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5 airports that offer free city tours during a stopover

<p>Cheap airfares are great when you can get them, but when you reach your stopover destination, you might find yourself with more hours to kill than you expected. Well, why not think of your layover as a chance to tick another destination off the bucket list? Leave the crowded, uncomfortable and expensive airport and go on a free tour of your stopover city. Here are five destinations where you can do just that and return to the airport in time for your connecting flight.</p> <ol start="1"> <li><strong>Singapore</strong> – Singapore’s Changi airport is a marvel itself, but the city is something everyone should see in their lifetime. The City Sights and Heritage tours run six times a day, showing off all the highlights of this incredible city. To book, head to Transfer Lounge F in Terminal 2 or Transfer Lounge A in Terminal 3.</li> <li><strong>Taipei</strong> – If you have between seven and 24 hours to spare upon landing at Taoyuan airport, you can see all the sights of Taiwan’s capital city for free. There are two tours on offer each day, which can be booked upon arrival at the Tourist Service Centre in the Arrival Lobbies of Terminals 1 and 2.</li> <li><strong>Tokyo</strong> – All you need is five hours at Narita Airport to see some of Narita’s most beautiful sights, including the stunning Narita-san Shinso-Ji Temple. Register for one of five different tours at the Narita Transit Tourism Counter in Terminals 1 and 2 between the hours of 9 am and 12 pm.</li> <li><strong>Doha</strong> – Qatar’s intriguing, bustling capital boasts some incredible architecture, art and culture. Anyone arriving between 4 am and 7 pm with a layover time of five to 12 hours is eligible. Simply visit the Dohar City Tour desk between the departures board, Chanel/Dior duty free store and a store named Marmalade.</li> <li><strong>Istanbul</strong> – Turkey’s east-meets-west capital city has one of the busiest airports in the world – Ataturk. If you’ve got six or more hours to spare, you can sign up for the free “touristanbul” tour which takes you to some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Upon arrival, look for the Hotel Desk (located next to Starbucks) in the international arrivals hall.</li> </ol>

International Travel

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6 rules to get the most out of a stopover

<p>Singapore's population is made up by roughly 75 per cent Chinese, 15 per cent Malaysian, and 7.5 per cent Indian.  The place to buy stolen goods in this muggy metropolis used to be the (creatively titled) Sungei Road Thieves markets, and back in the day in the city-state's Little India district the shopkeepers battled their colonial leaders to let their stalls spill out into the street.</p> <p>These ultimately useless facts cemented themselves firmly on my brain halfway through my third go-around on the city's hop-on, hop-off bus tour.  I sat on the top deck, with all the enthusiasm of a dad dragged along to his kid's school play.  What fun.  On any other holiday I would look down on those sunburn-bound hordes manically clicking away on cameras from the top deck, but today the sodden seat of the Singapore hop-on hop-off tour was my saviour.</p> <p>Of course, it was never supposed to be like this. "Two overnight flights with 18 hours in Singapore is just making the most of my journey back to London," I had foolishly thought two days earlier.  After 11 hours crammed down the back on an overnight flight, I landed at the much-lauded Changi airport.</p> <p>The airport's add-ons such as a rooftop swimming pool, butterfly house, shops, and restaurants suddenly countered for naught as I struggled with the most basic of tasks.  I stumbled into the arrivals hall at Terminal 3 and headed to the pay-per-use lounge.  I had no idea what they charged me, I didn't care – I needed to dump my luggage and settle in to a dark 3x3 cube away from crying babies, seat recline rebels, and stale bread rolls.  The list of "must-dos" in Singapore coincidently shrunk in correlation with my lack of sleep.  That little dim-lit oasis was a life-saver and I still can't fathom why these innovations are reserved for only the mega-hubs of the travel world.</p> <p>Eventually I did manage to peel myself off the tour bus seat, and dined on chilli garlic crab and dim sum in Chinatown, walked around Boat Quay and the famous Raffles Hotel (sans Singapore Sling), check out the futuristic Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands, but if it hadn't been for a three-hour recharge in the airport's Haven Lounge I may still now be zombie-eyed on the Singapore hop-on hop-off tour bus doing my 50th loop.</p> <p>Given New Zealand's isolation, many routes to Europe, the Americas, and Africa require a transit through a hub city, which can be easily elongated into a stopover: simply build a route using the multi-booking option through an airfare website such as Skyscanner or Kayak, and push your travel dates out a bit to allow for a day or two in the transit city.  Travel agents can also come in handy if your itinerary is more complicated or you want to investigate your stopover options.</p> <p>The point of a stopover is often to rejuvenate, but this can be more trouble than it's worth if you have to worry about entry or transit visas.  The US and Canada require a bit of online form-filling and fee-paying for transiting (all the more reason to make the most of it and leave the airport).  You'll need an ETSA or ETA, respectively.  Quick stopovers through Chinese ports Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou are now easier with a 72-hour transit visa on arrival.  Always check before you fly because, as with Air New Zealand via LAX, you may not even be allowed to board without the correct, completed entry clearance.</p> <p>Sue Matson, the general manger of retail at Flight Centre, also recommended checking that the airport and airline allow you to even leave the airport transit lounge (this can be complicated further if your luggage is checked through to your final destination).</p> <p>Matson said: "The distance from the airport to the city is a big oversight many travellers make.  Paris Beauvais Airport for example is 88km for central Paris so a quick trip into the Eiffel tower could be a costly and timely exercise."</p> <p>Despite my sub-par start to Singapore, Matson said the Asian hub is a perennial stopover favourite, along with recent addition Dubai, owing to their weary-traveller focus – cue the in-airport hotels, 24-hour malls and pay-per-use lounges.</p> <p>House of Travel 's Ken Freer suggested thinking first about the kind of stopover you'd like and time you have, before locking in a transit city. "Different destinations cater to rest, exploring, or just a long period in an airport, so knowing what you want out of a stopover will be crucial to where you go and how long you stay."</p> <p><strong>What to know before planning a stopover:</strong></p> <ol> <li>When booking online or through an agent, you can often extend a transit into a stopover at no extra cost – so ask.</li> <li>If stopping off in the US or Canada, you'll need to fill out online clearance forms and pay a fee.</li> <li>Eight hours is probably the minimum time needed to leave the airport, explore, and then return on time for your departing flight.</li> <li>Always be conservative when assessing transport times into the city.  Stopover cities with excellent transport links (e.g. Singapore and Hong Kong) can save your stress levels.</li> <li>Airlines, and even airports, offer stopover discounts on tours, transport, activities, and even hotels – my Singapore tour bus-come-napping spot was half price due to my Singapore Airlines boarding pass.</li> <li>Adding a stopover city to your trip will likely mean adding another currency to your wallet or travel card, so stock up to avoid credit card fees per purchase.</li> </ol> <p>Have you ever had a memorable stopover? Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em>Written by Josh Martin. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong><em>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need. <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">To arrange a quote, click here.</span></a> For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/12-expert-ways-to-manage-stress-at-airports/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">12 expert ways to manage stress at airports</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/tips-for-getting-through-the-airport-stress-free/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">5 tips for getting through the airport stress-free</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/10-clever-and-creative-ways-to-pass-time-on-a-layover/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 clever and creative ways to pass time on a layover</strong></em></span></a></p>

