9 Epicurean Wonders Of The World - International Traveller

Calling all foodies – it’s time to treat yourself to a truly unforgettable dining experience.

Trying new foods is one of the best parts of travelling the world. Follow your nose to discover these mouth-watering meals, refreshments and regions and you’ll return home with more than a few new favourites and recipes.

1. Kakheti wine region, Georgia

Travelling with: Steve Madgwick

As long as the singer’s voice floats up from the hole, the new vintage is underway and on track, like thousands before it. If the singing unexpectedly stops, however, the rescue mission kicks in and the process must begin again.

traditional wines in Georgia — The estate of the noble Chavchavadze family produces traditional wine in Georgia.

The hole in question is the opening of the qvevri, an egg-shaped earthenware vessel buried into the earth, used to ferment, store and age the ‘natural’ or ‘unfiltered’ wines of Georgia. Natural because this Caucasus country doesn’t remove grape skins, pips and stalks during fermentation, or add unnatural preservatives, yeast or extra sugar during wine production (sometimes sulphides are added at bottling).

lush vineyard in Kakheti region, Georgia — The picturesque Kakheti region grows around three-quarters of the country’s grapes.

Cleaning the qvevri is crucial. The larger ones are metres deep, holding thousands of litres, so winemakers climb down inside to scrub them with brushes made from the naturally antiseptic roots of St John’s wort and pressed cherry tree bark. Georgian wine is unpasteurised, so the cleaning process is a balancing act.

Nekresi Monastery in Kakheti, Georgia — Nekresi Monastery in Kakheti has an ancient wine cellar.

Rogue noxious bacteria can spell curtains for a vintage, but because qvevris are re-used, the wine also benefits from ‘good’ bacteria and moulds trapped in the porous clay, which act like a natural yeast.

Qvevri are earthenware vessels used in traditional Georgian winemaking.

Why the singing? It tells those above ground that the winemaker hasn’t passed out from the overpowering alcohol fumes from past vintages. Conversely, if they are bad singers, the lid is slammed shut anyway – so goes the local joke.

bottles of Pheasant’s Tears wines on the table — Pheasant’s Tears winery continues an 8000-year-old tradition.

2. Mil Centro, Moray, Peru

Travelling with: Kee Foong

Central restaurant in Peru was voted World’s Best Restaurant in 2023, which makes getting a reservation there extremely tricky. Its founder, Virgilio Martinez, however, has a destination dining experience high in the Andes that is slightly easier to book, if not get to.

the exterior of Mil CentroMoray, Peru — The impressive Moray Ruins in Mil Centro, Moray, Peru. (Image: Gustavo Vivanco)

Located next to the mysterious Incan site of Moray near Machu Picchu, Mil Centro is part restaurant, part community farming project and part research lab that’s worthy of a pilgrimage for gourmands. Book the full-day Mil Immersion, which includes meeting with Indigenous farmers and artisans followed by a sumptuous discovery of Andean cuisine.

Tuberculos Nativos in Mil Centro, Moray, Peru — Tuberculos Nativos in Peru. (Image: Ken Motohasi)

3. Le Louis XV, Monte Carlo, Monaco

Travelling with: Catherine Marshall

The chef is an artiste, the maître d’ an entertainer, the dining room a gilded theatre. Diners are expected to dress for the performance at Alain Ducasse’s three-starred Michelin restaurant in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

a luxury dining setup at Le Louis XV, Paris, France — Luxury dining redefined at Le Louis XV. (Image: Monte-Carlo Societe Des Bains)

Here, every set piece is a masterstroke: tissue-thin bread embossed with zucchini leaves and filaments of radish; fish cubes steaming on a bed of pebbles beneath a glass cloche; Champagne to match the brass tableware and buttery interior. This is an extravaganza to be digested long after you’ve delivered your standing ovation.

a Le Louis XV plate in Paris, France — Indulge in edible art at the three-starred Michelin restaurant. (Image: Monte-Carlo Societe Des Bains)

4. Viennese coffeehouses, Vienna, Austria

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The Austrian capital is justifiably famous for its coffeehouses, known as much for their VIPs as their coffee and cake. From Café Central, where both Freud and Trotsky frequented in the early 1900s, to Café Hawelka, where patrons have included Andy Warhol and Peter Ustinov, to the elegant Café Sacher, home to the original Sacher-Torte cake, there’s a lot to love about Vienna’s centuries-old coffeehouses.

a slice of Sacher Torte cake on plate at the Cafe Sacher — An indulgent slice of Sacher Torte at the Cafe Sacher.

