Round the World

[Hbommie]

I’m looking at doing a rtw trip for 2-3 months at the end of 2023 and will be travelling in Biz (hopefully), there is currently a Star Alliance ticket available which starts in CDG with options to go east or west, taking in the North America, NZ and the Far East.

My plan will be to include Southern California, NZ, Japan as the main stops with side trips of the pacific islands, AUS, Vietnam.

I’m starting the planning early as this will obviously take some time.

Any tips would be welcome, cruise in the pacific or island hop? Motor home in AUS/NZ or local flights?

I’ll need to investigate which hotel groups are more prominent in the different countries or go for one overall group.

Thanks

[meta]

Are you doing it for cash or miles? I am looking at doing this via ANA, but probably late 2024. ANA has some attractive RTW miles redemptions. For example, 115k for up to 20k miles RTW on Star Alliance. Extra 30k will get you up to 25k miles. Unfortunately the only way to get ANA miles from UK is via Marriott transfers.

[Richie]

Fly west if you like being wide awake in the morning, fly east if you don’t. If you fly east your routing could be Vietnam, Aus, NZ, pacific islands, Japan, Hawaii, So Cal. Spring in So Cal can be very pleasant.

[Hbommie]

I was looking to do cash on the main flight as it looks to be very good atm, I realise that this fare may not be available for my dates when it comes round. ANA ‘the room’ looks incredible and is a major attraction, so that will need to be factored in.

For the Japan and Vietnam sector I’m looking to push it to the end of the trip due to hopefully hit the spring season. But looking at my start time I may need to slip it a bit to hit the end of March in Japan.

West will suit, and thanks for the tip.

[Man of Kent]

We did a RTW trip back in 2007/8 starting in October and travelling for about 6 months. Travelled west and went across South America (Brazil/Paraguay/Bolivia/Peru) via US East Coast and then on to NZ via US West Coast. Had a few days in Auckland before, and a few days in Christchurch after having a month in a camper van covering both North and South islands – depending on when you go look at how busy the inter-island ferry is, you may need to book it early. In AUS we did a combination of car hire and internal flights we stayed on the Great Ocean Road over Christmas and were in Sydney for New Year – you will need to book ASAP if you are planning to do this.

Went via Singapore and toured Indochina (Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos) and then finished in South Africa – again, a combination of car hire and internal flights.

Great memories, you’ll love it.

[Hbommie]

That’s an inspiration, thanks.

I know zero about South America and will leave that for another trip I think.

We have family in Aus so that will take up some time, but I’d like to do the Great Ocean Road not sure how, motorhome or hotels, but wine will play a part 🙂