for Gardens by the Bay or simply enjoying your hotel.

We’d allow around three nights, particularly after an overnight flight. Singapore fits naturally into a range of journeys towards Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand with Singapore Airlines, subject to the route and ticket conditions. It’s a particularly appealing way to add a city stay before heading somewhere quieter.

Dubai: when the hotel is part of the holiday

Dubai suits travellers who want their stopover to include some proper downtime. A beachfront hotel can make the stay feel like a short holiday in its own right, with a few outings arranged around swimming, meals and time to recover from the journey.

There’s more to explore than the skyline. A trip to Dubai Creek, including a crossing on a traditional abra, gives you a different perspective on the city. You can spend time around the souks, then return to the hotel without trying to squeeze every attraction into one day.

We’d consider three nights if you want both sightseeing and time by the water. Hotel location deserves thought here: staying by the beach creates a different experience from staying close to the Creek or Downtown. Emirates offers planned Dubai stopovers, but they should be considered when arranging the flights, as adding one later can involve fare changes.

Doha: museums and an evening in the souq

Doha lends itself to a shorter cultural stop. The Museum of Islamic Art and National Museum of Qatar give you two very different ways to explore the country’s history and collections, while the waterfront provides a striking setting between visits. You don’t need a long list of plans to fill a couple of days.

An evening at Souq Waqif is worth leaving unhurried. Browse the shops, stop to look at the artwork and find somewhere for dinner as the air cools. It gives the stay a different feel from spending all your time between a hotel and major attractions.

Two or three nights would be our starting point. Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar offer stopover packages for eligible journeys through Doha, so it’s worth checking whether one fits your flights. For both Doha and Dubai, the season and current regional travel advice need to inform the decision; summer heat also changes how comfortably you can explore outdoors.

Hong Kong: for travellers who want to get out and explore

Hong Kong is somewhere we’d give a little more time. Its appeal goes beyond a single view or attraction, and a short stay becomes more rewarding when you can explore different neighbourhoods, eat widely and take a journey on the water.

Start with dim sum, then let the day unfold between busy streets and the harbour. A Star Ferry crossing offers a change of perspective, while another day might take you towards the hills or an outlying island. There’s enough variety to make three or four nights feel well spent, especially if you enjoy discovering a city on foot and by public transport.

Hong Kong is particularly relevant to journeys with Cathay Pacific through its hub, including connections between the UK and New Zealand. We’d choose it when the stopover itself is something you’re excited to explore, and give it enough time to become a substantial part of the holiday.

Bangkok: a lively beginning before the beach

Bangkok brings an immediate change of pace. Boats pass along the river, temple courtyards offer a pause from the streets outside, and deciding what to eat can occupy a happy amount of your attention.

A few carefully chosen outings work better than repeatedly crossing the city. You could explore Wat Pho and the riverside area one day, then leave another for neighbourhood walks and food. A riverside hotel is worth considering if you like the idea of watching the city from the water as well as exploring it.

We’d allow three nights before continuing to Thailand’s beaches or elsewhere on a suitable regional route. Bangkok can also fit selected longer journeys through the Thai Airways network. It’s a good choice when you want the city portion of your holiday to be full of flavour and activity, followed by a slower stay.

Kuala Lumpur: a stop built around food

Kuala Lumpur deserves consideration if meals are one of your favourite ways to discover somewhere. You can spend an evening around Jalan Alor, explore Chinatown the next day and find plenty of reasons to stop and eat along the way. Malay, Chinese and Indian influences give a short visit considerable variety.

The Petronas Twin Towers provide the familiar skyline, but it’s worth making room for more than a photograph. A visit to Batu Caves, outside the city, adds a different setting, with Hindu shrines beneath towering limestone. We’d spread these outings across two or three nights so there’s time to enjoy the neighbourhoods between them.

Kuala Lumpur can work within Malaysia Airlines journeys between the UK and destinations in Asia or Australia, including Sydney. It also makes sense as an introduction to a longer Malaysian holiday, giving you a city stay before continuing elsewhere in the country.

Making the stop worth your time

Three nights is often a useful starting point, but the flight timings matter as much as the number of nights. Arriving early and departing late gives you a very different stay from reaching the hotel near midnight and leaving before breakfast. Hotel location and access to your room on arrival can make a considerable difference, too.

We’d also consider where the stop belongs in the wider holiday. On the outward journey, it can provide a break between flights and a chance to explore before reaching your main destination. On the return, it might be a final few days of good food and sightseeing before home. Neither automatically solves jet lag, so the pace should leave room to rest.

A stopover needs to be built into the booking, with the fare, entry requirements and onward flights checked together. Airline hotel offers can be useful, but they have conditions and aren’t automatically included with every connection.

At Departure Lounge, we can look at those details alongside the rest of your holiday. The aim is to give you enough time to enjoy somewhere you might otherwise fly straight past — and another part of the journey to look forward to.