14 of the world's most mouth-watering foodie trips

From Sri Lankan curries to Vietnamese street food, a country's cuisine is often the route to its soul. Here are 14 incredible gourmet getaways guaranteed to get your tastebuds tingling

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1. Vietnam - From seafood to street eats


Scenic landscape beside the water in Vietnam (Exodus)

Embark on a Vietnam Food Adventure with Exodus, and dine on delights that span north to south. 

Chow down on squid and lobster among the karsts of Halong Bay, then devour tasty street food in the charming port town of Hoi An. 

Pedal herb gardens in the Mekong Delta – Vietnam’s rice bowl – learning to cook regional specialities, ending in the bustling food markets of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). 

Who: Exodus

When: Selected dates Oct-Nov 2017; Jan-Mar & Nov 2018

How long:
12 days

How much:
From £1,899 (incl flights)

 

2. Sri Lanka - Discover the Spice Island


Local crab dish in Galle, Sri Lanka (World Expeditions)

Fill up on the Teardrop Isle’s storied cuisine in the company of TV chef Peter Kuruvita on World Expeditions’ My Sri Lanka trip. 

Seek out the aromas of Colombo’s Pettah Market, the spice gardens of Matale and the tea plantations of the Highlands, then put yourself in the hands of locals as you learn the art of making kottu roti and egg hoppers. Dine in-between glimpses of rock-topped fortress Sigiriya, Anuradhapura’s stupas and the wild Ude Walawe NP.

Who: World Expeditions

When: 5 Oct 2018

How long: 14 days How much: From £4,650 (excl flights)

 

3: China - Explore a patchwork of dishes


Terracotta Warriors (Dreamstime)

Embrace the many sides of Gourmet China with Bamboo Travel and tick off some icons, from Peking duck and Great Wall wandering in Beijing to Sichuanese hotpot and panda-watching in Chengdu. 

Finish in Xi’an, learning to make Shaanxi- style (thick and homey) noodles before checking out its famed Terracotta Warriors. 

Who: Bamboo Travel

When: Year round 

How long: 12 nights How much: From £3,595 (incl flights)

 

4: Sweden - Have an Arctic feast


Wilderness dinner at Ice Hotel (Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson - Discover the World)

Join Discover the World on an Icehotel Culinary Adventure, sampling treats from the tundra. 

Have your fill of cloudberries reindeer and gravadlax salmon, served on slabs of ice at the ICEHOTEL, then head into the frozen wild to forage for herbs and plants, finishing with a snowmobile safari.

Who: Discover the World

When: Dec 2017-Mar 2018

How long:
3 nights How much: From £1,340 (incl flights)

 

5: Italy - A classic cuisine anew


Ragusa Ibla, Italy (Peter Sommer Travels)

Wander orchards, wineries and sun-soaked farms on A Gastronomic Tour of Sicily with Peter Sommer Travels. 

The Etna-powered volcanic soils produce the staples of Sicilian cooking: olive oil, wine, ricotta and Modican chocolate. Taste the lot as you explore vineyards and farms nestled in this idyllic isle’s scenic hills. 

Who: Peter Sommer Travels

When: 23 Sep 2017 How long: 8 days

How much: From £3,375 (excl flights)

 

6: Croatia - Wind the wine trail

Kneževi Vinogradi, Croatia (Exsus Travel) 

Savour rural Croatia on Exsus Travel’s Truffles, Vines and Island Hideaways tour. 

Wine guru Ivica Matosevic goes through the grape-to-bottle process in Bale’s vineyards, with truffle hunting and peka (charcoal) cooking on the side. 

Walk it off in the wilds of Velebit and Paklenica NPs.

Who: Exsus Travel

When: Year round How long: 7 nights

How much: From £2,050 (incl flights)

 

7: Peru - Snack in South America


Locals carrying bags of food in Peru (Cox & Kings)

Get to know the hippest food on the Latin block with Cox & Kings’ Peru: A Culinary Adventure tour. 

Start at Lima’s busy food markets, then head to the Sacred Valley for a cookery lesson and a trip to Machu Picchu, before finishing sweetly (and sourly) with chocolate and pisco tasting.

Who: Cox & Kings

When: Year round How long: 7 nights

How much: From £3,195 (incl flights)

 

8: Spain - Walk (and eat) the Camino trail


Traditional Spanish fish supper (UTracks)

Become a gastro pilgrim on UTracks’ Food Lover’s Spanish Camino tour. 

