Middle East

One thing at least is settled - this dish is delicious.

Food and wine

Part pizza, part smash burger, this dish may come with an argument

Food is a wonderful thing, tied to history, culture and identity, but that also means it can be a source of conflict. Welcome to the world of lahmajun.

Today, 5.00AM
Ben Groundwater

Latest

Saudi Arabia

I did a women-only trip in one of the world’s most notorious countries

It’s one of the world’s most patriarchal societies, but I had a behind-the-scenes look at the secret lives of women here.

April 3, 2025
Katrina Lobley

Stroll through the magroves at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Travel tips

The new bucket list for Asia: 25 must-do places and experiences

From neon-lit cities to some of the oldest civilisations on Earth, from white-sand beaches to the highest mountains, no other continent can rival Asia for diversity.

March 28, 2025
Ute Junker

Umayyad Mosque at sunset – a Christian basilica in a previous life, a Roman temple to Jupiter before that.

Adventure holidays

A country too dangerous to visit is one I can’t wait to return to

As Mark Twain wrote, Damascus “measures time not by days and months and years, but by the empires she has seen rise and prosper and crumble into ruin”.

March 13, 2025
Luke Slattery

★★★★½
Airport reviews

Inside the $4.8 billion ‘world’s most beautiful airport’

It’s an increasingly popular stopover spot for Australians and was striking enough for Tom Cruise to shoot a major Mission Impossible scene in.

March 13, 2025
Anthony Dennis

Even better than the real thing: Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat.

Luxury holidays

Avoid Greek island’s infamous crowds by visiting the fake one instead

Overcrowded Santorini tops my anti-bucket list: the places I’ve absolutely no intention to visit. Could this little fake version be nicer than the real deal?