Thailand

Thailand is one glorious sensory overload, from the paralysing volume of traffic in Bangkok to the bustling night markets. The streets are scattered with food stalls, home to colourful displays of perfectly ripe fruit and glistening woks of boiling-hot oil. Thai food itself is similarly enticing: it seduces and overwhelms until you just can’t resist. Another?

Each dish is a delicate balancing act of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Food here is assertive and complex. In Thailand, eating is a social event and a celebration. Friends and family gather around large tables, and dishes are almost always shared. When the food arrives, it is always dressed to impress. Adorned with intricately carved vegetables or blushing frangipani flowers, the food feeds your eyes as much as it does your belly.