Craving a culinary adventure? These unique dining experiences will elevate your next holiday
A mud crab from the coast, a feast of dishes on board a handmade phinisi, and a lesson on Spain's rice history – food is undeniably the portal to learning more about countries and their cultures.
In Hilton's 2025 Trends Report, nearly one in five of the 13,000 participants surveyed said that they would travel specifically to seek out new restaurants or culinary experiences and 60 per cent of luxury travellers prioritise accommodation with great restaurants.
Last year, the Asia-Pacific International Spirits and Wines Association (APISWA) did a study of 1,800 travellers from Southeast Asia's key source markets such as China, South Korea, the US and UK, and found that 70 per cent consider the range and quality of food and drink to be an important factor when selecting a destination. Travellers are also more willing to pay an additional US$250 (S$322) per person per day for more premium F&B experiences, with an eye on value, safety and reliability.
Looking for a culinary adventure for your next trip? Check out these options below.
CRUISE THE INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO AND PERUVIAN WATERWAYS
Imagine a dreamy voyage gliding through the Indonesian archipelago or the Peruvian rainforest.
The 45m, seven-bedroom luxury phinisi Celestia is exclusively for private charters and offers a glimpse of Indonesia's culinary soul through the cooking of well-known Balinese chef Wayan Kresna Yasa. His home-style dishes change according to the catch of the day with ingredients such as spices, roots, leaves, nuts and chillies. Highlights include wild-caught tuna with sambal matah to tamarind duck confit and pandan panna cotta. Learn the stories behind the dishes, imbued with Wayan's personal perspective whenever he is on board.
Silolona Sojourns sails through some of Indonesia's most remote islands and the Andaman sea of Myanmar and Thailand. Each voyage on their two luxury phinisi boats Silolona and Si Datu Bua ends with a rijsttafel, an elaborate rice table of Indonesian dishes such as Nasi Kuning, Tempe Manis, Terong Balado, and Urap Sayur. For trips within Indonesia, Southeast Asian residents pay US$14,960 on Silolona or US$9,600 for Si Datu Bua, compared to US$18,700 and US$12,000 respectively for international travellers. All rates are exclusive of VAT, and includes all food and beverage, diving, scheduled activities and accommodation.
From Sep 30 to Oct 4, celebrated Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino will be on Aqua Expeditions' Aqua Nera. After excursions to local markets and villages, and swims and kayaking in the river, come back to Schiaffino's rainforest-to-table dishes such as grilled tiger catfish wrapped in bijao leaf, 'causa' with shrimp cocktail and paiche fish ceviche with sweet potatoes and fresh corn. There will also be a ceviche masterclass and cocktail demonstration. Book the trip with Rainforest Cruises.
DESIGN-LED GASTRONOMY IN GREECE
Art, design and food are converging in Greece from Sep 23 to 28. Greek design practice K-Studio is hosting a design-focused trip across three of its projects from the neo-modernist Perianth Hotel in Athens to Manna in the Peloponnesian fir forest before finishing at the oceanfront Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, a former winery in Kourouta.
Organised by Design Hotels and Design Anthology UK magazine, the journey covers forest trekking and foraging, a local-led design tour and dinner in Dexamenes Hotel's Dex.Silo.01, a gastronomic space converted from a 1920s silo tank.
Book a dinner under the stars at Table 131° restaurant in luxury tented accommodation Longitude 131°. The four-course menu is served in the presence of the majestic Uluru (Ayers Rock) and vast Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia's Northern Territories, and embraces native ingredients, bush flavours and First Nations cooking techniques, all paired with Australian wines.
Book the all-inclusive package with 360 Private Travel, with perks such as champagne on arrival, signature guided experiences and Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park permit.
Over in Western Australia, you will find the magnificent coast and parched desert outback. The Binba Mayi Coastal Foraging Experience in Broome (or Rubibi to the aboriginal people) highlights ancient First Nation methods for gathering mud crabs, shellfish and stingrays from the mangrove-lined creeks and mudflats. Your fresh catch is then prepared traditionally with damper and bush honey.
Venture further north to the rugged landscape of Pilbara and dive into a world of wagyu beef, pristine coasts and the excitement of the annual cattle muster. The five-day Pilbara Food Tour has only two departures of 10 travellers each; this year's trips are from Aug 4 to 8 and Aug 9 to 13.
EPIC 50-COURSE MEAL IN DENMARK
The Alchemist's unconventional 45 to 50 'edible impressions' are not for the faint-hearted nor the impatient. For those who are game, it is four to six hours of cerebral and emotive dining with plenty of fodder for conversations.
From an eight-flavoured, heart-shaped morsel with a social message to a hibiscus flower formed from thin, dehydrated scoby sheets, a meal here will make you (literally) see food in a completely different light. Patience and fast fingers are key though. Be prepared for several booking attempts: Alchemist only opens reservations three months in advance and seats are snapped up fast.
RICE AND SEAFOOD TOUR IN SPAIN
Join Aborigens, a Spanish journalist-led culinary project, on a rice and seafood exploration journey from Sep 20 to Oct 7 to discover the history behind iconic dishes from fishermen's stews to paella. The Ultimate Rice and Seafood Tour of Mediterranean Spain is led by American food writer Colman Andrews, who is considered one of the world's foremost experts on Spanish cuisine, especially that of the Catalonia region. The tour takes place during the rice harvest season, an opportune time to chat with rice producers and passionate chefs from Barcelona to Valencia, Alicante and Denia and have a dinner at three Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta in Denia.
FLORA AND FAIRYTALE FARE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Tuck into the gorgeous and the quirky at Merchant Roots, which uses digital projections, custom-printed wallpaper and different spaces to immerse diners in its themed menus, which change every quarter.
Located in San Francisco's SoMa (South of Market) neighbourhood, the restaurant celebrates spring's bounty in an 11-course In Bloom menu from now till Jul 11. The versatility of flowers like jasmine and rose as well as vegetables like artichokes, cauliflower and asparagus are showcased in dishes like Jasmine Tea-smoked Duck and Braised Lamb Campanelle with harissa and rose halva.
A new menu Sleepover – Bedtime Stories and Nursery Rhymes will debut on Jul 22 with cheeky-sounding dishes like Peter Piper's Pickled Pepper Caribbean Escabeche and a course with three porridges a la Goldilocks, one of which will be 'just right'. In October, it is a wild journey with the Feast of Moss Woods menu, which explores ingredients found and foraged in nature such as mushrooms, truffles, seaweed, lobster and abalone.
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