Progressive dinner, Cook Islands
The progressive dinner (pictured) is one of the best-loved tourist excursions in Rarotonga, one of the Cook Islands, for very good reason. There are three stops at different locals' houses, for entree, main and dessert, with the opportunity to try dishes such as ika-mata, the islands' version of ceviche, curried bananas (surprisingly good), rukau - stewed young taro leaves, meats cooked in hot stone pits, plus an entire tableful of desserts and tropical fruits. And every mouthful of this generous banquet is accompanied by lively ukulele playing and singing. cookislandstours.co.ck
Autogrill Italy
Autogrill rest stops, named in honour of the American roadside grill, proliferated on Italy's motorways throughout the 1950s, often designed by architects of note. Like the Fiorenzuola d'Arda Autogrill, where you can dine on a futuristic bridge spanning the motorway between Piacenza and Parma in Emilia-Romagna's Po Valley. An essential rest stop on an Italian road trip, Autogrill serves up not just pasta, panino, grilled meats and freshly made salads, all of surprisingly high quality, but sells local wines, and an extensive and highly regional range of artisan produce, often at far more reasonable prices than posh city delis.
Kimchi Museum, Seoul
Given there's a 98.7 per cent likelihood of being served kimchi at a meal in Korea and that locals eat a staggering 1.79 million tonnes of it a year, it's no wonder there's a museum in Seoul dedicated to kimchi. In the bustling Insa-Dong district, the museum pays affectionate homage to the country's favourite side dish, with interactive exhibits, art and displays detailing the 1000 years of kimchi history and its cultural significance. There's also a tasting room with free samples, plus hands-on kimchi-making classes. kimchikan.com
Catch a crab, Port Douglas
You'll never taste fresher crab, but you'll have to work for it. At stunning Cooya Beach just north of Queensland's Port Douglas, brothers Linc and Juan Walker, Kuku Yalanji traditional custodians, take guests on a two-hour hunt for the famous muddies among the mangroves. They instruct on how to find the elusive crabs and to accurately throw the four-pronged bamboo spear, then you're invited for a delicious shared crab feast with them and other family members at their home across the road. kycht.com.au