As the conflict continues to unfold in the Middle East, the UK government has updated its travel advice for many countries in the region.
Several are popular holiday spots, with tourists typically flocking to destinations like Dubai and Qatar for their skyscrapers and desert planes.
With these areas now out of bounds and travel there continuing to be disrupted, Brits might be looking for other spots to visit with similar attractions.
Fortunately, there are plenty of destinations that are safe to travel to, and you won’t have to fly over the Middle East.
Swap Dubai for Hong Kong
If you’re looking for a holiday full of skyscrapers and luxurious shopping malls, Hong Kong might be the place for you.
Dubai is renowned for its jaw-dropping buildings and being home to one of the largest shopping centres in the world – the Dubai Mall.
But with the ongoing conflict and travel to the United Arab Emirates city on hold, Hong Kong’s Harbour City – a mall with over 700 shops – and the city’s gleaming high rises is a great alternative.
Travellers can catch a direct flight to Hong Kong from London and arrive in 12 hours and 40 minutes.
Alternatively, other options involve transferring in Shanghai and taking a little longer – 17 hours in total.
Some routes do stop through places like Dubai and Doha, so may not be suitable.
Swap Egypt for Australia
At the moment, the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to parts of Egypt and all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Popular spots including Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh are currently under the ‘see our travel advice before travelling’ category.
But, if the situation has made you wary of travelling there, Australia’s shores might be a good alternative.
The Coral Coast stretches across Western Australia and boasts white sand beaches and untouched reefs.
Although Australia lacks pyramids, it does have vast stretches of desert to explore too.
Qantas Airline offers direct flights from London to Perth that take 16 hours and 40 minutes. Travellers can then get a domestic flight to other locations in Australia if they wish.
Swap Abu Dhabi’s deserts for America
If your desert adventure in Abu Dhabi has been cancelled, America has plenty of options to get your fix.
The Great Basin Desert is located east of the Sierra Nevada and is the largest desert in America.
Elsewhere, Death Valley National Park is a below-sea-level basin and is the hottest and driest in the country.
Plenty of tours are available to book – from driving to hiking.
There are many direct flight options to destinations across America. For the Great Basin Desert, a flight from London to Salt Lake City Airport takes around 10 hours.
As for Death Valley National Park, Harry Reid International Airport is the closest hub and is again around 10 hours from London direct.
Swap Turkey for Greece
The FCDO currently advises against all travel to parts of Turkey – within 10km of the border with Syria.
If your holiday is impacted, or perhaps you want to go to another destination that offers similar landscapes and atmosphere, Greece could be a good option.
It boasts plenty of all inclusive options, along its white sandy shores and high temperatures in the summer.
Direct flights to Greece operate regularly from London airports and take around four hours.
Swap Cyprus for Mallorca
Cyprus is currently on the safe to travel list and the government has only updated its guidance to mention the ‘Suspected drone impact at RAF Akrotiri’ on March 2.
But, if you were thinking of heading to the popular island and now would like to stay closer to home, Mallorca could be the destination to jet off too.
Both boast stretches of sandy beaches perfect for relaxing and basking in the sun as well as numerous all-inclusive resorts and hotels.
Flights from London to Mallorca only take two hours and 30 minutes too, quite a bit faster than the four hours and 35 minute journey to Cyprus.
Swap Maldives for Albania
Although Maldives might be deemed safe to travel to, flights to the dreamy destination might prove a little tricky to navigate.
Travellers often fly through the Middle East to get there, including Zayed International Airport in the United Arab Emirates.
At the moment, the airport has reopened for limited services, and many flights to the region are suspended due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
As a result, direct routes to Malé, Maldives’ capital, over Easter appear to have sharply risen recently.
A non-stop flight over Easter is looking to cost over £7,000 for a return trip between April 4 and 11.
If you don’t have thousands to splash on flights, the ‘Maldives of Europe’ could be the destination for you.
Albania is sunny 300 days a year and boasts temperatures about 18C well into November.
Flights there take around three hours on average from London.
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