Top Asia Unique Experiences - page 6

Sake has been brewed in Nada since the Edo period and accounts for 30% of Japan's total sake production. Nada's location, climate, quality of rice, as well as water, all make it the perfect place for brewing sake. This tour introduces you to sake brewing and tasting, as well as food culture using sake, which we will explore as we stroll local shopping streets.

Bring out your inner warrior with this ninja training experience in Tokyo. After watching a demonstration, you’ll train in an authentic uniform and learn about proper fighting techniques and meditation. A small class size of up to 6 people gives you more face time with your instructor and lets you ask questions.

Explore India’s spiritual capital of Varanasi and learn about Hinduism on a private tour. Take a boat along the Ganges River and learn about why it's so sacred to Hindus. Visit the holy site of Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon, followed by a guided walk of Varanasi’s old streets and alleys. Watch the sacred ritual of Aarti from the ghat or the water to conclude your tour.

For outsiders, Japanese culture can be difficult to grasp but this guided tour offers the chance to get a locals' eye view of one of the most traditional of Japanese settings. Accompanied by a guide who tailors the tour to your interests, stroll through the historic streets of Kyoto's Gion district, famed for its scenic cobbled streets lit by paper lanterns, traditional architecture, and association with geiko and maiko culture. Visit Pontocho alley, one of Japan's oldest nightlife areas, and stroll by teahouses as your guide offers insights into local culture.

Escape bustling Kuala Lumpur and experience a more relaxed pace of life in pretty Kuala Selangor on this evening sightseeing tour. With round-trip transport from selected Kuala Lumpur hotels included, cruise through the peaceful Kampung Kuantan and spot colonies of fireflies twinkling in the evening darkness.

Visit Sri Lanka's old hill capital on this day tour from Colombo. No need to rent a car, as all transportation is included; you can enjoy the scenery on the way there and back. Your tour guide will tailor the tour and their commentary to your interests and you'll have plenty of time to ask questions. Highlights include the Kandy Market, the Temple of the Tooth, and the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens.

Many travelers get hooked on momos (steamed dumplings) and dal bhat (rice and lentils) when visiting Nepal. But once your vacation ends, it can be hard to get your Nepali food fix back home. During this small-group cooking class, learn how to prepare your choice of either dish yourself, receiving hands-on instruction from a local family of home cooks. Then, sit down and enjoy your own freshly prepared meal.

The best way to appreciate Japan’s great food is to learn to cook it yourself. This immersive tour starts with meeting your guide (and chef), to cook a meal together, and explore the Karahori Shotengai market (if option selected). It’ll help you learn about ingredients, techniques, and culinary traditions before you cook. The cooking experience will cover dishes such as sushi, character bento boxes, or Japanese curry rice. You’ll be able to ask questions and go at your own pace.

Akabane, a residential neighborhood in Northern Tokyo, is a popular evening destination for locals. Let your English-speaking guide walk you through the retro charm of its narrow alleys, glowing with red paper lanterns, as you eat and drink your way through 3 traditional izakayas. Enjoy the nightlife in a relaxed way as you try at least 10 Japanese delicacies and 3 drinks like sake, shochu and hoppy.

Agra is one of North India’s must-visit destinations but if you’re short on time in Delhi, planning an independent day tour can be complicated and stressful. Avoid traffic delays between Delhi and Agra aboard a luxury Gatimaan Express train. This private tour includes hotel transfers, plus breakfast, lunch, and dinner. See the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in a day, with seamless transfers and guided commentary.

The area around Hoi An experienced some intense action during the Vietnam War, but it can be hard for travelers to gain local insights on their own. Learn more about this brutal chapter of 20th-century history on a small-group day tour from Hoi An. Visit My Lai village, where a massacre occurred, and the War Museum, as well as the Ky Anh Tunnels, an old US air base, and more.

Learn how to cook five different quintessential Japanese dishes during this hands-on gastronomy lesson, in the private home of an Osaka local. Discover the role of key ingredients like seaweed and dried fish and watch a live demonstration before rolling up your sleeves and tackling recipes on your own. Then, enjoy your freshly prepared meal together, topped off with a bowl of green tea ice cream.

