The Dream Destinations edition
If television and radio made the world smaller in the 20th century, social media in the 21st has vacuum-packed it. Seeing jaw-dropping places online, often in short video grabs, has encouraged Australians – already keen travellers – to venture further and seek authentic cultural experiences. Social media is especially effective at showing us small corners of the world – a rooftop restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower, a tiny bar in Bucharest dating back to the 1840s – that might otherwise pass us by. But I must admit that my own most memorable trips overseas – witnessing the majesty of wild animals in Africa, speeding across the ice in a snowmobile in northern Finland, landing in a helicopter on a mountain pass in north-west Canada’s Yukon – have been the big-picture ones: witnessing nature at its most powerful and raw. And this is very much the theme of this year’s Dream Destinations issue. Enjoy. – Greg Callaghan, acting editor.
In a remote snorkelling paradise north of Australia, I see the world anew
Visiting West Papua’s biodiversity hotspot of Raja Ampat after eye surgery, a traveller beholds a coral wonderland.
- by Helen Anderson
‘Eighth wonder of the world’: Sailing into Milford Sound on an ultra-luxury cruise ship
Looming mountains, lacy waterfalls, dolphins on cue – it’s no wonder Rudyard Kipling was so in awe of the Sound back in the 1890s.
- by Jane Cadzow
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children’: The rise of the girls’ trip
Whether they’re travelling alone or on female-only tours, women are packing their bags in unprecedented numbers.
- by Fiona Carruthers
New Zealand’s latest Great Walk left us breathless – but so too did the scenery
This steep New Zealand hike has you meandering through forests, climbing a mountain and watching dolphins glide by.
- by Gayle Bryant
Bathrobes and special menus: Yes, that pooch in NYC probably is better off than you
In cafes, hotels, museums and on planes, it really is a dog’s life.
- by Liz Gooch
Michelin meals on trains, in-flight sleeping pod rentals: Fancy travel’s next stops
Due for a bucket-list rail journey or cruise, or sky-high pampering? With the latest luxury options, you’ll know you’re going places.
- by Fiona Carruthers
Pouncing lions, pronking springboks, poison-arrow lessons: Botswana’s safari idyll
On safari in Botswana, the only crowds are the herds of magnificent wildlife.
- by Anna Selby
Bob Dylan was born in Minnesota and thrived in NYC – yet his museum’s in Oklahoma
The question was blowin’ in the wind: why did the legendary songwriter allow his archives to go to a conservative “red” state in the southern US?
- by Toby B. Hemingway
Last stop, end of the world: Take a train to the tip of Tierra del Fuego
A railway line at the bottom of South America, originally built to serve a prison, has been reinvented for tourists to enjoy the spectacular scenery.
- by Mike MacEacheran
Two of Us
For subscribers
Cupcakes, a whinge and a cuddle: Two artists on crafting a decades-long friendship
Rod Holdaway and Merrick Fry met at a gallery opening in Sydney’s inner west 25 years ago and have been mates ever since.
- by Stephen Lacey
Dicey Topics
For subscribers
Gen X icon Ione Skye on why she’s more Liz Taylor than Jennifer Aniston
The actor – best known for starring in the 1989 hit film Say Anything – on being called the original “nepo baby”, celebrity extravagance and her tattoos.
- by Benjamin Law
Questions and answers
When the dust finally settled, Francie got the kids, the house, the dog, their friends and half his super. Neil, wanting to be punished for his indiscretions, asked for little and was duly obliged. Months after moving into a rental with stained carpet, rising damp and dodgy plumbing, his stuff was still in boxes. He ate his meals off a wobbly coffee table. The kids didn’t like staying. This gave him more time to think about what he’d done. Why had he done it? On his loneliest nights, he’d stare at the walls trying to find an answer. – Words by Paul Connolly. Illustration by Jim Pavlidis.
Modern Guru
Modern Guru
My friend’s been unlucky in love. Should I tell her she’s an off-putting eater?
The truth may be hard for her to swallow, writes our Modern Guru – but a little white lie might work.
- by Danny Katz
Free flights to Milan; your own butler: The perks of being a Very Important Customer
Behemoth luxury brands view those who spend at least $US1 million a year as “VICs” – and Australia has more of them than ever.
- by Andrew Hornery
When kelpie-cross Kip sits down while riding a paddle board, scientists pay attention
Along with four canine colleagues, Kip is helping biologists locate threatened species as part of Zoos Victoria’s Wildlife Detection Dog Program.
- by Paul Connolly
Outward bound: Good Weekend’s 2025 travel gift guide
From hiking must-haves to luggage-lightening gadgets: smart pieces that’ll take you places.
- by Frances Mocnik
Tackling ‘demi-ski’, snow-time’s most overlooked fashion category
At risk of being mistaken for a snowman? Tips on the sartorial art of sorting warm outerwear.
- by Damien Woolnough
‘Pure winter comfort’: Shortcut bean and pasta stew with pancetta and rosemary
This one-pot dish is inspired by the Italian pasta e fagioli, but sped up.
- by Danielle Alvarez
Review
Bennelong
Ten years on, Good Food visits Bennelong to see if it still delivers big-ticket thrills
It’s arguably Sydney’s most “Sydney” restaurant, but does the Opera House’s flagship venue still fulfil its ambition?
- by Callan Boys
An almost-30-year-old city power-lunch hub finally gets its second hat
Does the basement restaurant still feel right after it flooded and closed for a seven-month rebuild? Yes, and then some.
- by Dani Valent
Help! Why is it so difficult to open a stubborn screw-capped wine bottle?
Screw-caps are a great seal, but sometimes they just refuse to budge.
- by Huon Hooke
Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/the-dream-destinations-edition-20250501-p5lvn6.html