Street Food Challenge: Insects in Siem Reap

Insect Stall at Night Market — Heaped trays of crisp, crackling crickets and golden silkworms — Siem Reap street food overflowing with crunch and texture.

Abbey trying insects at the night market — Living life on the crunchy side! Abbey takes a bite of adventure.

Abbey with the bag of insects at the market — Abbey showing off our bag of fried snacks—ready for the first bite?

Trying a bug (Caleb watching) — David watching with a mix of curiosity and disbelief as we dig in.

The insect vendor stall at the night market — Piles of fried crickets and shiny beetles heaped in metal trays.

Siem Reap has plenty of incredible Khmer food, but there is also a famous street-food dare: insects. We decided to try it and report back.

Getting There

We started with a tuk-tuk ride across the city to a local night market. The market was overflowing with things to buy: clothes, shoes, bags, and insects. Yes, insects.

We stopped in front of a stand with large plates of fried bugs out front, and people snacking on various critters nearby. The woman at the stand filled a plastic bag with fried insects and handed it to us for $2.50.

Mom and Caleb refused to look at the food, and Dad helped himself to one grasshopper as promised. That left the rest for David and me to enjoy.

What We Tried

Abbey’s Ratings

Silkworm — soft and somewhat sweet. 4.8/10
Grasshopper — after removing the legs, salty and crunchy. 6.5/10
Frog — thin, gutted, and frozen in a gasping expression; pleasantly spicy and left my lips tingling. 8/10
Beetle — hard shell crunched loudly; pieces caught in my throat; chewy with a sickening aftertaste. 2.2/10

[Add photos here: close-ups of the insects and reaction shots]

David’s Ratings

Beetle — 2/10. Famously nicknamed by us like a sunflower seed full of bug meat, except you eat the shell.
Silkworm — 4/10. The sweetest, smallest bite. Definitely worth trying.
Cricket — 7/10. Higher quality meat, salty, and nicely seasoned.
Frog — 8/10. Nicely salted, a little spicy, and my favorite.

Safety Tips (What We Learned)

Pick a vendor that is actively frying (hot and fresh) rather than trays sitting out.
Ask them to re-fry so it is served hot and crispy.
If it has been sitting out and looks soft or cold, skip it.
Have water, napkins, and hand sanitizer ready afterwards.

Final Verdict

Abbey: The frog was my favorite by far. The beetle was a one-time experience.

David: Overall, if you are a brave eater, this might be a cool experience. But if you do not like odd textures in your food, this is definitely not for you.