The Best Food Tours In East Asia

Consider yourself a connoisseur of Asian cuisine? Take your tastebuds on the adventure of a lifetime when you book your spot on one of these Culture Trips in East Asia.

Winter Sale

Night markets and a cooking class – A Taste of Taiwan by Train

The island nation of Taiwan is a unique place, with a distinct cultural identity, a diverse range of modern cities and natural beauty in abundance. It’s also paradise for foodies, with its diverse range of cultural influences combining to cook up a uniquely delicious cuisine. Our nine-day loop tour places great value on food as a cornerstone of Taiwanese culture, starting on opening night with a welcome dinner at an authentic local restaurant in Taipei. Street food takes centre stage the following night at Fengjia Night Market, while a detour to Sun Moon Lake offers the perfect opportunity to sample the nation’s rich tea-producing heritage during a tasting session at a local factory. It’s the perfect palate cleanser before heading to the country’s culinary capital, Tainan. On the second half of our loop, you’ll have lunch with a spectacular mountain view in Shifen, followed by more street food delights at Raohe Night Market. Our last full day starts at a local culinary school in Taipei, where you’ll be given a masterclass in traditional Taiwanese cooking – the perfect way to put all your cultural learning into a delicious plate or two of local specialties.

From US$2029

Next available from 30th Dec 2023

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Taipei, Taiwan

ENDS AT

Taipei, Taiwan

DURATION

9

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Holiday Sale

A selection of classic South Korean dishes, including bibimbap and kimchi

Fish markets, bibimbap and soju – Soulful South Korea

Korean cuisine has enjoyed a boom in western popularity in recent years, with kimchi and bibimbap becoming increasingly familiar, and KFC taking on a new, stickier meaning. Our 10-day trip in South Korea offers you the chance to sample this incredible culinary culture from the source. We’ll welcome you to Seoul on opening night with a traditional Korean barbecue, featuring meats and vegetables cooked over coals and wrapped in a lettuce leaf with ssamjang sauce. You’ll have lunch in a traditional Hanok village in Seoul, as well as dinner in another Hanok in Gyeongju. You’ll visit the fish market of Sokcho and lunch veggie Buddhist monk-style at Golgulsa Temple, before reaching Busan, where the foodie experience steps up a notch. You’ll explore the famous Jagalchi Fish Market and have the chance to gorge on Busan Hotteok (a sweet, filled pancake) before mastering the art of Korean cuisine with an expert cooking class. You’ll wash your creations down with rice wine, before experiencing a traditional tea ceremony and enjoying a few sips of Makgeolli, a milky sparkling rice wine. The following day we’ll sip soju, a subtly-sweet Korean spirit, on the beach. Finally, we spend our last full day in Jeonju, the home of bibimbap, so there’s nowhere better to try this iconic Korean dish at our farewell dinner, following a thirsty trip to a local craft brewery.

From US$3499

Next available from 10th Mar 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Seoul, South Korea

ENDS AT

Seoul, South Korea

DURATION

10

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Winter Sale

Sushi-rolling, sake and okonomiyaki – Japan by Train

This 12-day Rail Trip takes in a remarkable amount of Japan in a relatively short period of time, which means a wide variety of tasting experiences are on the horizon. We’ll start with a welcome dinner in Osaka and a visit to the famous Dotonbori Strip, home to the first sushi train in the world. In Hiroshima you’ll try okonomiyaki, a popular savoury pancake usually topped with meat or seafood. In Kyoto you’ll take in the sights, smells and sounds of Nishiki food market, before winding up to the Japanese Alps, where you’ll visit a local brewery for a sake-tasting session. After a traditional onsen experience and a boat trip in the shadow of Mount Fuji, we’ll finally arrive in Tokyo. The capital is one of the world’s greatest food destinations and you’ll see it up close, first with a visit to Tsukiji Outer Market and later with an expert class in the crafty art of sushi-rolling – don’t worry, you’ll be able to gobble down your creations too. Our farewell dinner will be in the buzzy night neighbourhood of Kabukicho.

From US$4119

Next available from 28th Mar 2024

Secure your spot with a low deposit

Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Osaka, Japan

ENDS AT

Tokyo, Japan

DURATION

12

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.