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Ute Junker

Ute Junker

Travel writer

Ute Junker is a freelance writer and editor who has been covering travel for more than 20 years.

The Philippines has more than 7000 islands.

New bucket list: The 25 best things to do in Asia right now

You could spend decades exploring this continent and never get bored. Its diversity is dazzling, from ancient civilisations to the most modern cities.

  • Ute Junker
Malta is blessed with a multitude of attractions.

Food was never a highlight of this tiny European country – until now

This island nation is blessed with such an over-abundance of attractions, it’s hard to narrow down the highlights. Food is now on that list too.

  • Ute Junker
Qantas will fly an Airbus A330 on the special Kangaroo Route trip.

Two weeks, seven stops: Revived original ‘Kangaroo route’ takes off

First launched in 1947, the original Kangaroo Route, hopping through eight countries on its way to London, has been revived for a special flight.

  • Ute Junker
Admission is free and the mosaic floors and painted ceilings are stunning at Le Petit Palais museum.

Beyond the Louvre: 10 other must-visit Paris museums

The glorious Centre Pompidou is closed until 2030 and the Louvre is hiking its entry fee by 45 per cent, but Paris has more to offer than these icons.

  • Ute Junker
Deep-fried cutlet, Tonkatsu, one of many popular yoshoku Western-style dishes.

Crossover cuisine: The world’s 10 best cities for non-local food

Sometimes a great version of a cuisine exists in a place far from where it originated.

  • Ute Junker
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Ecuador

The 20 countries to put on your travel list for 2026

Find new charm in the familiar, or forge a fresh trail. Here are the under-the-radar nations and re-emerging classics set to define travel in 2026.

  • Ute Junker
The medieval town of Motovun, Croatia.

Small packages: 20 tiny places in Europe that punch above their weight

The Continent’s biggest countries and cities are becoming increasingly crowded. All the more reason to discover Europe’s tiny treasures.

  • Ute Junker
Passengers queue at Heathrow last weekend after a cyberattack shut down systems and delayed flights.

Australian airports, take note: This is how you look after frustrated passengers

Heathrow is a place passengers love to hate, but last weekend it left me far more impressed than Australia’s airports.

  • Ute Junker
The 10-story spiral tower Malahat Skywalk on Vancouver Island.

It’s the world’s second-largest country and its two coasts are vastly different

Vancouver v Montreal, Whistler-Blackcomb v Ottawa. From western Canada to the less familiar east coast, we name the winners from a travel perspective.

  • Ute Junker
Visitor drawcard the Church of La Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona.

Which European destination is best? We rate and rank key rivals

Greece v Turkey. Germany v Austria. Spain v Portugal. We name the winners from a travel perspective when it comes to Europe’s key rivalries.

  • Ute Junker