All 100 Cultural Experiences around the World

Asia’s Cultural Experiences

1. A journey of Asian gastronomy onboard Silversea
2. Sample Cantonese food at Lingnan House
3. See Hong Kong’s neon lights
4. Attend a fire, sake and snow festival in Japan
5. Visit Japan’s art islands
6. Spend the night in Japan’s temple town of Koyasan
7. Sample plov at a homestay in Uzbekistan
8. Marvel at Mongolian throat singing
9. Take a foodie tour of Malaysia
10. See Pakistan’s elaborately decorated trucks
11. Experience the cultural extravaganza of India’s Kumbh Mela
12. Travel through India’s most colourful state of Rajasthan
13. Meet the barefoot booksellers of the Maldives
14. Sip a Singapore Sling at Raffles
15. Hike Bali’s Astungkara Way
16. Make ceramics in Uluwatu
17. Go on a spiritual journey in Sri Lanka
18. See the balletic fishermen of Myanmar’s Lake Inle
19. Explore Cambodia’s floating villages
20. An expedition in the Philippines’ pristine Palawan islands
21. See the temples of Chiang Mai
22. Experience life on the Mekong

Africa’s Cultural Experiences

23. Taste the flavours of Mauritius
24. Be dazzled by Brazzaville fashion in the Republic of Congo
25. Cruise Africa with NCL
26. Toast to freedom at a South African shebeen
27. Journey to Gambia’s Kunta Kinteh Island
28. See mountain gorillas in their natural habitat in Rwanda
29. Be a part of Namibia’s rhino conservation story
30. Discover the world of the Maasai in Kenya
31. Explore the Spice Route history of Stone Town in Zanzibar
31. Experience Morocco’s Gnaoua & World Music Festival
33. Cruise Egypt’s legendary Nile River

Europe’s Cultural Experiences

39. Cruise the Danube
40. Go cycling in Amsterdam
41. Visit Berlin’s UNESCO-listed Museum Island
42. Experience the art of Slovenian printmaking
43. Take a World Heritage-listed train journey through the Swiss Alps
44. Soak in the festive spirit of Europe’s Christmas markets
45. Explore the art nouveau architecture of a Swiss mountain village
46. Learn a lost craft in Transylvania
47. Indulge in an endless Italian summer
48. Marvel at Malta’s megalithic stones
49. Embark on a Greek Island adventure
50. Witness the Vatican at dawn
51. Walk the streets of Pompeii
52. Ancient wonders and contemporary culture in Athens
53. Explore the Moorish palaces of Spain
54. Taste unique Basque Country culture through its cuisine
55. Spend an evening at a fado house in Lisbon
56. Make Portuguese tarts in Lisbon
57. Admire high fashion at Paris’s Yves Saint Laurent Museum
58. Board a bespoke barge in France
59. Go behind the scenes at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens
60. Hit Helsinki’s Design District
61. Experience Swedish sauna and ocean bath culture
62. Hear the stories of Norway’s Hotel Union Øye
63. Go hot spring-hopping in Iceland
64. Explore the UNESCO Creative City of Linz
65. Traverse Türkiye with a female lens

The UK and Ireland’s Cultural Experiences

66. Have afternoon tea in London
67. Go wild swimming across the UK
68. Party at Glastonbury Festival
69. Uncover Scottish history at Perth’s new museum
70. Rekindle your love of books in Hay-on-Wye
71. Trace your family roots in Ireland

North America’s Cultural Experiences

72. Join a Native American cultural celebration
73. Admire the modernist architecture of Palm Springs
74. Explore New York City through its legendary piano bars
75. Road trip Nevada’s art highway
76. Experience the culture of Hawai‘i through its surf
77. Visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
78. Embark on a First Nations adventure in BC

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Latin America’s Cultural Experiences

79. Stroll the streets of Havana
80. Witness Mexico’s monarch butterfly migration
81. Marvel at Mayan landmarks in Central America
82. Unmask lucha libre in Mexico
83. Ride with cowboys in Patagonia
84. Attend a folklore festival in the Brazilian Amazon
85. Taste mate, a pan-national drink steeped in tradition
86. Dance in Colombia’s world capital of salsa
87. Spend the night with a Quechuan family on Peru’s Lake Titicaca

The Pacific’s Cultural Experiences

88. Soak in the Bula spirit of Fiji
89. Experience the living heritage of Vanuatu
90. Visit the village longhouses of Palau
91. Celebrate the cultural diversity of Papua New Guinea
92. Attend an arts festival in the Marquesas Islands
93. Cruise the Pacific onboard Scenic Eclipse II
94. Explore the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
95. Do a world-first bungee jump in Queenstown

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.

All 100 Cultural Experiences around the World

Explore all 100 Cultural Experiences around the World, from the Pacific and Asia to Latin America and Europe. No matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, you’ll find something here.

Asia’s Cultural Experiences

Africa’s Cultural Experiences

The Middle East’s Cultural Experiences

Europe’s Cultural Experiences

The UK and Ireland’s Cultural Experiences

North America’s Cultural Experiences

Latin America’s Cultural Experiences

The Pacific’s Cultural Experiences

Antarctica and the Arctic’s Cultural Experiences

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