This Emirates itinerary is great for those looking to catch a little sun before arriving in New Zealand. Begin in the sun worshipper's paradise of Dubai, where year round sunshine, vast beaches, great shopping and some of the world's most incredible hotels have made it one of the most up-and-coming holiday destinations in recent times. Spend a few days soaking up the sun and shopping till you drop, or if you fancy something a little different why not head out on an exhilarating desert safari. 

On to Bangkok, the bustling capital of Thailand, where you can choose to return to the beach by hitting some of the many incredible islands to the south of the country, or venture north for a few days' hill trekking in Northern Thailand. If you have the time you could even journey to the neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia, taking a boat trip up the Mekong river from Northern Thailand to Luang Prabang in Laos or visiting the incredible temples of Angkor near Siem Reap in Cambodia. 

Australia is your next stop - flying into Sydney you can choose to explore the east coast or catch an internal flight to Ayers Rock to see the iconic Uluru up close - ask your consultant for details on cheap internal flights. Journey south from Sydney towards Melbourne - perhaps hire a car to explore the area at your own pace, or catch a train and just sit back and enjoy the ride. A flight to Cairns from Sydney is also an option - learn to dive on the Great Barrier Reef, visit the wild-koala haven of Magnetic Island near Townsville, take a thrilling 4-wheel drive excursion on Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island, sail the Whitsundays on a handsome tall ship and spend a few days in the exciting party town of Surfers Paradise before travelling back down to Sydney to catch your flight to New Zealand.