Inspiration
Barrels and bikinis: Why surf holidays aren’t just for surfers
I’m a bit of a willing hostage to the surf and whether there’s good, uncrowded surf in a destination often colours our choice of holiday.
- by Lee Tulloch
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The best part of a cruise always happens at the very start
The most pleasurable moment in cruising might be the wonderful sail away from port, when you’re doing nothing much at all but gazing at the sea.
- by Brian Johnston
Travel quiz: Chicken chain Nando’s was founded in which country?
Are you an expert traveller? Test your knowledge with the weekly travel quiz.
Indulge: 31 ways to add luxury to your holiday for free (or close to it)
Love the finer things in life? There are ways to add that something extra to your holiday without forking out thousands.
- by Julietta Jameson
Why you must visit this recreation of a lavish, long-lost treasure
A passion project for a US oil tycoon, the Getty Villa recreates a Roman villa buried by a volcanic eruption and houses 44,000 antiquities.
- by Julie Miller
This dish is a staple of one of the world’s most underrated cuisines
Cast aside all lingering images of 1980s famine and instead concentrate on Ethiopia’s amazing array of dishes, starting with the staple shiro wat.
- by Ben Groundwater
This French town is so pretty it doesn’t seem real
Annecy is the prettiest place, set amid one of the prettiest landscapes you can imagine. It has also been rated the country’s best place to live.
- by Brian Johnston
The wonderland dubbed ‘The Impossible Garden’ shouldn’t exist at all
Butterflies, birdsong, azaleas and rhododendrons, Californian redwood and even Wollemi pines flourish in this “impossible garden”.
- by Steve McKenna
A place where water is more valuable than diamonds
Without annual floodwaters, this part of the world would be incapable of supporting life. Instead, it’s teeming with it.
- by Justin Meneguzzi
This ancient Portuguese city was once the residence of kings
With its walled surrounds, ancient monoliths and cobbled streets, its little wonder that Evora in Portugal has been recognised as a World Heritage site.
- by Jane Cornwell
How is the cruise industry doing post-pandemic? Quite nicely, thank you
Cruising has made a startling comeback since the pandemic, and Australians are among its greatest enthusiasts. But will the trend continue?
- by Brian Johnston