As you stroll the open-air stalls in towns or trek through the forest with a local forager, dining in the Ratanakiri region promises to be an adventure for your palate.
Join the locals who gather at market to feast on steaming bowls of noodle soups and bor bor rice porridge, skewers of roasted meats and other savoury dishes. Alongside piles of fresh tropical produce, sweet treats abound — like ripe bananas served hot off a grill, coconut sticky rice and sweetened fried dough.
On a journey to the sacred Boeng Yeah Lom lake, the bustling market also tantalises with its street food, mounds of colourful fruits and collections of wild Ratanakiri honey.
Earthenware vessels filled with rice wine (sra peang in Khmer) are a common sight in Ratanakiri, especially. Infused with herbs and fermented for at least a month, this potent beverage is often shared among villagers over meals, festivals and ceremonial gatherings.
Though the native forests are under constant threat from development, a guide can lead you on a trek (going solo is not recommended as landmines are still prevalent here). Follow along to learn the art of foraging for edible mushrooms, bamboo and other wild vegetation.
Sharing a meal and trying new-to-you ingredients is a universal language that can help you connect with local communities. Find your next culinary and cultural adventure in the northeast reaches of Cambodia.
