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.

While longer cruises are expensive, one of their advantages is that the per-day cost is generally lower.

Cruises

Cruise passengers are taking longer trips, including epic 100-night journeys

While the average length of cruises is getting shorter, anyone looking for a magnificently long journey can satisfy their cruise cravings.

Brian Johnston

Split promises a quintessentially Mediterranean panorama of peacock-blue sea edges, green hills and brown rocky mountains beyond.

Cruises

Port guide: Split, Croatia

This Croatian port city isn’t as famous as Dubrovnik, but you might find it a much more enjoyable, lively and authentic experience.

Brian Johnston

You might consider a half-day excursion, or ride on the cable car in Dubrovnik’s old town.

Cruises

Port guide: Dubrovnik, Croatia

This Mediterranean port city is derided as an overcrowded medieval theme park, but never mind. You’ll probably love it.

Brian Johnston

Walking on Dingle’s wind-battered beaches makes you want to write symphonies or kiss someone’s freckled face.

Europe

In a place where everyone travels the coast, most miss this gorgeous highlight

Just south of here, an international traffic jam of sightseers circulates around the tourist route. Only a few will explore its crowd-free neighbour.

Brian Johnston

Europe

Ten things we’ll never understand about Turkey

Istanbul is one of the world’s most visited cities and Turkey one of the world’s best destinations, but that doesn’t mean we always know what’s going on.

Brian Johnston

Cruises

Here’s how to save thousands on a cruise, even in pricey Europe

Fwer packed ports, fewer queues, special festivals, no heatwaves, but the best thing about low-season cruising is the price.

Brian Johnston

Asia

Australians are flocking to ‘the world’s most important country’ in record numbers

Many parts of this nation have sights to rival anything France or Japan has to offer, but few Australians have ever heard of them. It’s time to change that.

Brian Johnston

Savvy traveller

What can a tour company do when holiday disasters strike? Plenty, it turns out

A 2020 High Court decision found a tour operator liable for customer “disappointment and distress” over a disrupted holiday.

Brian Johnston

Australian cruisers are getting younger – more than a third are aged under 40.

Cruises

A record number of Australians are cruising, but they’re facing a problem

While Australians are still keen cruise goers, Australia itself is slowly sailing into the doldrums, with a dwindling number of ships visiting our shores.