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.
Middle East
‘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?
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?
The stunning city no one is visiting
IT WAS supposed to be a record-breaking year for tourist visits but this city is full of empty hotel rooms and desolate sites. So what happened?
This rare waterfall is incredible
THIS triple waterfall was formed over thousands of years. When the mountain snow melts, water shoots down through a series of natural bridges into a spooky cave below.
Sinkhole opens temple of doom
A CRACK in the wall. A growing pothole. Strange rumblings in the night. When a sinkhole in suburban Abydos collapsed, it opened a portal to a long-lost temple.
Abu Dhabi to build incredible underground park
WHEN one of the richest countries in the world sits on a desert the best way to expand is to go underground. See the incredible design.
Is this the most insane view in the world?
AT 829 metres high, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest man-made structure. And it’s just as outrageous as it sounds.
‘The day I got lost in Iran’
IT WAS the day that changed this traveller forever. But his initial trepidation disappeared due to the friendly locals. It’s also one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Inside the most isolated tribe in the world
FEW outsiders have had the privilege of meeting the nomads of Afghanistan’s Pamir Mountains. This is a rare look at their isolated lives.
They want to do what to the world’s tallest tower?
IT’S the epitome of sky-high extravagance, but it seems the world’s tallest building just isn’t outrageous enough for some. You won’t believe what they want to do to it …
4600-year-old pyramid uncovered
A FASCINATING discovery has been made in Egypt: a step pyramid that’s some 4600 years old, predating the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Inside Iran’s creepy party island
THE island of Kish was designed as a playground for tourists and Iran’s elite. All that changed in 1979. Take a look inside the eerie place of broken tourism dreams.
Snow in Cairo first time in 112 years
SNOW has fallen in the Egyptian capital of Cairo for the first time in more than 100 years, as a powerful storm system struck parts of the Middle East.
‘Tomb raiders’ re-open Pyramid fight
TWO German students have damaged ancient writing in the Great Pyramid in order to “prove” the structure is far older than generally accepted.
Men arrested for offering ‘free hugs’
SAUDI religious police arrested two young men offering a "free hug" to passers-by in Riyadh, local media reported.
Tourists told: Turn off phone, get discount
A RESTAURANT owner near Jerusalem is on a mission to save culinary culture by making diners a simple offer: Turn off your mobile phone and get a 50 per cent discount.
Sometimes travel & politics clash
BRIAN Crisp soon runs into problems with officials trying to enter Lebanon after travelling in Oman and Israel.
Kingdom courts art of the ages
HOME to the world’s biggest collection of Islamic art, Qatar’s wonders are distinctive and varied, including a mystical ‘inland sea’, colourful souks, and a famous corniche.
Lonely Planet’s guide to Jordan
AT THE crossroads of history for more than 2000 years, the kingdom of Jordan is a treasure-trove of world-class heritage sites and spectacular desert scenery.
Petra: The secrets of a lost city
TWO hundred years ago, a Swiss explorer rediscovered the ancient city after more than 600 years. Follow in Jean Louis Burckhardt’s footsteps, and see Jordan’s greatest treasure for yourself.
Setting sail in the Dead Sea
BRIAN Crisp visits the salty and desolate resort – and one of the strangest hotels he has ever visited – in the land of biblical legend.
Archaeological treasures in trouble
THE ruins of this ancient complex sit on dunes by the sea, a world away from Gaza City’s noise and bustle. Now the race is on the save them.
Kuwaiti medical test will ‘detect’ gay travellers
KUWAIT’S director of public health says a new medical test will be used to detect homosexual travellers so they can be barred from entering the country.
Bigger than any mirage in the desert
SIZE matters when it comes to majestic Dubai and there are no plans to scale down the jewel of the Persian Gulf, writes Angela Saurine.
Flintstones-like resort in Oman
A LUXURY resort overlooking a deep gorge 2000m above sea level will open in Oman in the Middle East next year.
Tours cancelled amid Egypt unrest
TRAVEL companies are cancelling tours to Egypt and changing itineraries following the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi.
Aussie travellers in Egypt diverted
AUSTRALIAN tour companies are diverting guests away from political unrest in Egypt, changing itineraries and hotels.
US get Taliban office renamed
THE Taliban office in Doha will be renamed to remove any reference to the state of Afghanistan, the US has informed an angry Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Meet and greet at airport
EITHAD Airways is offering a new “meet and greet” service for guests arriving in Abu Dhabi.
The astounding antiquities of Egypt and Jordan
THE sheer scale of human achievements he found in the Middle East made Rory Gibson wish he had known more about the region before he visited.
Stop over for all kinds of thrills in Dubai
WHETHER you’re seeking modern luxuries and cutting-edge architecture or ancient customs, Dubai has plenty to offer, writes Louise Treccasi.
Aussie surfs 3.5m high desert waves
AUSTRALIA’S number one female surfer Sally Fitzgibbons has tackled a new challenge: 3.5m barrels at a wave machine in the desert near Dubai.
This flight has really gone to the dogs
WOMAN booted off British Airways plane after she smuggled a dog in a bag onto the flight. The question is – how did she get it past security?
Three ways to discover Dubai
FROM opulent palaces to fragrant souks and Arabian architecture, we show you how to explore the old and new city state.
A big brunch in Abu Dhabi
ANGELA Saurine explores the international city where expats love to brunch on a Friday.
Millions of Muslims gather to stone Satan
MUSLIM pilgrims symbolically stone Satan as part of the last and most dangerous rite of the annual hajj.
Abu Dhabi shines in glitz and glamour
MUSIC royalty Janet Jackson is sitting about three metres away.
Answering the need for speed
GOING from zero to 240km/h on the world’s fastest roller-coaster gives me serious bragging rights with my teenage son back home.
Boys weekend in Abu Dhabi
TAKE a turn in Maserati mecca, visit Ferrari World or jump in a 4×4 for some dune bashing in the UAE’s newest entertainment destination.
Five things to try in Dubai
FROM dinner on the sand dunes to shopping in the Gold Diamond Mall, here are five unmissable experiences Dubai has to offer.
From the desert to the drop in Dubai
NO longer just a stopover destination, Dubai blends the futuristic, cultural and cosmopolitan into one exhilarating travel experience.
Underwater world of Atlantis
IMAGINE waking up, pulling open the curtains and staring into the mouth of one of the biggest fish in the world.
Move over Dubai
ABU Dhabi is where the Arabian action is, not Dubai, writes Toni Salama of the city widely regarded as the world’s richest.
Banksy graffs the Holy Land
BRITISH graffiti artist Banksy is trying to bring cheer and boost tourism in Bethlehem this Christmas with a series of subversive murals in the town revered as Jesus’ birthplace.
Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/travel/destinations/middle-east/page/3