Holidays that are a feast for the eyes and… your tastebuds.
BORNEO
There are those who say anything cooked in bamboo or kolo mee are the foods to try in Borneo. We think it’s the off-the-beaten track side of food that makes this island a food adventure.
Depending on the season, you can find dabai – a fruit that looks a little like olives yet tastes like brie and cooked carrots, crispy juicy water apples, forest starfruit with their marshmallow-ish mangosteen-like texture and sweet-sour flavour, pink engkala that need to be beaten before eating if you don’t want to hurt your throat, and so much more.
Kuching is a great base for exploring the food of Borneo as there are many local markets to visit and you can find innovative yet classic Borneo dishes at Cove55’s Kechala restaurant. It also happens to be one of our fave boutique hotels in Borneo.
SINGAPORE
If you saw or read Crazy Rich Asians, you know that eating is basically the national pastime in Singapore.
Whether it’s chili crab, Hainanese chicken rice, roti prata, a steaming bowl of laksa, mean-and-noodle-heavy char kuay teow, fish head curry, or buttery kaya toast that tantalizes your tastebuds, you can spend days in Singapore feasting on the spicy, tangy, sweet, umami flavours of this food-obsessed nation.
MALAYSIA
Sour, sweet, tangy, tart, salty, spicy, bitter, and rounded out by rich umami, Malay food oozes flavour.
Asam Laksa in Penang, otak-otak and wonton mee in Melaka, nasi dagang in Terengganu, the specialities of each region highlight local ingredients and the country’s multicultural history.
We can’t pick one favourite dish but to visit without trying nasi lamak with its coconut rice base would mean you have to return for another holiday!
LAOS
It isn’t a meal in Laos without sticky rice. Naturally sticky, served in individual bamboo baskets, and rolled into a ball to use as a scoop, it’s nothing like Thailand’s mango sticky rice! Whether eating it with larp (a meat salad), spicy stewed eggplant, fish stew, or a local vegetable that has no name in English, it’s at the heart of Lao cuisine.
With cookery classes in Luang Prabang and Vientiane you can learn how to prepare it – it’s easier than you think so long as you have the time. And in Luang Prabang, you can try your hand at plowing a sticky rice field and see the process from seed to table or walk with a farmer as he tells you the secrets of his land.
THAILAND
JAPAN
Listed as part of the prestigious UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, Japanese cuisine is a true worldwide sensation, celebrated for its diverse flavors, top-notch quality, and stunning presentation. When it comes to our personal favorites, the choice is not easy, but the kaiseki dinner is one of them – this multi-course haute cuisine meal is a food lover’s dream that will awaken not only your palate but the rest of your senses too.
For a more laid-back dining experience, don’t miss out on scrumptious hot pot dishes like shabu-shabu or the beloved Japanese curry, now considered a national favorite. And when the workday is done, be sure to explore the world of “Japanese tapas” at lively izakaya bars. There’s also yakiniku, a Japanese barbecue where you become the grillmaster, not to mention the fantastic street food options, including the renowned yakitori, tempting “octopus balls,” and mouthwatering okonomiyaki.
CAMBODIA
Capital Phnom Penh and popular Siem Reap (home of the Angkor temples) would both claim to be the culinary hub of Cambodia, but that’s a decision you’ll have to make for yourself when you visit!
We love to support the various restaurants and projects run by aid organisations to provide employment, training and other local support to the country, and visits to these are often included in our guided tours.
And we’re always looking out for restaurants embracing the traditional Khmer recipes and techniques, these take the best advantage of fresh local produce and are incredibly hard to recreate out of the country.
SRI LANKA
Sri Lankan food is absolutely epic and breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, particularly when on holiday, dining alfresco and eagerly anticipating the day ahead! The Sri Lankan breakfast options are tantalising. My favourite dish(es) are coconut roti, served with coconut and chill sambol and onion sambol which offer a little spice and then a sweet onion chutney style accompaniment.
Then, it’s time for an egg hopper (delicious light airy pancake with a poached egg in the middle) oh and of course a fruit platter and why not coconut, palm sugar, cardamom and cinnamon crepes too?! Mouth-watering! Oh and if that’s not enough, rice and curry is also served at breakfast and we know how many different curries are served in Sri Lanka so your options are endless and we haven’t even mentioned additional Western options!
VIETNAM
Our advice is to embrace the street food from day one in Vietnam as there is so much to fall in love with.
While the spicy rice noodle soup known as Pho might be the most famous, and seems to be available on every street corner, you really want to try it all – tasty Bahn Mi (loaded baguette), Bun Cha (Vietnamese Meatballs) and Banh Xeo (crispy pancakes) all washed down with delicious fresh local beer – which also happens to be extremely cheap.
A guided local food tour in Hanoi or Saigon is time and money very well spent to make sure you find your favourite Vietnamese dish.
INDONESIA
Indonesia’s celebrated culinary landscape offers a delightful array of flavours, and among its shining stars is Gado Gado, a national salad steeped in tradition. This beloved dish, meaning “mix mix” in Indonesian, harmonizes blanched vegetables and hard-boiled eggs.
What truly elevates Gado Gado is the exquisite peanut sauce, a symphony of ground roasted peanuts, chilies, shrimp paste, tamarind, sugar, and salt. Some variations include crispy tofu, tempeh, and even deep-fried fish cakes, adding layers of texture and flavour. Enjoyed throughout the archipelago, Gado Gado transcends being just a salad—it’s a homage to Indonesia’s rich culinary heritage.
