Can you truly call yourself a foodie if you’ve never left home? It’s true that there are some cities with an amazing diversity of restaurants and places to eat. But once you’ve exhausted all of your options in your local city or town, you have to start making a bucket list of places to visit just so you can try the food. Here are five stunning destinations with the absolute best food in the world.
- The Caribbean
Crystal blue waters and soft sandy beaches aside, the Caribbean has amazing food. From Jamaican jerk chicken to souse in the Bahamas, you will never get tired of trying all of the delicious dishes you can find among the island nations and cultures of the Caribbean. If you are not a fan of seafood then it’s possible you’ve never had good seafood, and a visit to the Caribbean will definitely fix that.
One of the best ways to experience the diversity of food culture in the region is to take a relaxing Caribbean cruise. You’ll hop off at a variety of different ports throughout the Caribbean, which will give you the opportunity to try dishes such as pepperpot callaloo.
- India
If you’re looking for more than just a food stopover, then look no further than India. This country of more than a billion people is a food-lover’s dream. Regional cuisine in India is incredibly diverse. You can try dosa in South India, fish curry in the Southeast, and dumplings in the Northeast and you will still have only seen a fraction of what India has to offer.
There are a couple of things to think about when you’re preparing for your trip to India. First, if you’re not comfortable with spicy food, try to build up your tolerance before you leave. Second, India is a huge place, so you need to book a significant amount of time for your trip. For a trip under two weeks, think about visiting Nepal instead, which has an equally rich food culture and is a bit more accessible on a shortened timetable.
- Southeast Asia
It’s nearly impossible to pick one destination in Southeast Asia that has the best food. From Thailand’s mango with sticky rice to Indonesia’s beef rendang, there are literally hundreds of dishes and types of food you can explore.
One easy way to divide and conquer when it comes to food is to plan a trip to either mainland Southeast Asia or the islands. This would mean your trip could take you to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia or it could take you to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Although there is a good argument for giving the Philippines a turn all of its own.
- West Africa
There’s so much more to explore in West Africa than just jollof rice. The flavors and dishes of this part of the African continent are varied and mouth-watering. Yes, you’re going to encounter spicy food so you have to be prepared once again, but it’s going to be worth it. Some dishes that you can add to your list include:
- Waakye
- Efo riro
- Eddoe soup
- Cachupa
You’ll find that there are some similarities between West African dishes and the traditional flavors of the American South. Scholars and chefs believe that people who were captured and trafficked to the Americas as slaves brought the heritage of West African cuisine with them and adapted it in America with locally available spices, fruits, and vegetables.
- South America
To round out your world tour of amazing food destinations, you have to add South America to your list. From Peruvian ceviche to Venezuelan arepas, you can fill your belly with delicious entrees in every corner of every country in South America. Street foods are exceptionally popular in South America and so is wine. This makes for one fun combination.
Food isn’t just “fuel”, despite what your gym-rat friends try to tell you. Food is culture. Food is history. Expand your horizons by tasting the rainbow of foods the world has to offer.
