Cuisine and culture in Southeast Asia

Go Ahead Traveler Sarah recently returned from one of our tours of Asia. The unique blend of cultures, cuisines and sights left her in complete awe of these interesting countries. From modern cities to historic temples, here are her favorite moments from this exciting tour.

I travel to learn about and experience history and culture. That’s why, after falling in love with Asia during a trip to Thailand, I decided to see more of the continent through the lens of two different countries. I had no idea how multicultural Southeast Asia is - I saw so many beautiful hidden gems during my visit to Singapore and Malaysia. Here are some of my favorite photos from tour.

“My first stop on tour was Singapore, an exciting metropolitan city where all the street signs are written in English. After a day of touring Singapore’s Botanical Gardens, Thian Hock Keng Temple and more, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the iconic Raffles Hotel. We ended the night by winding down with a Singapore Sling cocktail at Long Bar, where the drink was first created."

“Everything I tasted on tour was incredible. In this region, you’ll find Indian, Malay, Chinese and Thai dishes. I especially liked the hawker stalls in Penang and the street markets in every city where it was easy to get fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.”

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__ “__Once we crossed into Malaysia, we discovered Malacca’s city center on a walking tour. I loved the diverse architecture of all the buildings, from Dutch and Portuguese colonial styles to the ornate Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, pictured above. It’s no wonder this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Malacca is a beautiful hidden gem on this tour, and it was a highlight for me. Another highlight was Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands—I didn’t expect the fields of tea plants to be so lovely.“

“The Batu Caves were spectacular. Looking up at the huge, golden statue of Lord Murugan and climbing 272 steps _up into the caves _with the Hindu devotees made me feel as though I was really immersed in the local culture.”

“I was initially drawn to Malaysia because it strikes me as unique, and I wanted to see the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. As luck would have it, our farewell dinner was in Atmosphere 360, a revolving restaurant at the top of Kuala Lumpur Tower. I got to take in incredible views of the city from this skyscraper and capture this shot of the Petronas Towers lit up at night.”

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