Asia Food Trips

The itinerary was thoughtfully designed, allowing us to explore a wide range of fascinating destinations throughout the trip. Activity level was 1, not 3 as advertised. The hotels were comfortable, with two exceptions: Hotel SUI Kyoto Kiyomizu in Kyoto - Situated on a busy main road, the hotel suffered from significant noise even during nighttime hours due to poor sound insulation. Breakfast was consistently overcrowded. Route Inn Kawaguchiko - The room was small and dimly lit, with a window facing a concrete wall just two metres away. The décor was dated; it felt like the last renovation was done in the 1980s, and the breakfast offering was disappointing in both quality and variety. In contrast, Hotel Monterey Akasaka in Tokyo stood out as the best accommodation - stylish, comfortable, and well located. Dining independently was a highlight of the trip. We enjoyed excellent meals at various local restaurants, often at very reasonable prices. However, the two complimentary dinners provided in Takayama were surprisingly poor in quality. In hindsight, it would have been preferable to explore dining options on our own that evening as well. Public transportation was generally a positive experience and added to the trip's authenticity. That said, the day spent navigating Kyoto’s local buses and trains resulted in more time waiting than sightseeing. Additionally, the transfer from Kawaguchiko to Tokyo consumed most of the day. A chartered bus would have significantly reduced travel time to under two hours, and allowed for a more relaxed and efficient transition.

Tour Managers were extremely knowledgeable with good command in English. They offered optional tours which weren't included in our package, and took us to these sights. Able to accommodate food restrictions! Best part was meeting and speaking to the Ama Divers!

I had wanted to go on this trip for years, and my dream finally came true! It was a fantastic trip that combined all the highlights of both modern and ancient sights within two weeks. I really appreciated the balance between group activities and free time to explore at our own pace. Our tour leader Kan was excellent, and everyone on the tour was lovely. I feel incredibly grateful to have explored Japan with such a wonderful group of people. We shared plenty of laughs along the way and I made some friends on this trip :-)

I did the India and Sri Lanka combo experience and honestly had the best time in both. As my first time going away anywhere on my own it was so reassuring having intro do all the hard work, organising, planning, getting from place to place for me. In India my group leaders were Yoni and Mikes, both two absolutely beautiful human beings. It was so beautiful to see how they interacted with the locals which encouraged us and showed how we could also interact with them positively and respectfully. In Sri Lanka my group leader was Matt, who also was amazing. He was so knowledgeable on the incredible country Sri Lanka is and really helped us appreciate its beauty on a deeper level. All three of the group leaders gave a great sense of security to me allowing me to feel safe in both countries and able to relax and really appreciate and enjoy them for what they are.

This was our second trip booked with this travel operator. From three months before the trip, they were excellent in providing us with details about the tour, organizing our requests, answering all our questions, and ensuring we had the best time possible. We truly felt well taken care of and worry-free while using Realistic Asia's services. Evelyn and the team always went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed every part of our trip.

We did the 12-day Exquisite Vietnam Culinary Expedition tour, and it was the perfect tour for foodies! We visited so many places and learned so much about Vietnamese culture and food. We especially loved the cooking classes in Hanoi and Hoi An—they were really interesting. The Vespa tour was also one of our favorites; it was incredible, and our guide were so much fun, we had a great time with he. Our hotels were comfortable and well-located, and our guides were all amazing. The drivers were always on time, and travel our consultant Lindy, took great care of us. We truly loved the tour and would definitely use this travel operator for our future trips.