Stopovers to Europe: Middle East vs Asia

By Amy Cooper

As an ancient Arabian proverb probably said: 'The jetlag is lightest when the first leg is longest.'

From down under to up above is one heck of a trek - 21 hours minimum. How to emerge in optimum shape? Bite off a big chunk first.

Flying from Australia to Europe via Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, or even Doha in Qatar, swallows a hefty two-thirds of your journey upfront.

With 14 hours already travelled, your body can adjust in your desert oasis with just a couple more time zones to your final destination.

Had you split your trip further back, you'd hardly be past the start, with that long second leg looming like a smog cloud over your Asian setdown.

Australians almost live in Asia, and its hubs have a neighbourly familiarity that can't quite compare with the Middle East's alluring promise of the exotic, faraway and foreign.

A frenetic souk, the heady scent of oud and the other-worldly desert sandscape; these are the realms of genies and three wishes, Aladdin and Ali Baba.

You can fill 48 hours with One Thousand and One Nights of Arabian magic - and it's a spell that supersizes.

For masterpieces-per-metre, the Middle East reigns supreme. The new Louvre Abu Dhabi has artworks from every period and civilisation within its 9200 square metres.

There's a Guggenheim coming, too. Doha's Museum of Islamic Art has the world's largest Islamic art collection, spanning Spain to China.

You can overdose on adrenaline on hundreds of record-breaking rides at Dubai's embarrassment of theme parks - from Legoland to Wild Wadi Waterpark - or go full-throttle on the world's fastest roller coaster at Abu Dhabi's Ferrari World.

From the world's tallest building, Dubai's 828m Burj Khalifa, to the world's largest hand-knotted carpet in Abu Dhabi's enormous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the scale's majestic.

And, of course, so is the bling. These are the destinations that took the concept of opulence, wrapped it in 24-carat gold and studded it with fist-sized diamonds. If it's got five stars, it's probably a roadside motel.

By the time you read this, even the seven stars of Burj Al Arab - Dubai's iconic sail-shaped hotel - might be a mere blip in the galaxy.

In the Middle East, even the sky is no limit - most of all in those ethereal dunes at night, gazing up at a vast jewel box you'd never fully see from crowded Asian metropolises.

The desert, however, is the real drawcard here, and even when you've marvelled at the newest, highest, fastest, shiniest experiences the Middle East offers, its most ancient spectacle will awe you even more.

By Mal Chenu

Turning your stopover into a sleepover effectively adds another holiday to your European holiday. The chance to explore colourful streets, temples, beaches and restaurants instead of duty-free perfume shops and bad airport cafés should be a no-brainer.

And Asia is the place to do it. As Cathay Pacific used to tell us: 'You'd have to be bonkers not to go via Honkers'.

Asia is ideally located to break up the long flight from Australia, whereas stopping off in the Middle East is like driving from Melbourne to Sydney with a stopover in Parramatta.

Asia abounds with brilliant stopover possibilities. You could visit the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok; take in the cherry blossoms, a sumo bout and Sensoji Temple in Tokyo; visit Petronas Twin Towers and Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur, or discover the eclectic streets of Ho Chi Minh City and New Delhi.

Beyond the cities, each village and region offers further sightseeing and cultural immersions. Take your pick - and pick your stop - according to whether you prefer multi-hued coral reefs, craggy karst mountains, tiers of impossibly green paddy fields or a river cruise on the Mekong.

Endless tantalising alternatives spread out before you like the courses in a Cantonese banquet. On the other hand, just beyond the air-conditioned buildings of your Middle Eastern city stopover, there's endless, baking sand.

Temperatures can soar to 50 degrees celsius in the Gulf, while Asia's warmth is perfectly suited for a dip at the beach. Or in the pool at the hotel of your choice, where again you have many styles and price points in many cities.

You could spend a few nights at Raffles Singapore, ending your day with a Singapore Sling in the legendary Long Bar. Or you might stay at Wanda Reign on the Bund in Shanghai, or in a ryokan overlooking Mount Fuji in Japan.

Asia's multifaceted cultural traditions and customs are organic and of their place (unlike others we could mention; I'm looking at you, penguins at Ski Dubai) and souvenirs such as a fine silk scarf or Japanese tea set will be elegant reminders of your short sojourn.

So, just book your Asian stopover and don't souk about it. You'd be bonkers not to.