Café Frauenhuber is Vienna’s oldest coffeehouse and is known for having Mozart and Beethoven play piano there in the late 1700s. Waltz through the doors at this timeworn institution to get a glimpse into Viennese society and the great minds that have helped shape the ‘City of Ideas’.

an old Viennese coffee house at Cafe Goldegg — Linger all day in the timeless coffeehouse at Cafe Goldegg.

5. Île Saint-Honorat, Cannes, France

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

An island solely inhabited by Cistercian monks is not somewhere you’d expect to be surrounded by bikini-clad glitterati blaring techno on their yachts. Yet, Île Saint-Honorat is an anomalous pocket of asceticism that sits in stark contrast to the revelry of the French Riviera.

a selection of wines at Île Saint-Honorat, Cannes, France — Wind down with a bottle of wine at Île Saint-Honorat, Cannes, France.

However, the monastery precedes partygoers by about 16 centuries, as does its ancient winemaking traditions that continue into the present day. I sample syrah in the monastery’s sun-drenched vineyard. It’s peppery and intense, with notes of cherries, blackberries and cinnamon – a little drop of heaven.

view of Lérins Abbey monastery in Île Saint-Honorat, Cannes, France — Off the coast of Cannes lies the monastery of Lérins Abbey.

6. Kanda, Tokyo, Japan

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The word delicious is written as ‘beautiful flavour’ in Japanese. It’s at the heart of what inspires chef Hiroyuki Kanda-san, whose eponymously named restaurant Kanda has been awarded three Michelin stars since Michelin began ranking restaurants in Tokyo in 2007.

Unagi eel dish in Kanda, Tokyo, Japan — The Japanese unagi eel is known for its somewhat sweet taste. (Image: Gozen Koshida)

Epicureans will find it worth their while to seek out the intimate eight-seat eatery in the Moto-Azabu area of Tokyo, where everything from the kaiseki cuisine to the ceramics reflects Kanda’s meticulous attention to detail. The acclaimed chef has also been the recipient of the Michelin Mentor Award for his continued dedication to the hospitality industry in Japan.

private seating in Nihon Ryori Kanda, Japan — Restaurant Kanda has been awarded three Michelin stars. (Image: Masatomo Moriyama)

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7. Pisco Sour, Chile

Travelling with: Sarah Reid

Have you even been to Chile if you haven’t sipped a pisco sour? Chile and Peru both claim pisco as their national tipple, but Chileans reportedly produce and drink more of the distilled grape spirit.

a glass of Pisco Sour in Chile — Pisco Sour is a mix of pisco, lime, sugar and ice.

While Peru may be the birthplace of its signature cocktail, Chile’s pisco sour recipe wins me over for its lip-smacking simplicity; its mix of pisco, lime, sugar and ice producing a frothy top layer without the need for egg whites. Salud!

8. Khao Soi, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Travelling with: Sarah Reid

Many cultures lay claim to the world’s best coconut curry, but there’s something special about khao soi. Typically made with chicken, the signature dish of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand is decadently rich and creamy, with the combination of soft and crunchy noodles creating the perfect texture.

a bowl of Khao Soi in Chiang Mai — Khao soi is a specialty coconut curry noodle soup in Chiang Mai.

Anthony Bourdain put rough-and-ready Khao Soi Lung Prakit Kad Kom’s eye-wateringly spicy version on the map, but we think the more refined version at historic general store-turned-restaurant Kiti Panit is well worth sampling.

an elegant dining interior at Kiti Panit Lo, Chiang Mai — Kiti Panit is a former colonial mansion refurbished into a new dining space in Chiang Mai.

9. Penang Street Food, Malaysia

Travelling with: Emily Murphy

Penang’s rich multicultural history is what landed its capital George Town on the UNESCO World Heritage list. But it’s also what shaped the state’s famous street food scene. Penang’s thriving outdoor hawker centres have an abundance of stalls, each unique to its neighbour, using age-old family recipes to serve up affordable, flavourful dishes.

a Laksa food stall in Penang, Malaysia — Penang is a wild hodgepodge of lively food stalls and restaurants.

You won’t receive a perfectly presented plate, but when the quality, flavour and price are that good, who’s complaining? Must-try dishes include nasi kandar, char koay teow and asam laksa, an all-time favourite. The famed eatery Air Itam Asam Laksa does it best, serving the addictive sweet-sour broth with rice noodles, bunga kantan (ginger torch), red chillies and fresh mint.

a Penang Char kuay teow and Malay satay, streetfood in Malaysia — Queue up for the famous Penang street foods.

We have curated the ultimate list of wonder-filled travel experiences; keep reading the 100 Wonders of the World for the full list.

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.

9 epicurean wonders from around the world