Some travel to experience the cultures of a foreign people, some travel to see amazing natural wonders, some travel in search of bigger thrills, but there are some people amongst us who travel the world looking for the most bizarre and unique dining experiences known to modern man.
If you’re in search of a truly outlandish dinner option on your next holiday, perhaps it’s time you visited these destinations for their daring delicacies.
Iceland
Hakarl is said by many to be one of the foulest tasting dishes in the world, yet in Iceland this traditional meat is commonplace. Hakarl is made by curing the meat of a Basking Shark by way of fermentation, and then drying the meat for 2-4 months.
China
Said to have been consumed for over 400 years in China, Birds’ Nest Soup makes the list of one of the most strange foods you can try, as well as one of the most expensive. Birds’ Nest Soup is made with the nest of a variety of Swift, a native bird which uses its saliva to build its nest! The saliva nests are highly sought after and give the soup a unique texture.
China is also home to the cringe-worthy seafood dish, Drunken Shrimp; a serving of live shrimp who have been stunned into submission by soaking them in a strong Chinese liquor.
South Korea
Sannakji is quite a sight when served to unsuspecting travellers. This Korean meal is still writhing around on the plate when it’s served – a portion of sliced live baby octopus, seasoned simply with sesame oil. It’s said that the suction pads can attach to the tongue and throat of brave diners.
Italy
Casu Marzu is not for the squeamish. A traditional dish of Sardinia, this quintessential and quirky cuisine is a cheese crawling with live insect larvae. The larvae are added to the cheese to promote fermentation and break down the fats in the cheese.
Cambodia
A street food stall in Cambodia might hold a particularly shocking surprise for sufferers of arachnophobia. Fried Tarantula, known to locals as A-ping, is considered a delicious treat for locals, but avoided by any traveller without an adventurous appetite.
Scotland
Many people know the name, but few foreigners know what it means, and even less are able to stomach a try. The traditional Scottish dish known as Haggis is the stomach of a sheep, stuffed with the heart, liver and lungs and boiled for a few hours.
If these fine dining delicacies have tickled your fancy and got your tastebuds tingling, then a food tour of at least some of these destinations should be at the top of your travel list. Whether you’re daring or simply curious, it’s time to branch out and get one-on-one with the weird and wonderful.
Travel Associates flight deals make planning easy, with lots of options for all tastes and budgets, so there’s no excuse not to get started on devising your next food adventure.
