{"id":33655,"date":"2023-01-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-09T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=33655&preview=true&preview_id=33655"},"modified":"2025-03-25T22:39:46","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T11:39:46","slug":"should-you-travel-for-food-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/should-you-travel-for-food-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you travel solely based on food experiences?"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATED: This article was originally published in March 2019.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When it comes to booking any of my travels, I\u2019d be lying if I claimed to be a strategic planner. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, my decision of where to go next will be totally spontaneous. Other times, I\u2019ll go wherever captures my attention that week (most recently it was Nepal<\/a>, thanks for asking), or jump on a recommendation from a trusted friend. But one thing that I’ll always think about when booking a trip: the food.<\/p>\n

Understandably, the sole reason for visiting a destination for everyone will differ. Some travellers will visit in search of cultural immersion, history, architecture, an active escape or a mix of the above. For me, food is everything when travelling. So yes, you\u2019re probably not surprised to hear my thoughts that you should travel solely in search of food. But, there\u2019s more to it than just the dish itself. From South Korea<\/a> to Italy<\/a>, let\u2019s dig deeper and find out why food experiences are far more meaningful than just pleasing your taste buds.<\/p>\n

\"A

A good meal is essential to fuel your travels. Photo by Ben McNamara.<\/p><\/div>\n

Food is a language everyone understands<\/h2>\n

Aside from some physical language barriers, eating and sharing food is a universally accepted practice across many cultures. Wherever you are in the world, it\u2019s a way to interact, and exchange culture through different plates and cuisines while learning about the world. Put simply; food is powerful. And behind every plate, comes a story that can be communicated without the need for words.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the story of the origins of the dish, combined with the story of the chef, which often involves a conglomeration of different subculture. Through sharing a plate of food, it\u2019s a way to enjoy authentic travel experiences so you can sit back and enjoy with other like-minded travellers.<\/p>\n

\"sharing

Food is always best when it’s shared. Photo by Ben McNamara.<\/p><\/div>\n

Try this:<\/strong> A Buddhist monastery in South Korea might not jump out as the most obvious spot for a unique food encounter, but hear us out. On a South Korea Real Food Adventure<\/a>, spend the night resting your head here while nibbling on monastic cuisine because yes, it\u2019s a thing, and watching traditional rituals and practices such as martial arts-style meditation to complete the experience.<\/p>\n

Food is good for the soul<\/h2>\n

Food and travel go hand in hand, and the connection between food and wellness is equally as strong. Think about it: when you eat wholesome, tasty and healthy food, you feel good. When you travel, you feel good. So, when you eat good food on the road, it\u2019s a win-win for all parties involved. Whether you have any understanding of nutrition and dietetics or not, there\u2019s no denying that food is good for the soul.<\/p>\n

\"Two

Learning to make pasta in Italy is a quintessential experience. Photo by Cliff Bielawski.<\/p><\/div>\n

Try this:<\/strong> On our Italy Real Food Adventure<\/a>, you can tuck into a delicious locally sourced meal of cheeses, olives, salami and wine in Tuscany. Accompanied by two nights at an agriturismo farmstay, this experience is pure dolce vita \u2014 and might even be the highlight of the trip (a tough call, but we\u2019ll make it).<\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID\u2019S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL DEALS, GIVEAWAYS, STORIES, TIPS AND MORE<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Food is best enjoyed with new-found friends<\/h2>\n

Enjoy your solo bowl of whatever-it-is you\u2019re eating. But when it comes down to reaching the heart of a destination, travel moments are best enjoyed by sharing a cup of chai with locals in Delhi<\/a>\u00a0or baking baking Macedonian pastries<\/a> in a village cooking class. Without food, these real-life experiences wouldn\u2019t exist. And most importantly, you wouldn\u2019t meet half the people as you would when sharing a plate.<\/p>\n

\"Two

A cup of chai is best enjoyed with new-found friends. Photo by Pravin Tamang.<\/p><\/div>\n

Try this:<\/strong> In Oaxaca on a Mexico Real Food Adventure<\/a>, you’ll explore the heart of pre-Hispanic cuisine, as you taste chiles, chocolate, mezcal and the surprisingly delicious chapulines (grasshoppers \u2014 just trust us). If you ever wanted to question how food, people and culture intertwine, consider this your answer.<\/p>\n

Hungry for more? Learn all about Intrepid\u2019s range of Real Food Adventures here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Food experiences are far more meaningful than just pleasing your taste buds. Here’s why. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16148,"featured_media":33666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9],"tags":[260,19,20,1448,2301],"class_list":["post-33655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","tag-food-adventures","tag-italy","tag-russia","tag-south-korea","tag-wellness","ipf_theme-food","ipf_region-italy","ipf_region-russia","ipf_region-south-korea"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nShould You Travel For Food? | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understandably, the sole reason for visiting a destination for everyone will differ. 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