Indonesia · FOOD & DRINK
Good food & drink experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Travel from Jakarta to Tangkuban Parahu with an English-speaking guide such as Rizky, Bryan, Nanda, or Vincent. See a smoking crater, rice and tea fields, sample tropical fruit and local food, visit a coffee center, and finish in sulfur hot springs.
“Intensive day with nice support of guide and driver.”
At Gili Cooking Classes beside Trawangan Dive, you prepare and eat three, four, or six Indonesian dishes in a small group of up to 10. Local chefs explain ingredients, techniques, and substitutions, with vegan and vegetarian options available.
“Probabaly the best experience on our trip in Bali so far! The chef teachers were amazing and the dishes were so tasty. Really wholesome experience, even though we were part of a group we felt we got given so much individual guidance. 10/10 experience.”
Meet at Tugu Jogja at 6:30 pm for a three to four-hour food walk led by English-speaking guides such as Kalika, Anisa, Jasmine, or Dhea. Try Javanese snacks, food, coffee, and herbal drinks, ride covered becaks, and finish with traditional games at Alun-Alun Kidul.
“This was such a great way to experience Yogyakarta and try delicious and authentic Javanese foods from places we definitely wouldn’t have found on our own! There were just four people on our tour which was a nice number and meant we could all ask questions etc. Kalika the guide was really lovely and knowledgeable about the city and Indonesia. You get to ride in a Becak motor which was really fun, and Kalika also bartered with our Becak driver for us so we could get a good price on a ride back to our hotel! We also got so much food! If you like trying different cuisines and want…”
Meet a private local guide in central Denpasar for 10 food and drink tastings at Badung Market, stalls, shops, and eateries. Expect babi guling, satay, market produce, local stories, and city sights. Guides such as Budi, Reza, June, and Putu Merta are frequently assigned, and dietary alternatives are available.
“Nice private tour. Be prepared for the local feel. The places we were taken to were excellent and exclusive”
Meet your guide in central Denpasar for a three to four hour food walk through old city streets, small eateries, street stalls, and Badung Market. You will try 15 or more tastings, local drinks, and desserts while guides such as Rasyid, Ina, Ras, or Moses explain Balinese food and culture.
“The food tour was great and our guide was very informative. This a great way to sample local food that you might not find on your own. Definitely come hungry!”
Join Chef Bagus and his team in Kuta for a three-hour Balinese cooking class with market shopping, hands-on preparation of 10 dishes, lunch, recipes, and a certificate. Hotel pickup is included from Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, and Canggu, with a surcharge from some farther areas.
“It was truly a fun experience cooking with chef Bagus and his team. The food was delicious and the session itself was entertaining, so thank you.”
At Gili Cooking Classes near Gili Air harbor, chef Oka guides you through three, four, or six Indonesian dishes, including klepon, fried tempe, noodles, curry, and gado gado. Choose a vegetarian or vegan version, then sit down to eat what you made.
“My boyfriend and I absolutely loved this class! Our teacher, Oka, spoke great English and was a pleasure to talk with. He gave clear instructions and showed us step by step all the dishes and gave lots of background information. The food we Read more”
Start at Denpasar’s Bajra Sandhi Monument, then follow a private guide such as Dede, Asta, Gede, or Yanika through Kreneng Market for babi guling, bakso, laklak, timus, and other local treats. Pickup, dinner, and transport are included.
“This was a great food tour and it is highly recommended if you want to experience authentic Balinese food. Our tour guide was Gede, he was friendly and helpful in guiding us through the market, and going above and beyond to ensure this experience is memorable. Thank you again for this fantastic experience, loved it entirely!”
Meet at Agung Jagatnatha Temple at 4 pm for a three-hour guided walk through central Denpasar. You’ll see Puputan Square and Catur Muka, eat Babi Guling, Bakso, and Jaje Bali, then finish with Indonesian Arabica coffee. Groups are capped at 12.
“It was lovely to experience a little of how the people of Bali actually live their lives in an urban setting. And we learnt so much about their food and culture”
Meet at Denpasar Cineplex at 5 p.m. for a three-hour evening walk through Denpasar’s food scene. With an English-speaking local foodie buddy and no more than eight people, you’ll try five food stops, including rice cakes, satay, soto, sweets, snacks, and dinner, ending at Kreneng Market.
“We took cab to meeting point, but tour operator never showed up. Tried to contact them with no luck. No explanation and no apology. Very difficult to get a cab back to our hotel so huge frustration and waste of time”
Start at Denpasar’s Badung Market at 4 pm, then walk through nearby streets for more than 11 Balinese tastings, local drinks, and food stories. Guides such as June and Yusuf have led the tour. Expect 3.5 hours, a maximum of eight people, and no hotel transfers.
“My wife and I had a wonderful time on this food tour. Yusuf is an amazing guide, he made us feel very welcome and has a wealth of knowledge about local foods. The variety of stops where we might never have tried the unique flavours was Read more”
Spend four evening hours tasting Jakarta specialties with guides such as Selvi, Nabila, or Riana. You will visit food spots in South and Central Jakarta, watch dishes being prepared, ride the MRT, and pay separately for most food beyond the included item.
“Fun and informative tour with Selvi! Only thing I can think of is maybe have a picture in the wechat message of where the meetup spot "main entrance" is. Also, I wish it was easier to hear her talk while walking but not sure what the solution is since it's loud outside. It also helped that all the food I tried was really good (especially the non-desserts)”
See Jakarta after dark with a private guide and driver, visiting Glodok Chinatown, Sunda Kelapa Harbour, Fatahillah Square, and downtown monuments. Choose street food or Café Batavia as an optional dinner setting. Guides such as Fitri, Ferdy, Nabila, and Saleh have led this four to five-hour outing.
“A great introductory to Jakarta tour and a wonderful way to start my vacation. We hit Jakarta’s highlights, in addition to sampling various street food - all of which were excellent. I was impressed by both Gibran (my guide) and Dede (my drivRead more”
Meet your English-speaking Local Foodie Buddy at Warung Eropa at 5 pm for four hours of Indonesian food, stories, and motorbike rides between four eateries. You will taste enough for dinner, with vegan and vegetarian options available, in a group capped at eight.
“The tour guide didn’t show up. No information provided, didn’t answer messages and the phone number provided isn’t real. Extremely disappointing for a booking from this website as I would assume they confirm if tours are legitimate.”
Join local Balinese women, including guides such as Dewi and Karen, for a four-hour Nusa Dua scooter food tour. Ride pillion between warungs and street-food stops, sampling dishes such as bakso sapi and sate lilit, with unlimited soft drinks, beer, premixed vodka drinks, and arrack.
“Had the best time on this tour with our guides Dewi and Karen! They made the experience so wonderful, swapping stories, teaching us about the local culture and also plenty of laughs. The food was delicious and the experience was autRead more”
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