Gorge on pintxos (Basque tapas) in the dining clubs of Bilbao, lechazo castellano (roast lamb) in Burgos and pulpo a feira (Galician octopus) at Lugo, before toasting the trail with a glass of rioja or mug of orujo (liqueur coffee) as you stroll into Santiago.

Who: UTracks

When: 9 Sep 2017 How long: 15 days

How much:
From £3,690 (excl flights)

 

9: Macedonia, Kosovo & Montenegro - Bite into the Balkans


The Church of St. John at Kaneo, Ohrid (Joanna Yee – Intrepid)

Devour the Balkans on Intrepid’s Real Food Adventure trip. 

Start in Macedonia, picnicking on the banks of Treska River, before perfecting pastries in the village of Janche and trying out beekeeping in Dihovo. 

Then hop the border for a Kosovan barbecue in Prizren and the olive mills and smokehouses of Montenegro. 


Who: Intrepid

When: Jun-Sep 2017; May-Sep 2018

How long:
10 days

How much:
From £1,166 (excl flights)

 

10. Japan - From sake to soba noodles


Soba noodles (Dreamstime)

Split your time between two tasty cities on Jacada Travel's Luxury Gournet Tour of Japan

In Tokyo, learn the art of making soba noodles, experience a classic tea ceremony and sip the craft beers of Harajuku district before taking the train to Kyoto. Here, condiment cooking lessons, the teahouses of the geisha district of Gion and Nishiki will paint a wider picture of Japanese cuisine, before a quick pitstop to sample the delicacies of Osaka's street food.

Who: Jacada Travel

When: Year round

How long: 7 days

How much: From £7,078 (excl flights)

 

11. Thailand - Follow the Lemongrass Trail


Som tam (Dreamstime)

Pack your chef's hat and take The Lemongrass Trail with Tell Tale Travel to Thailand. 

Begin in Bangkok by cooking up your own curry paste, then pack your apron for Thailand's central plains, hand-picking market fruits for a dessert cooking lesson. 

Learn the secrets behind sticky rice and som tam (papaya salad) in north-eastern Isan and make the catch of the day yours on the Andaman coast.

Who: Tell Tale Travel

When: Year round

How long: 16 days

How much: From £1,950 (incl flights)

 

12. Georgia - Gorge on Georgian gastronomy


Caucasus mountains, Georgia (Dreamstime)

Experience culinary delights from city to countryside on Travel Local's Georgia's Foodie Highlights tour. 

Join locals in capital Tbilisi and make Georgian favourite khachapuri (cheese-filled bread), before exploring the vineyards of the Kakheti region. 

Wind through the Caucasus mountains to Georgia's rural villages, where cooking lessons reveal the art behind churchkhela (sweets) in Velistsikhe and cheese in Chardhaki, before finishing by craving more of Kazbegi's homemade jams and herbal teas.

Who: Travel Local

When: Year round

How long: 7 days

How much: From £760 (excl flights)

 

13. Indonesia - Taste a trio of islands


Bakso soup (Dreamstime)

Embark on an island-hopping gourmet adventure with Fleewinter's Enjoying Indonesian Food Culture tour. 

Pedal the villages near Borobodur to build up an appetite for Yogyakarta's street food, including sateh kambing (barbecued goat) and bakpia (sweet pastry). 

Try bakso soup under the stars at Bali's night markets and join a cooking school in Ubud's rice fields, before hiking and eating Sasak-style among Lombok's lush paddies.

Who: Fleewinter

When: Year round

How long: 10 nights

How much: From £1,385 (excl flights)

 

14. Mexico - Combine temples with treats


Monte Alban, Mexico (Dreamstime)

On Trip Feast's Flavours of Mexico trip you'll be biting straight into the heart of the country's capital of gastronomy. 

Delve into the culinary wonders of Oaxaca through the knowledge of the region's top chefs, wising up on the craft behind molé sauce and Caldo de Piedra (fish soup). 

Nibble on the mountain recipes of the Sierra Mixteca and spy Mexico's other marvels: archeological sites, including Monte Alban and Mitla.

Who: Trip Feast

When: 7 Oct 2017; 10 Feb & 6 Oct 2018

How long: 8 nights

How much: From £2,315 (incl flights)

 

Main image: Floating market in Vietnam (Dreamstime)

 

 

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