20 Best Bucket List Trips for Food & Culture Lovers

Love experiencing new cultures? Consider yourself a foodie? We’ve partnered with travel blogger Sher from Sher She Goes to bring you some amazing ideas to inspire you to explore the world your way.  

Here are the 20 Best Bucket List Trips for Food & Culture Lovers 

How many have you ticked off your bucket list?

For Festivals and Nightlife…

1. Join the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan, Thailand

Guaranteed to be on the of the wildest parties you’ve ever attended in one of the most beautiful beach paradises in Southeast Asia. P.S. Don’t try the flaming jump rope if you want to keep a full head of hair!

2. Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans

From good booze to good food, New Orleans has it all. Deck yourself out in beads of purple and gold while you live it up in the French Quarter. Just don’t forget sustenance! There’s po’ boys, oysters Rockefeller, beignets and more.

3. Join the Holi Festival in India

Each year, millions celebrate the Hindu festival of color under clouds of rainbow powder. Holi festival in India marks the end of the winter and there’s no better way to welcome spring than to join in on the energetic dances and fun!

4. Party All Night in Beirut

Nicknamed the ‘Paris of the East’, Beirut is a fun loving capital we bet you haven’t considered. Teaming with Levantine history and rolling green hills, Arabesque architecture and cosmopolitan fashion houses, “Bey” offers a heady cocktail of wining, dining, shopping and dancing to visitors who make the journey out east – just don’t expect to sleep!

5. Attend an International Music Festival

From Coachella to Glastonbury to Tomorrowland to Burning Man… we’ve lost count of the number of epic multi-day music fests. Pick out your craziest festival costume and camp out with strangers for the most surreal experience you’ll ever have.

For Food and Drink…

6. Raise a Glass at Oktoberfest in Munich

Strap on your lederhosen and join a long table under the colorful beer tents. Prost!

7. Stuff your face with tacos in Mexico City

Mexico City is a foodie’s paradise, with delicious and affordable street food on every corner. Take a taco tour to sample the best of the city’s sprawling markets and mezcalerias and when the sun goes down, continue your cultural explorations with tequila and mezcal tastings.

8. Discover New Nordic cuisine in Copenhagen

When Noma received the award for best restaurant in the world not once, but four times in a row, it piqued our curiosity. Can one really reinvent overlooked shoots, cold water sea creatures and hearty root vegetables into a masterpiece and if so, is it exclusive to Noma? A quick visit and many meals later, we discovered the world of Danish cuisine – fresh, modern and thoroughly unique. Make sure to try any of the following while in the Danish capital: Mikkeller beers, open faced smørrebrød sandwiches and Døp hot dogs.

9. Experience Umami in Tokyo

Soba, tempura, sashimi, tonkatsu – is there any kind of Japanese food we don’t like? Tokyo is a foodie’s paradise, offering hundreds of thousands of hyper-specialized eateries focusing on every aspect of Japanese cuisine. It also holds the unique distinction of the highest number of Michelin starred restaurants in the world, even beating out Paris!

10. Sample Tapas in Seville

Spain offers a culinary playground for the taste buds, with classic Spanish tapas, spicy Moorish influences and new age gastronomy. One trip to Seville and you’ll forever remember the taste of marbled jamon Iberica!

For Nature and Adrenaline Lovers…

11. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

There are many ways to get to the Lost City of the Incas, but the most challenging and rewarding is to trek it. After 4 days and 25 miles hiking upward, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch the sun rise over one of the world’s most ancient archaeological masterpieces.

12. Sign Up for Surf Camp in Costa Rica

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to properly surf, Costa Rica is the place to do it. With lots of surf camps offering experienced instructors and some epic waves, you’ll be able to stand up and make it to shore in no time!

13. Trek the Himalayas of Nepal

Play with goats, hike one of the toughest mountain ranges in the world and meet the friendly Nepalese people.

14. Journey to the Ends of the Earth in Patagonia, Argentina

A great way to make the journey is to book the scenic train from Buenos Aires. Patagonia is one of the most pristine places left in nature, with crystal clear lakes, glaciers and wildlife.

15. Sky Dive in New Zealand’s Adventure Capital

Queenstown offers a whole host of hair-raising activities for the brave, including bungee jumping, white water rafting, river surfing, canyon swinging and for the really daring, sky diving.

For Those on a Budget..

16. Visit the Mystical Waters of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

A boat trip through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay is simply unforgettable. Vietnam is rich in cuisine, culture and scenic beauty and will leave you happily light on both luggage and the wallet!

17. Explore the Exotic Sights of Morocco

From the dizzying medina in Morocco to the colorful, pungent tanneries of Fez, Morocco has dramatic and bold landscapes with lots to explore. For a slice of the Sahara, join a camel trek to the desert town of Merzouga and glimpse the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. It’s relatively easy to get around and budget-friendly to boot!

18. Live It Up in Colorful Cartagena, Colombia

With stunning beaches, a checkered history and vibrant colonial architecture, Cartagena is undergoing a resurgence. Visit now while prices are still cheap!

19. Hop Around Eastern Europe

Destinations like Prague, Romania and Budapest offer Old World charm with modern day budget-friendly prices. Explore beautiful city centers like Czechy Krumlov and Bucharest while sampling their burgeoning food and craft beer industries.

20. See the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt

Tourism in Egypt has plummeted to record lows, due to fears of violence, revolutions and plane disasters, but if you’re up to the risk, you could be rewarded with a view of the great pyramids all to yourself. The Great Pyramid is the only ancient wonder of the world still in existence, so what are you waiting for?

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