One of the major attractions for visitors traveling to Asia is that the continent has a tasty and diverse cuisine that has been exported around the world, and simply being a solo traveler shouldn't stop you from enjoying the great flavors on offer. Whether you are looking for a fine meal in a good restaurant, or are looking to enjoy the same tastes that the locals do, there is no reason that traveling solo should stop this.

Indeed, in many ways the fact that you are traveling alone will give you even more opportunities to leave your hostel and to try the different dishes that are there for you to enjoy.

 

Street Food

A great way to share a dining experience with a local person is to find a stall which is offering street food, and if it looks like the locals are tucking in with relish, then it will usually be worth tasting for you too. This is a great way of understanding the local cuisine, and in many cases it will allow you to try foods that you would never even have dreamed of by simply eating in the hostel or hotel restaurant every night. Street food is also very kind on the wallet, and in the majority of countries in Asia, a filling meal can be purchased from a street vendor for the equivalent of just a dollar or two.

 

Eating In A Restaurant

If you have the urge to dine out in a restaurant, there are plenty of restaurants across the continent that will welcome you, and with much of Asia having a strong tradition of welcoming visitors, it is not unusual to see others dining alone in restaurants too.

This tends to become more unusual as you visit the more expensive restaurants, but if you do have a taste for a particular type of cuisine, then you shouldn't let anything stop you. However, if you are a woman traveling solo, it is important to understand the local culture, and to make sure that you aren't giving any misleading signals to the waiter or any local men also at the restaurant, as this can lead to unwanted attention.

 

Meeting People To Dine With

For those who are staying in hostels, there are usually plenty of others staying in the same place who would be willing to join you for a meal in a local restaurant. Even if you cook on the first evening that you stay at a particular town or city, if you talk to your fellow residents, particularly about your passion for food, you may find someone with a similar interest who is also keen to explore local cuisine, or at least someone who can give you some good recommendations.

 

Communal Dining Experiences

One interesting way to explore Asian cuisine without having to go into a restaurant by yourself is to join one of the dining experiences with local hosts that are usually arranged online. One service is known as With Locals, which connects visitors to a country with a local resident, who will then invite you into their home to share a meal with them, and to enjoy the same food that the locals would usually eat. Some locals will also offer a tour of the local food markets as a part of the package, and this is particularly good if you have an interest in cooking like the locals as well as enjoying the local cuisine.

 

Take Your Entertainment With You

If you are concerned about eating alone in a restaurant, ultimately it is easy enough to avoid feeling awkward by simply immersing yourself in a good book or playing games on a tablet computer. By taking your entertainment with you it will allow you to settle down and to enjoy the food, while being able to ignore anyone around you who is looking at you, and will allow you to simply enjoy yourself.