$1.5b Dubai skyscraper is mind-boggling
This extraordinary skyscraper in Dubai, built to the tune of $1.5 billion, is set to break no fewer than five world records.
Middle East
Boomers, if you’re doing this you’re too rich
There is a strange trend growing among wealthy, well-travelled Australians who have time and money to spend.
‘No way’: Shock detail at Dubai restaurant
The head chef of a luxurious restaurant in Dubai, loved by the rich and famous, has revealed the extreme rules they follow to achieve perfection.
Aussie can’t believe her eyes at Dubai buffet
Dubai is known for its opulence and there is no better evidence of the popular tourist spot’s mission to make everything bigger and better than this hotel buffet.
$600m move for ‘most visited place on Earth’
Is there any city that loves superlatives more than this? This record-breaking location is about to get even bigger.
Wild detail on fancy Emirates menu stuns
Requesting this impressive service in Emirates’ massive first class lounge in Dubai will turn heads.
Travel chaos, luxury cars float in streets
Flights have been cancelled and luxury cars are floating in the streets again in Dubai just two weeks after the deadly floods.
Wild footage of Aussie star stranded in Dubai
An Aussie reality star who lives in Dubai has shared wild footage from inside his car after becoming trapped in floods.
Aussie Emirates pilot reveals insane perk
Australian Emily Sidoti has revealed what it is like living and working in Dubai as the highest ranking pilot on the largest passenger jet in the world.
‘Do not travel’: New warning for Middle East
About 90,000 Australians come from this major Middle Eastern country but a collapsing security environment has prompted a stark warning from the government.
‘Don’t have Cartier’: Expat mocked on TikTok
An expat working as a model in Dubai wanted to be “real” with TikTok about her life – but her post didn’t go down as she’d hoped.
Celeb chef’s ‘embarrassing’ act in Dubai
Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre knows what he is doing when it comes to travelling, but there was one act that left his travel buddy “really embarrassed”.
Aussie star obsessed with European town
Aussie star Nat Bass doesn’t usually like to travel to places she’s already been but she’d head back to this small European town in a heartbeat.
Inside man-made city worth a wild $500b
New details have emerged about the first destination to open in the $500 billion NEOM megacity in Saudi Arabia.
‘Tastes like rich’: Crazy cost of coffee
There is a very specific reason this hotel’s cappuccino costs a whopping $32.
Aussie’s racy selfie after flouting dress code
Dubai may be known for its modest rules around clothing but Aussie influencer Amy Castano didn’t let that stop her from flaunting her body.
Inside world’s highest infinity pool
The world’s highest infinity pool is finally open – with visitors being able to swim at dizzying heights, 200m in the air.
Naked models take over Dead Sea
Hundreds of models, wearing only white paint, have descended on one of the world’s most famous spots for a naked photo shoot.
Insane way Dubai is making fake rain
As the mercury soars to 49C, Dubai officials have resorted to a truly extraordinary way to cool down the sweltering city.
$10b city the world might not see
It’s been billed as the world’s biggest show, set in a futuristic city and being unveiled in a few months. But will anyone ever actually see it?
Crew member tests positive to virus
A crew member has tested positive to coronavirus while preparing to depart Melbourne Airport.
Surprise winner in ‘most popular’ destination
Forget lounging around in Bali or chasing the sun in Hawaii, because this is where everyone wants to visit overseas in 2021.
Elite soldiers’ sick drinking cup
INVESTIGATIONS reveal Australian soldiers allegedly killed a man, took his prosthetic leg and used it as a drinking vessel.
District 2020: City you’ve never heard of
A mysterious new city is being built in the United Arab Emirates and while it looks like a pipe dream, it’s based on a 170-year old legacy.
Instagrammable spots in paradise
A TRIP to the desert might not ordinarily present so many opportunities for next level photographs. But this city has evolved.
Australia accused of targeting Saudi women
Australian Border Force officers have been accused of targeting vulnerable Saudi Arabian women travelling to our shores.
Deal that’ll get you a free hotel stay
With the Easter long weekend behind us, this deal will get you excited for your next escape. Why? Because it’s free.
