Brian Johnston
Travel writer
Brian Johnston seemed destined to become a travel writer: he is an Irishman born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland, who has lived in Britain and China and now calls Australia home.
17 outlying islands more striking than their big-name neighbours
So don’t just think of Sicily or Shikoku, New Caledonia or Bali as a single main island. Get out to the fringes, away from the predictable, and you’re in for a treat. Here are some top alternative islands waiting to be explored.
- by Brian Johnston
10 things we’ll never understand about Japan
We all love Japan but, no matter how many times we visit, some things will always remain a puzzle.
- by Brian Johnston
Nine must-do highlights of the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
As well as its landscape of farms, forests and waterfalls, the Atherton Tablelands is accumulating a foodie reputation.
- by Brian Johnston
Avoid the rip-offs: How to get a cheaper car rental
Now that travel has returned there are car shortages – and higher prices for hiring them. There are, however, ways to mitigate the pain.
- by Brian Johnston
Opinion
Tips & advice
Airport transits are the dullest of experiences. This is the key to surviving them
We don’t really take in airports, but if you get into sightseeing mode and pretend your holiday has already begun, time will pass more quickly.
- by Brian Johnston
Fewer crowds, lower prices: The best places for a holiday in September
Peak season in the Northern Hemisphere comes to an end in September. Here are the countries and cities to visit during the ultimate shoulder-season month.
- by Brian Johnston
Short and sweet: 20 incredible trips that take less than eight hours
From a funicular with a view to a jaw-dropping river cruise, the best short trips concentrate astonishing landscapes a few hours - or even a few minutes.
- by Brian Johnston
Opinion
China
Why Australians should return to this astounding country
China remains one of the world’s outstanding destinations for landscapes, history, culture and cuisine. Go see it for yourself.
- by Brian Johnston
Japan’s capital of reinvention has a bamboozling spate of new attractions
Tokyo is an exhausting but exhilarating place to visit. Its glamour, organisation and startling contrasts provide the ultimate Japanese experience.
- by Brian Johnston
The nicest Asian city you’ve probably never heard of
There are cities more important, more flamboyant and wilder, but none so focused on making life so pleasant for its inhabitants.
- by Brian Johnston