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10 clever and creative ways to pass time on a layover

<p>After a lengthy flight, knowing you’re going to be stuck in transit for a few hours (or even longer) before another lengthy flight can be quite a daunting prospect.</p> <p>But instead of spending hours staring vacantly onto the tarmac, there’s much more you can do! We’re going to look at 10 ways you can entertain yourself while on a layover. These 10 creative tips will ensure you’re never bored when stuck in transit.</p> <p><strong>1. Go for a stroll</strong></p> <p>The design and setup of modern airports is endlessly fascinating, and a casual stroll around the terminal can be a nice way to stretch your legs after a long haul.</p> <p><strong>2. Send some postcards</strong></p> <p>You’re never going to get a better opportunity on your trip to send some snail mail, so head to the gift shop, pick out some postcards and a pen and get writing!</p> <p><strong>3. Get some shuteye</strong></p> <p>If you’re the sort of person who struggles sleeping on a flight, a layover is the perfect opportunity to have a quick catnap (if you don’t mind the airport carpet).</p> <p><strong>4. Organise your carry-on luggage</strong></p> <p>If you’re bag has become a tangled mess from retrieving passports and boarding passes, now’s the best time to get everything in order for the next leg of your trip.  </p> <p><strong>5. Freshen up in the bathroom</strong></p> <p>Even at the dirtiest airport the facilities are considerably more spacious than the ones available at 40,000 feet, so make use of the opportunity to freshen up.  </p> <p><strong>6. Practice some yoga (stretch)</strong></p> <p>If confused looks aren’t that big a deal, a quiet airport terminal is the perfect time to practice some yoga (and if you’re not much of a yogi, just stretch out and relax).</p> <p><strong>7. Enjoy some people watching</strong></p> <p>Airports are a melting pot of cultures, religions and ages, so pick a comfy spot near a busy airport gate and guess where people are from (and where they’re going).</p> <p><strong>8. Catch up with family and friends</strong></p> <p>While this probably isn’t the time to be making an international call, if the terminal has a free wifi service now is a good opportunity to message your nearest and dearest.</p> <p><strong>9. Double-check your itinerary</strong></p> <p>Keep an eye out on the alerts and the boards to make sure you’re waiting at the correct gate, and run through some of the important details on your itinerary.</p> <p><strong>10. Go for a daytrip</strong></p> <p>If you’re staying at an airport for eight hours or longer between flights, make sure you take the opportunity to look around. But make sure you check the visa requirements of the country before heading off (you want to be able to get back in)!</p> <p>What do you like to do when you're stuck in an airport?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/6-strangest-items-people-have-smuggled-onto-flights/"><strong>6 strangest items people have smuggled onto flights</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/7-foods-to-definitely-avoid-before-catching-a-flight/"><strong>7 foods to definitely avoid before catching a flight</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/travel-insurance/2016/07/5-smart-ways-to-prevent-your-luggage-getting-lost/"><strong>5 smart ways to prevent your luggage getting lost</strong></a></em></span></p>

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