A queue forms every afternoon at Bali's Ayana Resort as people line up to take the cable car down to the Rocks Bar, Jimbaran's favourite sunset spot. Here's what they don't know: further along the cliff face, the resort's Kisik restaurant has views that are just as spectacular. Settle in for a delicious seafood dinner, and revel in the knowledge that you have escaped the crush. See ayanaresort.com.
Ayana Resort & Spa, Bali Photo: Alamy
Check the tides before heading to lunch at The Rock, off the southeastern coast of Zanzibar. At low tide, you can walk right up to the door; at high tide, you will have to hop on a boat. This intimate restaurant, with just 12 tables, used to be an old fisherman's post; no prizes for guessing that there is plenty of seafood on the menu. See therockrestaurantzanzibar.com.
Every kid loves a treehouse; at the Soneva Kiri resort in Thailand's south, adults do too. Guests can book a table in a tree pod, a large wicker basket which is hoisted up into the trees while you sit inside it. Your waiter, hooked up to a zip line, delivers your meals at an impressive speed. See soneva.com.
Tree pod dining Soneva Kiri Photo: Antonina Gern
There are plenty of resorts in the Maldives where you can wake up in an overwater bungalow. Anantara Kihavah Villas is one of the few where you can also end your day dining underwater. In between watching the sea life through the reinforced windows, spare some attention for the fine food, which includes Chinese-style foie gras and crisp fried duckling with plum, orange and ginger marmalade. See kihavah-maldives.anantara.com.
Anantara Kihavah Villas, Maldives Photo: Supplied
Backdrops don't get much more dramatic than this. The aptly named Le Panoramic, perched at a giddy altitude of 2500 metres in France's favourite ski resort, Chamonix, has glorious views of Mont Blanc among others. Catch the cable car or the gondola up to restaurant; if the weather is fine, grab a seat on one of the terraces. Bookings are essential. See lepanoramic-courchevel.com.
Leave your shoes at the door when you pop into this one-of-a-kind restaurant at Rayavadee Resort in southern Thailand. This sandy seaside cave is the perfect date night option, the barbecued seafood being served to the sound of the ocean gently lapping. Rayavadee has plenty of delicious dining options, but this is definitely the most atmospheric. See rayavadee.com.
You have to wonder which planning department signed off on this restaurant, clinging precariously to a cliffside overlooking one of China's most scenic gorges. Actually, eating at Fangweng Restaurant in the Yichang area of China is not quite as hair-raising as it looks. Almost, but not quite. The restaurant is built into caves in the cliffs – but to get to the cave, you have to walk along a 30-metre "corridor" made of planks.
Ресторан «Fangweng» в китайской провинции Хубэй удобно располагается рядом с популярной пещерой Санью, иначе называемой «Пещерой трёх путешественников», но вам может показаться более впечатляющим то, что ресторан будто бы висит на краю обрыва.
It may well be the ultimate alfresco dining experience: on the floodplains of Botswana, surrounded by beds of papyrus, knowing that there is wildlife all around, even if it is hidden amid the long grass. Only a select few diners get to enjoy the views from the restaurant at Baines Sanctuary Camp: the camp takes just five couples at any one time. See sanctuaryretreats.com.
Baines Sanctuary Camp, Botswana Photo: Supplied
What is most striking about India is its contrasts: rich and poor, modern and historic. So it's fitting that one of the best views of the Taj Mahal can be enjoyed from a cheap-as-chips rooftop restaurant. In Agra's Taj Ganj area, the Saniya Palace Hotel is perfectly positioned for diners who like to multitask, feasting on curry and Kingfisher beer while posting envy-inducing shots on Instagram. See saniyapalace.in.
There are two reasons you have to book months in advance to dine at Sydney's Quay Restaurant, and one of them is that outlook, with diners enjoying front-and-centre views of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. The other is chef Peter Gilmour's delicate creations, which include black lipped abalone served with shiitake, chawanmushi, sesame, cultured grains and smoked pig jowl. See quay.com.au.
An intimate setting for our "from the ground up dinner" hosted by @chefpetergilmore @johnstonefarmer. Peter has planned a special menu around the beautiful produce grown by Tim. #celebrateourfarmers #Quay #JohnstoneKitchenGardens #PeterGilmore #QuayRestaurant
See also: The 50 dishes every traveller needs to try at least once
