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John Brunton
John Brunton is a writer and photographer, today based in Paris and Venice after spending five years in Kuala Lumpur covering Southeast Asia. He contributes regularly to The Guardian and Lonely Planet theme books like World Wine Trails.
Think of George Town and its heritage hotels and vivid graffiti art spring to mind, but listen to the locals and you’ll discover the Habitat rainforest, bustling Jelutong and much more.
Japanese chef Hideaki Sato of Ta Vie talks about how Chinese food influences his French cuisine and his recent ‘dream come true’ in France.
It’s difficult to find an experience as quintessentially Mexican as lucha libre, the wrestling extravaganzas with masked heroes and villains.
With local club Venezia FC newly promoted to Serie A, now there’s a novel reason to visit the tourist hot spot – the chance to see Italy’s top players in action at the modest Stadio Penzo, and bask in a truly local Venetian tradition
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Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown has been transformed into a buzzing neighbourhood full of new restaurants, shops and bars that manages to retain its heritage. Here’s what to eat, drink and do there.
The Calcio Storico Fiorentino, held in Florence, Italy, is one of the world’s most violent sports, combining football, rugby, wrestling and bare-knuckle boxing and in a bloody, no-holds-barred brawl.
Malacca presents a kaleidoscope of 600 years of culture and architecture. Avoid the weekend crowds in the Malaysian town by planning a weekday visit – and follow our footsteps off the beaten track.
Paris has one Chinatown, but another is fast rising in bustling Belleville. As the city gears up to host the 2024 Olympics, visitors should consider including the neighbourhood in their itineraries.
Marrakech, the tourism capital of Morocco in North Africa, suffered extensive damage from a 6.8 magnitude earthquake on September 8, but three months later the city is fixed up and ready for visitors.
The Belgian beach resort of Oostduinkerke is the last remaining place where shrimp fishing on horseback is practised, and the full spectacle is a sight to behold.
The picturesque Somme region of northern France offers a wealth of attractions for travellers to visit, and not all of them are related to the famous World War I battle.
Vesoul, in rural France, hosts an international film festival that sees the great and good of Asian cinema descend each year to rub shoulders with cinephiles and like-minded locals.
Every two years, townspeople in Marostica, Italy, stage a game of human chess set within a vast historical re-enactment that plays out for 3,500 spectators at a time.
Samuel Lee Sum, executive chef at Cantonese restaurant Shang Palace, recalls a baptism of fire in Paris and reveals his favourite places to eat in the French capital and to relax – parks and museums.
Swap overcrowded Venice for the ancient city of Udine, which offers a welcome alternative to the usual touristy fare, as Asian celebrities visiting for the Far East Film Festival discover.
Meet five vignerons in Champagne, France, who are ready to sell their bubbly to the curious Hong Kong champagne lover. You may even wish to visit them when travel is possible again.
The Hong Kong pavilion’s architectural ambitions are likely to take Venice Biennale visitors’ breath away, while jeweller Wallace Chan’s beautiful titanium sculptures reflect his life’s journey.
Parisian pavement terraces have been extended to boost the earnings of cafes and bistros after the Covid-19 lockdown. Outdoor seating has taken over parking spaces, and even whole streets.
As Italy prepares to reopen, a long-time resident takes a final walk through a truly peaceful La Serenissima.
Borneo Jazz Festival bewitches with line-up of local and international musicians, rappers and DJs.
One of Arab world’s most tolerant countries boasts beautiful beaches, pre-Roman ruins, hassle-free souks, while chic new hotels and renovated riads are luring more affluent visitors.
The six-suite hotel encourages guests to enjoy the lavish Lalique-laden surrounds and indulge in the epicurean delights of Michelin-star chef Jean-Georges Klein
The Ho-Chunk tribe’s ritual gathering is a deeply spiritual event in the heart of ‘America’s Dairyland’ – and definitely not for the benefit of tourists
The sprawling Taliesin estate in rural Wisconsin brings the aesthetic world of America’s first ‘starchitect’ to life, from his first commission in 1887, to his former home and its macabre past
Housed in a former grain store that was once the tallest building in Sub-Saharan Africa, The Silo stuns with austere interiors and spectacular views
Peppered with mostly family-owned chateaux, the French region rewards visitors with excellent food and fascinating insights into their favourite tipples