Indulge your love of Vietnamese cuisine with this authentic cooking class in Hanoi. After a convenient hotel pickup, select the dishes you’d like to prepare and head to a local market with an experienced instructor. Learn about Vietnamese food while choosing the ingredients for your meal, then get cooking at a nearby villa. Enjoy complimentary beer, wine, and other drinks, and feast on dishes like green papaya salad, phở, and fresh spring rolls.

Tour two harrowing Cambodian sites, each a stark reminder of the Khmer Rouge’s atrocities between 1975 and 1979. First, visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, transformed from the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21). Then get a sobering look at the Killing Fields, where mass killings and burials took place. Watch an informative documentary on board your vehicle and upgrade to audio or live guides in each location, if you wish.

When traveling abroad, there is no other experience like cooking and eating a meal with a local. Yoshiko opens her Osaka home to visitors to cook a meal and share conversation. Enjoy learning to make dashi stock and use it to bring out the umami flavor of your dishes. Get a glimpse into the life of an Osaka local, and immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine and culture on this private experience.

Get the most out of limited time in Thailand with this combination of a market tour and a cooking class. First, visit a local food market where you can learn about fresh ingredients and how they’re used in Thai cuisine. Then, head to a hands-on Thai cooking class to master authentic techniques and get your food–related questions answered too.

Shanghai is a great city for food lovers, but it can be hard for first-time visitors to know where to find the best bites. Leave the planning to someone else on this local-led, small-group food tour, which takes you off the beaten path. As the sun starts to set, head out to find some of the most authentic regional dishes in the city. Look forward to sampling soup dumplings, noodles, and more, plus drinks.

Tokyo is known for its incredible food and culinary culture. Make the most of your time in Japan with a private cooking class with a local’s home. Ask questions along the way and learn at your own pace. Your Japanese instructor will show you how to make several authentic home-cooked dishes, tailored to your group’s requirements, and you can eat them when you’ve finished.

Escape the bustling city of Bangkok on this half-day tour to the Maeklong and floating markets. Canoe through the floating markets and see vendors selling everything from fresh produce to everyday items. Get your heart pumping as you continue to the Maeklong Railway Market where vendors sell their goods, and quickly pack them up, along this active railway line.

Immerse yourself in Thai culinary culture during this cooking class in Phuket. This class isn’t just a demonstration, you’ll get hands-on with your chef/guide while you prep a meal for your group. Sit down to eat the traditional Thai dishes that you’ve made, chatting about Thai culture and food with your guide and group.

Wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, are delicious, but even more satisfying than eating them is learning how to make them yourself. This wagashi-making class is held at a private home in Tokyo and teaches you how to make the sweets from scratch, from making the dough to decorating them.

If you’ve only got limited time in Hong Kong then opt for a whistle-stop tour of the city. With a private guide who speaks English and Mandarin, visit a mix of iconic landmarks and secret sights, and gain an insider’s perspective of Hong Kong. Plus, this private tour is completely customizable, so you’ll be able to choose between highlights such as the Big Buddha, Man Mo Temple, Victoria Harbour, and many more.

Formed by the Cheow Lan Dam, Khao Sok National Park’s Cheow Lan Lake delivers fairytale landscapes: jungle, turquoise water, and limestone pinnacles. It’s impossible to get there and back from Krabi in a day on public transit. Skip the self-drive stress and hit the highlights with a guide on this convenient tour, which includes hotel pickup, entrance fees, a long-tail boat trip, lunch in a floating restaurant, plus water, fruit, and coffee.

Skip the stress of the Seoul subway rush hour and let a comfortable air-conditioned van transport your tour group to five of the city’s top attractions. Your guide then takes you to the charming Petite France overlooking the Han River and the Garden of Morning Calm. Discover the nearby Italian village before exploring Gangchon Railbike Park and Nami Island. Then get dropped off at your hotel in time for dinner.