100 Ultimate Travel Experiences of a Lifetime: The Panel

These 10 intrepid travellers have traversed the globe and, between them, have tried many of the 100 Ultimate Travel Experiences of a Lifetime. Lucky them!

LEIGH-ANN POW

International Traveller’s editorial director Leigh-Ann spent over a decade at Vogue Australia as associate editor, as well as editing the magazine’s travel pages.
Her job involved visiting drop-dead gorgeous locations with drop-dead gorgeous models, photographers, fashion editors and lots of excess baggage in tow.
After leaving the title she wrote her first book before joining IT.

RICHARD I’ANSON

Based in Sydney, Richard has built a career on his twin passions for travel and photography.
Over the past 32 years he has travelled to more than 85 countries on all seven continents.
Richard has published 11 books including four editions of the Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography and is a Master of Photography, awarded by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography.

SALLY WEBB

An award-winning journalist, editor and publisher, Sally has authored nine Lonely Planet travel guides, was deputy editor of both Travel + Leisure and Vogue Entertaining + Travel and food publisher at Murdoch Books. She writes travel articles for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Good Food and is the author of Travel Without Tears: 645 ways for families to take on the world.

ANDREW BAIN

An award-winning travel writer, Andrew can usually be found wandering when he should be working.
His work has appeared in print around the world including Australian Geographic, Sydney Morning Herald, Outback and International Traveller.
He is the author of a number of books including Headwinds, the tale of his 20,000-kilometre bike ride around Australia.
Wild and remote lands are his happy place.

LOUISE SOUTHERDEN

Four-time winner of the ASTW’s prestigious Travel Writer of the Year award, Louise Southerden is the author of three books including Adventures on Earth, an interactive ebook collection of her best-ever adventure travel stories and photographs.
When not trekking in Madagascar, surfing in Portugal or sea kayaking in PNG, Louise lives in Sydney.
Follow her travels on noimpactgirl.blogspot.com.

STEVE MCKENNA

A regular contributor to Australia’s leading travel publications, including International Traveller, Steve has visited, written about and photographed more than 80 countries on six different continents.
He fears he has an incurable case of wanderlust and reserves a special affection for Europe, Asia and South America.

CHRISTINE MANFIELD

Christine is one of the country’s most celebrated chefs whose books Tasting India, Fire and Spice, Stir, Paramount Cooking and Paramount Desserts have spiced up kitchens everywhere.
She has worked with chefs around the world and regularly hosts gastronomic tours to destinations including India, Morocco and France.

JOHN BORTHWICK

An award-winning travel writer and photographer for over 14 years, John has contributed illustrated articles to publications such as the Weekend Australian, The Sun-Herald, Qantas The Australian Way and International Traveller.
His books include Summer In Siam and Chasing Gauguin’s Ghost. He holds a PhD in Travel Literature.

LEE TULLOCH

Lee is publisher and editor of online travel magazine Mr and Mrs Amos (mrandmrsamos.com), which she produces with her husband, photographer Tony Amos.
She is an award-winning contributing travel editor at Vogue Living, the Luxe Nomad columnist for Fairfax Traveller and the author of five novels.

CRAIG TANSLEY

Craig is a freelance travel journalist, who contributes to several publications including International Traveller, and has spent the past 14 years trying to uncover the world’s best experiences.
A big fan of adventure in nature, his favourites come complete with loads of adrenalin like swimming with humpback whales off Bora Bora.

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

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — 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

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — 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

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — 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.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

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.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.