Looking for a fun and easy way to try many of Cambodia’s local delights? One of Siem Reap’s newest ventures is looking to give guests a taste of life in Cambodia at night…
Recent start-up Cambodia Vespa Adventures is combining two Siem Reap staples that visitors are eager to experience — motorbike rides and adventurous eats.
Despite living in Siem Reap, I was shocked by how many new foods I got to test out. While I wouldn’t describe it as a foodie tour per say — much of what you taste is more ingredients than prepared meals — but it was a definite culinary adventure.
From bugs to fruit we sampled it all. While our Country Director Narla pointed at his childhood favourites and popped snails into his mouth by the handful, Anna and I listened as our guide explained the how to properly pull apart a water beetle to eat.
It was lovely to test out local fruits (yes, even durian!) while learning the proper names for some items that I already knew I loved.
The barbeque stall next to the Road 60 fun fair was by far my favourite stop of the tour. We sampled spicy stuffed frog, sweet and sour chicken wings and fresh fish — each as delicious as the next.
Our motto tour took a sweet turn with its final visit of the evening — a stop at Sombai‘s infused rice spirit shop. Rice wine is a tradition in Cambodia, a simple alcohol that is produced both in villages and distilleries. Siem Reap based Sombai has upgraded this bland and sometimes unpalatable local spirit by infusing it with flavour combinations that are sure to please just about anyone. In addition to getting to sample each of their delicious concoctions, owners Joëlle and Lionel set out a tempting platter of traditional rice and palm sugar-based treats to enjoy with our night cap.
Though I wasn’t sampling many of the foods for the very first time I still found the tour educational and above all, tasty. I must admit that riding around on a motto driven by a competent and safe driver was a first for me in my year-and-a-half in Siem Reap — a truly local way to experience the City of Wonder.