The Flavours of Southeast Asia

Check-in hotel. Free and easy.

On this Luang Prabang walking tour, you'll learn more about Luang Prabang's cultural heritage while enjoying local food and sampling snacks along the way. We'll depart on foot from the City Tourist Information Center. First, we'll stop at a morning market to see local produce grown in the mountains outside Luang Prabang and on local farms. We'll also sample some freshly made snacks. Then we'll wander through small streets and alleys to witness local homes and the rural Lao lifestyle that local people have maintained for centuries.

This heritage walk includes one of the most beautiful monasteries in Luang Prabang, Wat Xieng Thong. Wat Xieng Thong is also a significant treasure of the royal family because historically, the temple was the place where the Lao kings were crowned. Finally, you’ll end your unforgettable Luang Prabang walking tour at the tip of the town’s peninsula, where you’ll glimpse stunning views at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan Rivers. Overnight at the hotel.

This afternoon, the Luang Prabang food tour brings the cuisines of Laos, both past and present, to life. You will discover the real local food that Laotian people eat, made with their own natural ingredients, and enjoy the simple pleasures of Laotian foods from different regions around the country.

We will sample traditional Laotian foods and modern Laotian dishes. We will also visit a homemade ice cream shop that promotes local flavors and fresh ingredients from the town. This contemporary dessert is paired with sticky rice, the most common food in Laos.

We will stop at a surrounding village where people make bamboo straws and introduce you to Lao utensils made with renewable resources like bamboo. You will see how nature is used in daily life by the community there. Next, we will head to a local home in Luang Prabang. Along the way, we will stop at a market to see where people shop for their daily food and check out what products are on offer.

Luang Prabang was once a Royal Kingdom. At the local home, we will learn how to make traditional Royal Laotian food. Today, these dishes are usually only served at large gatherings such as festivals and weddings in the Luang Prabang community. You will have the unique opportunity to try these specialty dishes. Your guide will explain the stories and origins of this food, highlighting its significance in Lao traditions. Overnight at the hotel.

Pick up at your hotel. This early morning start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, as it is the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession. At the same time, you will experience the richness and magnificence of Laos's cultural and traditional heritage.

After breakfast, your exploration today will take you to the morning fresh market, where you can discover diverse offerings such as dried buffalo skin, local tea, and saltpeter, amidst chickens, vegetables, and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is renowned for its traditional crafts, and you will visit impressive temples like Wat Mai, the former royal monastery and home to the Lao Buddhist Supreme monk.

At the same time, you will have an enhanced learning experience about Buddhism, witnessing how Buddhist monks and the Lao people have believed and practiced for thousands of years up to today. From there, you will visit the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. Then, you will explore the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center, where you will learn about the diverse ethnicities, rural lifestyles, and handicrafts of Laos. Finally, check out and depart.

Check-in hotel. Free and easy.

As an introduction, you will visit iconic Malaysian attractions such as the Petronas Twin Towers, Merdeka Square, the National Mosque, and the Old Railway Station—must-visit sites in Kuala Lumpur. Following this, you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before proceeding to the next part of the tour.

Your food tour begins in the afternoon with a 4-hour walking tour experience in Kampung Baru. Along the way, we will stop for a photo session at the River of Life with Masjid Jamek in the background. This mosque, restored from 1965, remains a popular place of worship for Muslims in the city. We will then stroll through Jalan Masjid India to explore the bustling streets and businesses that cater to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

From there, we head to Kampung Baru, or the “New Village” in Malay, which was originally settled by Malay farmers in the 1890s. Despite being surrounded by Kuala Lumpur's urban sprawl, the village still retains the rhythm of traditional village life. Here, you can explore the local market filled with fresh produce, admire historical pre-war wooden homes along leafy lanes, and visit various places of worship, including mosques and Southeast Asia's largest Sikh temple.

Along the way, you will have the opportunity to taste typical Malay tea cakes, immersing yourself in the essence of “kampung” culture in the heart of the city. All food sampled on this tour is halal, ensuring a culturally enriching and gastronomically satisfying experience.

Drive to Raub, approximately 2 hours away from Kuala Lumpur. Our first stop will be at a local Hakka kuih shop, where you will learn how to make Loh Mai Ci, a sweet glutinous rice similar to mochi. You will have the opportunity to make the kuih from scratch and sample the food as well.

Another charm of Raub is its reputation as an agricultural town, known for various local produce such as durian, mangosteen, and vegetables. Next, you will visit a local farm and experience the farmers’ life. The best part is that you may sample freshly harvested local fruits or vegetables from the farm.

Before departing back to Kuala Lumpur, we will stop by a local restaurant that serves Dao Ma Qie noodles. "Dao Ma Qie" in Hakka language means knife-cut noodles, which represents the hard work required to prepare this type of noodles. You will have the opportunity to make these noodles step by step with guidance from the shop owner. After enjoying the delicious noodles, we will continue our journey to Kuala Lumpur and end the tour.

Check out hotel. Free and easy. Depart to Jakarta (recommended for afternoon arrival).

Borobudur is well-known as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia. Moreover, life in the surrounding villages is another aspect to experience. Your journey will begin with a morning village walk where you can witness locals engaging in agriculture and processing food ingredients. This includes the making of palm sugar, the process of making soy cake (locally known as ‘tempe’), and a learning experience in traditional noodle making.

You will gain an understanding of Javanese gastronomy, from collecting daily food ingredients to learning how locals process food using traditional methods and indigenous knowledge. The tour concludes with a cooking experience to prepare and enjoy Javanese dishes for lunch.

At noon, we will visit the legendary Borobudur temple compound, starting at the conservation center to understand why Borobudur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will then explore the temple, an outstanding example of Indonesia’s art and architecture from the early 8th to late 9th centuries. The site had a significant influence on architectural revival from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries.

After leaving the Borobudur temple complex, we'll meet local people who collect palm sugar from palm trees. They will teach us how they collect and cultivate palm sugar for consumption and sale.

A tale of the Kingdom of Mataram, one of the largest Islamic kingdoms in Java's history, established in the 16th century. Later, in the 18th century, it split into two parts: the Sultanate of Surakarta and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.

We will delve into a hands-on royal experience of the Sultanate of Surakarta through food. You'll have the opportunity to cook like royalty at the palace complex, assisted by the people who serve the royal family, known as ‘Abdi Dalem’. Together, we will prepare Nasi Liwet, a traditional dish featuring rice served with condiments such as vegetables, coconut, and chicken.

The activity continues with a lesson in the royal dance, offering insights into the philosophy of Javanese dance, which has been influenced by Hindu kingdoms since the first century. The tour concludes with a session on Batik making, where you'll learn the traditional way of wearing Batik according to the Surakarta style. Each batik motif symbolizes the journey of human life, from birth to death.

End of the journey. Free and easy until departure.