An Australian living overseas – Lisa Chedanne Director-designer of fashion label Lilya.
Q & A with Lisa Chedanne
Where are you originally from?
Queensland.
Where are you living now?
Bali, Indonesia.
Early morning shot of the Jungutbatu village coastline with the Gunung Agung volcano visible in the background, not covered by clouds. Lembongan island, Bali, Indonesia.
How long have you been there?
I moved to Bali the end of 2016 officially, but have been travelling back and forth for 11 years.
What’s the best thing about it?
The freedom, the beach lifestyle and the social life… everyone is always up for doing something!
What’s the hardest?
I miss my best friends and my family. I am getting a little afraid of the approaching rainy season and getting around in the pouring rain on a motorbike.
What’s one thing people should do when they visit that only a local would know about?
I would suggest a ride through the rice fields, visiting other parts of the island, and the surrounding islands like Nusa Lembongan and the Gili islands. I want to start exploring more – next on my list is to go to Raja Ampat on my friends’ boat.
Where is the best place to get a coffee?
Revolver in Seminyak, because it makes great strong Aussie-style coffee, though there are so many good cafes and restaurants here and lots of discerning customers from all over the world. Coffee standards have definitely improved over the past few years.
Famous Revolver cafe, Bali, Indonesia.
Your favourite place to eat?
Right now, I love La Sicilia in Seminyak. We celebrated my birthday there recently and had the octopus carpaccio and the gnocchi, it was amazing. I also love Avocado Cafe in Canggu. There are so many good places here!
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Where do you go shopping?
I have my fave fashion stores here in Bali like Sailors Falls Finery, Natasha, Auguste and Ku De Ta, but right now my all-time favourite is Kim Soo; it is to die for and totally affordable.
I love riding my motorbike, both in the busy traffic-heavy streets and empty roads. I feel absolute freedom doing this. I also love going to Berawa Beach for sunset. The vibe is super-chilled and every day it makes you remember why you live here.
What would you recommend doing for the perfect Sunday?
Well I’m a mum, so for me it’s Ku De Ta, because it has activities for kids like jumping castles, swimming pool, breakfast and the beach out the front. I see friends there and all the kids play and you get a little time to enjoy the sun.
How has living there changed your life?
I have a lot more freedom being a mum on my own with a little boy and I now travel within Asia a little more, which is exciting. I also wear summer clothes all year round… and get to go to the gym three to four times a week, which I found hard in Australia.
Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