Outrage as trainer filmed ‘crushing’ dolphin
A trainer at a popular water park is being investigated for alleged animal abuse after video surfaced of her sitting on the back of a dolphin.
Terrifying 250km/h rollercoaster revealed
The tallest, fastest and longest rollercoaster in the world is set to open in Saudi Arabia in 2023. And it’s going to be terrifying.
Inside ‘evil’ jail where Aussies are held
A former prisoner has described the terrifying conditions in Iran’s notorious Evin jail as authorities press for the release of three Aussie citizens.
Inside $13k-a-night Saudi ‘gilded prison’
In 2017, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince imprisoned his rivals inside Riyadh’s glitzy Ritz-Carlton. This is what the notorious hotel is really like.
Trillionaire kingdom’s strange new move
IT’S a kingdom of unimaginable riches which has made an incredible move.
Country that’s changed its mind about us
NOT long ago, this was an ultraconservative, closed-off place. Now it suddenly wants us to visit — but there are some big catches we have to agree to.
Mysterious pool at ancient site
AN INCREDIBLE discovery dating back 1500 years has got people asking a lot of questions.
Secret tombs uncovered in Egypt
THE two tombs, believed to belong to noblemen, date back some 3500 years and will soon be open to visitors.
Ancient city found by treasure hunters
THE lost city in Turkey dates back to the ninth century BC and is believed to be the burial place of royalty.
Eight reasons to visit the world’s richest city
YOU didn’t know you needed to experience it, but Doha will give you gold-plated bathrooms, and your very own pet falcon.
Side of Saudis we’ve never seen before
WOMEN jogging in bikini tops and working side-by-side with men: this futuristic megacity looks nothing like the rest of the ultraconservative kingdom.
Ancient city about to vanish forever
IN ITS 12,000-year-old history, the village was home to one of the oldest organised human settlements ever discovered. Soon it will be gone.
From high-risk to hotspot
WHO wants to visit a “rogue nation” that was once part of the “axis of evil”. Apparently lots of Australians, despite what the Government tells us.
Insane luxury next to war zone
THEY live next to one of the most horrific and dangerous places on Earth, but their luxurious life has to be seen to be believed.
Underwater city to open after 30 years
MORE than three decades since it was declared off limits, this unique sunken ruin may soon be seen again.
Airline’s strict dress code for women
FEMALE passengers flying with Saudia Airlines have been warned to cover up or risk being kicked off flights.
Saudi Arabia really wants you to visit
THE ultraconservative Arab nation is willing to relax restrictions on women’s dress and gender segregation to attract more tourists.
Luxury hotel costs less than you think
IT has seven stars and rooms comes with a personal butler. But it’s not as ridiculously expensive as you’d expect and there is a good reason.
World wonders tourists aren’t visiting
ONCE swarming with crowds, these famous sites are now all but deserted. But deciding to go is not that simple.
Dubai’s new $2 billion attraction
THE city is well known for its luxury lifestyle and now it’s spending big to attract more visitors.
This airline is seriously sassing Trump
DONALD Trump banned passengers from six countries from carrying electronics into the US, but this airline is highlighting just how ridiculous it is.
Natural wonder that’s disappearing fast
BY THE middle of this century, this incredible natural wonder could be gone for good. Here’s why you need to go now before it’s too late.
Jordanian airline trolls Trump
THE national carrier of Muslim-majority Jordan is getting a real kick out of Donald Trump’s presidency, as this new promotion shows.
Iran just bought $22B worth of planes
THIS national airline just signed a deal with Boeing for 80 — yes, 80 — new jets, as it prepares for a tourism boom.
Inside a paranoid Islamic republic
“SECONDS after landing we saw a corpse lying next to a burning car. Our rickety tourist bus seemed to be falling apart, despite having VIP on the side.”
Elusive cat caught on camera
“WHEN peace returns — and it will, as no war lasts forever — this region has great potential for eco-tourism.”
No vacancy at world’s biggest cemetery
INCREDIBLE drone footage reveals the world’s biggest necropolis — the final resting place of five million people — which is rapidly running out of space.
Is this the most cursed building in Mecca?
