5 best food destinations in South East Asia
5 best food destinations in South East Asia
If you’re a traveler who lets their stomach decide where to vacation, Qatar Airways has the ultimate list of destinations every gourmand should venture to. Whether you seek fresh, local produce from a downtown street market or a unique treat to post on your Instagram feed, explore our top recommendations for eating your way around South East Asia.
1. Tuck into traditional treats at the hawker markets in Penang
Deemed as one of the best places to eat in Asia, Penang is rich with quality, locally produced food and cultural dishes. Drop into Penang Hawker Fare and explore the abundance of vendors selling all kinds of Malay, Chinese and Indian fast food. Tuck into a bowl of hokkien mee, a tangy noodle broth which is a hawker market specialty. Wander down Chulia Street and Upper Penang Road where you’ll find a great selection of lounges and coffee shops. Make sure to try a roti kaya with your morning coffee, it’s a thin roti served with coconut jam.
Home to the George Town Festival, George Town makes the top of the list for the best town to eat in Penang. The town offers a kaleidoscope of gourmet offerings, from masala dosai - a crepe filled with Indian masala, to traditional Malaysian laksa.
Eat your way around Penangcontent block picture
1. Tuck into traditional treats at the hawker markets in Penang
Deemed as one of the best places to eat in Asia, Penang is rich with quality, locally produced food and cultural dishes. Drop into Penang Hawker Fare and explore the abundance of vendors selling all kinds of Malay, Chinese and Indian fast food. Tuck into a bowl of hokkien mee, a tangy noodle broth which is a hawker market specialty. Wander down Chulia Street and Upper Penang Road where you’ll find a great selection of lounges and coffee shops. Make sure to try a roti kaya with your morning coffee, it’s a thin roti served with coconut jam.
Home to the George Town Festival, George Town makes the top of the list for the best town to eat in Penang. The town offers a kaleidoscope of gourmet offerings, from masala dosai - a crepe filled with Indian masala, to traditional Malaysian laksa.
Eat your way around Penang2. Enjoy fresh, locally grown produce in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a gourmand’s paradise, with its own culinary traditions and dining experiences. Travelers can enjoy everything from authentic Thai street food to international cuisine and high quality fine-dining experiences.
We recommended wandering through Chiang Mai’s streets, alive with the sounds and smells of traditional Thai cooking. The Northern Thai city is most famous for its spicy noodle soup named khao soi, which is packed with flavor, spice and fresh, locally grown vegetables. Chiang Mai is an ideal vacation for non-meat eaters as fresh vegetables are a key ingredient in most of Chiang Mai’s local dishes. Look out for tam khanun on the menu, a salad made of jackfruit, shrimp and spices, as well as the world famous Thai green curry.
Indulge in Chiang Mai
3. Crack some chili crab legs in Singapore
Being the multicultural city that it is, Singapore is home to a diverse range of restaurants and street vendors serving international cuisine. The city is laden with hawker centers, giving you many options to try cuisines from all around the world. Popular international dishes include Malaysian laksa, Indonesian rendang and many other unique cultural dishes.
One Singaporean dish we highly recommend indulging in is Singapore chilli crab. Arguably the most famous dish in Singapore, the crab is cooked in a sweet and spicy tomato sauce which is eaten alongside mantous, which is also known as an Asian steamed bun.
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3. Crack some chili crab legs in Singapore
Being the multicultural city that it is, Singapore is home to a diverse range of restaurants and street vendors serving international cuisine. The city is laden with hawker centers, giving you many options to try cuisines from all around the world. Popular international dishes include Malaysian laksa, Indonesian rendang and many other unique cultural dishes.
One Singaporean dish we highly recommend indulging in is Singapore chilli crab. Arguably the most famous dish in Singapore, the crab is cooked in a sweet and spicy tomato sauce which is eaten alongside mantous, which is also known as an Asian steamed bun.
Dine in multicultural Singapore4. Indulge in a big bowl of Northern Vietnam pho in Hanoi
It’s no secret that Vietnam is a food lover’s paradise, famed for its traditional noodle soup. Hanoi is the perfect city to try this quintessential must-try dish, as the soup has a unique and tasty Northern Vietnamese influence. Whilst the locals tend to enjoy this dish at breakfast, you can find pho at any time of the day.
We recommend exploring Old Quarter, where you’ll find a wide range of restaurants with ultra-long menus and unusual delicacies. Look out for the pho bo (beef) or pho ga (chicken) and make sure to add in all of the accompaniments served with the soup.
Hanoi also hosts many traditional cooking classes, where you will shop for your own ingredients in the bustling street markets and then cook up a delectable Vietnamese feast under the guidance of a professional.
Enjoy the culinary city of Hanoi
5. Experience adventurous dining in Phnom Penh
Cambodia is known for its exotic culinary experiences, as well as its wide selection of international and local cuisine. Mosey down to the riverfront to discover a dining precinct alive with street music and lively restaurants. If you prefer to sample a variety of small dishes, you can stroll through the stand-up stalls and street side bistros to enjoy dishes on the go. Be adventurous and grab yourself an insect on a skewer!
One of the most traditional Cambodian dishes is the fish amok; a tasty curry made with fragrant spices and galangal. This must-try dish is steamed and served in a banana leaf.
Experience Phnom Penhcontent block picture
5. Experience adventurous dining in Phnom Penh
Cambodia is known for its exotic culinary experiences, as well as its wide selection of international and local cuisine. Mosey down to the riverfront to discover a dining precinct alive with street music and lively restaurants. If you prefer to sample a variety of small dishes, you can stroll through the stand-up stalls and street side bistros to enjoy dishes on the go. Be adventurous and grab yourself an insect on a skewer!
One of the most traditional Cambodian dishes is the fish amok; a tasty curry made with fragrant spices and galangal. This must-try dish is steamed and served in a banana leaf.
Experience Phnom PenhReady to book a trip?
With over 130 destinationsto choose from, it can be difficult to choose where to venture to. That's why we've created an offers hub, so you can explore our best offers on gourmand destinations.
Views deals on food destinationscontent block picture
Ready to book a trip?
With over 130 destinationsto choose from, it can be difficult to choose where to venture to. That's why we've created an offers hub, so you can explore our best offers on gourmand destinations.
Views deals on food destinations- Fares shown are the lowest fares for a specific route in the next 6 months from today.
- Fares are refreshed daily.
- Specific fare rules apply. Please review at the time of booking.
