tales of travel

We asked our staff, and they have spoken.

Here are our top culinary experiences for 2018. Check back often, because ongoing is our never ending effort to uncover new and unique gems for our travelers and staff to try. Call or email your travel expert for full details on how you can experience these amazing activities. And there are several to choose from depending on your itinerary in each destination. We will craft one just for you.

Indonesia

Indonesia currently sits high on our list. A destination with tremendous diversity from various religions to an abundance of wildlife at every turn. Our travelers receive great value with unlimited options for exploration such as hiking, biking, snorkeling and relaxing. Indonesia is off the grid and that’s why our friends there love having our travelers and staff as esteemed guests in their small villages, colorful and full of life. Try piquant chicken Satay (or Sate in Indonesia), fresh vegetable soup, and for dessert, black sticky rice pudding with fresh coconut cream or fried banana with grated fresh coconut and palm sugar.

Enjoy a private homestyle cooking class using locally harvested organic ingredients, spices, herbs and a lot of love. To top it off, we’ll share songs and dance with local children and community members, as we head in to the evening of celebration. We dive deep in to tradition and while preparing our meal, crack open a cold beer a nice glass of wine, listen to local music and share stories while preparing our feast. Afterall, this is what travel is all about.

Thailand

Thailand, what more can we say? It’s the gastronomical epicenter of Asia. Pad Thai, no problem, Satay, of course. But, here we will go deeper… we’ll experience a trip to a local market with your guide and chef, to better understand all the ingredients that goes into these iconic masterpieces. The market is also full of heady aromas, children playing in the walkways, families gathering to catch up and most important, a meeting place where tradition and stories collide. Meet local farmers, vendors and interesting characters as we stroll through this colorful place. Its easy, its fun, its affordable.

There is something for everyone in Thailand, a superb private destination and a unique once in a lifetime trip for your family. Imagine, being guests in a local home with two clay stoves which sit adjacent to a shrine. This is where you’ll prepare a multitude of authentic Thai dishes. Thai fried chicken is one of our favorites; chicken wings covered in mushroom powder and red chili paste before being topped off with chopped kaffir lime leaves. Try panang curry, tom yum goong (spicy shrimp soup), massaman curry, and mango with sticky rice to get you started.

Japan

Japan’s has traditional and deep rooted respect for sharing a meal and honoring the significance of the tea ceremony, Japan is unlike any other destination in the world. Stay at a small deluxe ryokan, in the heart of a traditional Japanese village, surrounded by iconic landscapes. Here you will uncover the mystical and authentic pulse that is Japan.

Step back in time and taste ancient recipes, experience the art of simple culinary masterpieces that are honored nationwide on a daily basis in temples, homes and prepared just for you. Etiquette is key here, you will slow down, turn the world off and truly learn what it is to experience quiet and intention.

Cambodia

Cambodia, while perhaps not on your radar, its been on ours for decades. Meet our friend, who has made a living from driving a tourist scooter to kitchen helper at a restaurant, from being a receptionist at a hotel to now owning his own cooking school. He is truly an inspiration and continues to work very hard dedicating himself to supporting orphan children in rural areas. He is passionate about introducing people to Cambodian culture and way of life through food.

He conducts his cooking class in a countryside village, a 15 minute drive from Siem Reap city center. An experience with him is filled with the simplicity and joy that emanates from the locals living in the village, eager to cook and share an everyday Khmer meal with you. To top if off, you will be outside in a traditional kitchen in the village, surrounded by rice paddy fields.