THIS glittering hotel in the middle of a desert promises to be the largest hotel the world has seen. But will it actually be built?
Truth behind Iran’s menacing war cries
MENACING calls ring out as thousands of protesters march through the streets. Their signs all bear a bloodthirsty message.
Bold plan for $6 billion artificial island
AN AMBITIOUS and expensive proposal to connect the Gaza strip to the rest of the world via a man-made island with an airport and huge bridge is being floated.
Would anyone really travel here?
IT IS the most dangerous country on earth, but in a huge display of optimism, its tourism minister says his country could be a great place for a holiday.
Huge discovery inside ‘lost city’
IT WAS hidden in plain sight for thousands of years at a popular tourist spot. Now, this ancient monument has been uncovered using Google Earth and drones.
Hosties furious at being forced to cover up
OUTRAGED female flight attendants are threatening mutiny after they were told they have to put on headscarves before flying into Iran.
‘I’m dying more and more each day’
THIS is Fadi. He’s been living at an airport for an entire year, trapped in the dreaded “problematic passengers room”.
Incredible find inside shipwreck
IT WAS lost in a storm 500 years ago. Now, divers have finally reached the wreckage of The Esmeralda and what they found inside shocked them all.
How pilots got the ultimate revenge
ON BOARD a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, these trailblazing women have blasted their way into a country where they’re not allowed to drive a car.
Rare coin found, taken away
A WOMAN was shocked to stumble across a rare coin dating back to 107AD while on a hike. But within hours, it was gone.
The hidden slaves behind glamour city
IT IS a city renowned for glitz, glamour and boasts the world’s tallest building. But there’s an ugly side that you won’t read about in its tourist brochures.
Travel agent’s terrifying idea
IT’S the last place in the world anyone should want to be, but one travel agent is planning tours to a brutal warzone. And they’ll cost you a fair bit too.
Tallest tower isn’t where you’d think
NO, this is not Dubai. The world’s tallest tower, reaching 1km into the sky and costing $3 billion, isn’t being constructed where you’d expect.
The most unliveable city on Earth
IT WAS once a thriving urban capital filled with leafy streets and trendy restaurants. It’s since become hell on Earth.
Expat suffers worst nightmare
THIS family went to Qatar to work, but it all went wrong. When their daughter died suddenly, they ended up losing everything.
Aussie did what in the Middle East?
IT’S not easy to travel alone as a woman in this part of the world, so this Australian decided to try something rather unusual. And she’s lucky to have made it through safely.
IS takes control of luxury hotel
THE Islamic State continues to expand its influence, and has commandeered a five-star hotel as a bizarre venue for jihadi weddings.
Something horrible’s in this lost city
IT’S one of the most famous architectural feats in the region, an ancient city that defies belief. But this lost city is hiding a dark secret.
The ancient city no one is visiting
HOTELS stand virtually empty and visitors are few and far between. What’s happened to this ancient city that was once bustling with tourists?
One man’s ‘war’ to set up his own country
ELI Avivi didn’t want to live in his country any more, so he created his own. And for a place that doesn’t technically exist, it certainly gets good reviews on TripAdvisor.
One of world’s deadliest places
SOLDIERS on almost every street corner. Homes riddled with bullet holes. While this is a land of despair, an Aussie traveller reveals there is beauty.
Is the world’s tallest building on fire?
HUNDREDS of photos appearing to show smoke billowing from Dubai’s Burj Khalifa have flooded social media, sparking fire fears.
Photos extremists don’t want released
THE pictures show rugged mountains, crystal clear lakes, lush green hills and a country brimming with life. But if you think this is Europe or North America, think again.
5 incredible places in Iran you don’t know
FORGET the tourist trodden sites of this country, you’ll find locals only at these ancient hidden gems. Here are five of the best.
Travel tips for Dubai
PERTH-raised Natalie Price is radio presenter in Dubai and shares her must-see tips for the UAE’s most glamorous city.
Aussies graffiti ancient relic
AN Ancient ritual site has been unearthed in the Holy Land — complete with graffiti from two Australians. Do you recognise their names?
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/travel/destinations/middle-east