Asia is a haven for backpackers and food travelers. It’s the largest continent on earth and in my opinion, home to some of the most delicious food in the world.
EAST ASIA
China
Highlights: Great Wall of China, Shanghai, Beijing
Popular Dishes: Peking duck, dumplings, fried rice
Hong Kong
Highlights: Kowloon, Lantau Island, Disneyland
Popular Dishes: Yum cha, curry fish balls
Japan
Highlights: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo
Popular Dishes: Sushi, ramen, tempura, gyoza
Macau
Highlights: Casinos, Ruins of St. Paul, Coloane
Popular Dishes: Pork chop bun, Portuguese tart
Mongolia
Highlights: Mongolian steppe, Gobi Desert
Popular Dishes: Buuz, tsuivan, khorkhog, boodog
South Korea
Highlights: Seoul, Busan, Jeju Island
Popular Dishes: Korean BBQ, bibimbap, kimchi
Taiwan
Highlights: Taipei, Night Markets, Sun Moon Lake
Popular Dishes: Hot pot, beef noodle soup
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Cambodia
Highlights: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh
Popular Dishes: Fish amok, samlor korkor
Indonesia
Highlights: Bali, Yogyakarta, Bandung
Popular Dishes: Sate, nasi goreng, soto
Malaysia
Highlights: Penang, Langkawi, Ipoh, Malacca
Popular Dishes: Nasi lemak, char kway teow
Myanmar
Highlights: Bagan, Inle Lake, Mandalay
Popular Dishes: Mohinga, Shan noodle soup
Philippines
Highlights: Bohol, Boracay, Palawan, Sagada
Popular Dishes: Sisig, silog, lechon, halo-halo
Singapore
Highlights: Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island
Popular Dishes: Laksa, nasi lemak, chili crab
Thailand
Highlights: Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai
Popular Dishes: Pad thai, tom yum, som tam
Vietnam
Highlights: Hanoi, Saigon, Hoi An, Mekong Delta
Popular Dishes: Pho, banh mi, bun cha, cha ca
SOUTH ASIA
India
Highlights: Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Kerala, Jaipur
Popular Dishes: Murgh makhani, biryani, dosa
Nepal
Highlights: Annapurna, Kathmandu, Pokhara
Popular Dishes: Dal bhat, momo, chatamari
Pakistan
Highlights: Swat Valley, Hunza Valley, Karachi
Popular Dishes: Sindhi biryani, nihari, falooda
Sri Lanka
Highlights: Kandy, Ella, Yala National Park
Popular Dishes: Hoppers, rice and curry
WESTERN ASIA
Armenia
Highlights: Yerevan, Geghard Monastery
Popular Dishes: Khorovats, khash, harissa, dolma
Georgia
Highlights: Tblisi, Svaneti, Kakheti, Batumi
Popular Dishes: Khachapuri, khinkali, churchkhela
Lebanon
Highlights: Beirut, Byblos, Baalbek
Popular Dishes: Shawarma, hummus, falafel
Turkey
Highlights: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale
Popular Dishes: Durum, doner kebab, lahmacun
United Arab Emirates
Highlights: Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Popular Dishes: Machboos, ghuzi, harees
CENTRAL ASIA
Kazakhstan
Highlights: Almaty, Astana, Aksu-Zhabagly
Popular Dishes: Beshbarmak, lagman, manti
Uzbekistan
Highlights: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva
Popular Dishes: Plov, manti, shashlik, obi non