Ben Groundwater

Ben Groundwater

Traveller's globetrotting backpacker, Ben Groundwater, finds the good, the bad and the ugly in the world’s best destinations. Ben is a columnist, blogger, feature writer, and host of Traveller's podcast Flight of Fancy, who has visited more than 80 countries during his 12 years in the industry. Ben was named travel writer of the year by the Australian Society of Travel Writers in 2014 and 2015.

UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of Butrint features an open-air theatre, built almost 2500 years ago.

This ruggedly beautiful city was once the heart of ancient empires

This open-air theatre was built almost 2500 years ago in a city you've probably never heard of.

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Nine must-do highlights of Corfu, Greece

Corfu is a large island with a huge amount to see and experience.

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Tourists get photos outside Maraya in Saudi Arabia.

Why I’ll never visit this new hotspot for tourists

If you follow any travel influencers on social media – that is, travel specialists with large followings – then you have probably already seen this. It's a huge cube covered entirely in mirrors, an edifice perched in the middle of the desert, an architectural wonder that both draws in and reflects.

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This dish offers the history of America's South in a bowl

Gumbo starts the way any good Creole dish should: with the "holy trinity" of celery, capsicum and onions.

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Getting scammed by an ATM? That's a new one.

I avoided a new travel rip-off simply by pressing a button

An ATM trying to rip me off? That's a new one.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, is home to some incredible architecture.

Podcast: The underrated European countries few people visit

It's time to branch out and look at destinations in Europe that have just as much to offer as the popular spots, only with a fraction of the crowds, and often at a fraction of the cost.

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The secrets behind the best sandwich of all time

France's croque monsieur is not just a ham-and-cheese sanger, but a creation that has a claim to being the world's greatest sandwich.

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Changi Airport's showstopping Jewel terminal, designed to keep boredom at bay during a stopover in Singapore.

Will Qantas' direct flights to London, New York spell the end of stopovers forever?

I've always enjoyed experiencing another country for a day or two on a stopover. But the chance to get where you need to be in one flight is going to be very, very tempting.

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The key to the best Hainanese chicken rice is the rice.

The Singaporean staple that's so much more than a rice dish

Yes the chicken steals top billing, but this dish is all about the rice.

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Travel is back. The good stuff, the bad stuff, and a whole lot that never even existed.

No plane, take a bus: My nightmare journey back from Europe

Travel is back: the good bits, but also the bad. And COVID-19 has done nothing to ease the situation.

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Travel is back ... and so are travel problems.

Podcast: Airport disasters - when it all goes wrong

Travel really is back – the good bits, but also the bad.

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Emirates business class on board an Airbus A380.

Airline review: Perfect score for this A380's business class

Against other business-class cabins this is still a clear leader, providing charming, professional service with all the mod-cons and luxuries you could hope for.