Eating Clean The World’s Best Tropical Feasts

If you are a foodie and are drawn by balmy breezes, tropical palms and the warmth of the sun, then the following tropical food feasts are for you. From mango festivals in India to Indonesian food festivals in misty and green Ubud, from the vibrant food festivals Brazil has to offer, to Thailand's towers of fruit, there is something to suit every taste on this list.

1. Chanthaburi Fruit Fair, Thailand

If you are in Thailand at the end of May and wondering where to go in Bangkok, leave the city behind and head to the east for a day or two to Chanthaburi Town. The Chanthaburi Fruit Fair is Thailand's celebration of the region's wonderful fruit offerings and you can join in too towards the end of May and the start of June each year. You'll be stunned by the abundance of fresh, fruity offerings in one place. The festival is held during the summer harvest at the time when the fruit crops are at their best. Be prepared to discover a selection of exotic fruit native to this part of the worldt hat you might have never seen before like durian, longans, mangosteens, pomelos and rambutans many of which are.

The Chanthaburi fair usually takes place around the Taksin Park Lake. One of the most iconic things about this festival is the designing of floats on water and on land, completely built of fruit and often more elaborated than Buddhist mandalas. Competitions are held and prizes are offered for the best rambutans and durians. There are some orchards which offer tours to visitors and you can also shop for local crafts. While you gorge on fruit, you can also enjoy the entertainment programmes held.

2. Ubud Food Festival, Indonesia

One of the most enjoyable things to do in Bali if you like exploring the cuisines of the places you visit, is to check out the Ubud Food Festival. Ubud lies in the uplands, home to lush rice paddies and is also the face of cultural Bali. The new Ubud Food Festival that was inaugurated in June, 2015 will continue to celebrate the diversity and richness of Indonesian food each year. The three-day festival saw Bali's most celebrated chefs and many international restaurateurs come together to bring food tours, cooking demonstrations, master classes and workshops, food forums and special events, markets and more.

The focus of the festival was Indonesia's local produce and traditional Balinese cooking, with modern twists. Guests enjoyed cooking demonstrations of Ambonese Papeda or sago porridge by Chef Bara, Pandan Gula Melaka ice cream by famous dessert chef Janice Wong, learnt how to make satays and and how to twirl them on lemongrass sticks from chef Made Lugra, Kintamani coffee tours, discussions of Indonesia's gerobak (food carts) and demonstrations of other traditional Indonesian dishes.In 2016 too, you can expect top chefs participate in the second round of one of the most exotic tropical food festivals in the world.

3. The Festa De Sao Benefito, Brazil

If Brazil is more your kind of tropical paradise, be there for the Festival of St. Benedict or Festa De Sao Benedito. This is a cowboy festival with traditional dancing, foods and cowboys with saddlebags containing traditional food. Iconic foods are the bolinhos or balls of deep fried cheese or rice. Cowboys gather for a special outdoor Mass in the backlands of Pernambuco. They stay on their horses throughout the Mass and then share the manioc meal, the local hard goat cheese queijo do sertao and candy-like chunks of raw brown sugar or rapadura. Join locals for this unique Mass in July and stay for the unique feast of local specialties.

4. International Mango Festival, India

If you love mangoes, you can stuff yourself full with them during the International Mango Festival held in India's capital city New Delhi every year in July. The three-day festival showcases hundreds of varieties of mangoes grown across the country. There are competitions between mango growers. Visitors can taste mangoes for free, participate in mango-eating contests, try various preparations of the fruit, and enjoy cultural performances and entertainment put up at the Talkatora stadium in the city.

5. Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, Hawaii

If Hawaii is calling, try to go there during the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. The two-week festival is one of the biggest gastronomic draws in the Pacific and it takes place across various islands. More than a hundred celebrated master chefs, spirit and wine producers and other famous individuals from the world of food come together to offer cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, excursions and special dining opportunities where you can taste the local produce, beef, poultry and seafood. The festival is currently chaired by celebrated chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Chef Alan Wong.