This year, Good Housekeeping readers can take a cruise down the Mekong, visiting Cambodia’s breathtaking ancient temples, quiet riverside villages and buzzing cities, as you make your way into Vietnamese city Ho Chi Minh City.
Along the way you’ll see some amazing sights, including stunning palaces and idyllic islands. During stops in the Cambodian cities of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh you’ll have plenty of time to explore their vibrant streets and grab a snack to keep you fuelled up on your adventures.
As Cambodia is famous for its delicious street food, we've rounded up six snacks you need to try.
1. BBQ skewers
When in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh you’re bound to smell the sticky sweet scent of barbecuing meat filling the air, from vendors cooking meat skewers out in the open.
Chunks of beef and pork fat are seasoned and then loaded onto a skewer and grilled, creating a spicy, slightly caramelised treat that’s served up with a side dish of pickled cucumber and shredded ginger. If you want to eat it on the go, put the meat and salad in a small baguette (popularised during French colonial rule).
2. Lok lak
This traditional beef stir fry is probably the most filling dish on the list – definitely more of a main meal than a quick snack! The beef is fried quickly with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.
It's then served up with a side of rice, a fried egg, lettuce leaves and a dipping sauce made from lime juice, salt and pepper. Wrap the beef in the leaves and dip in the sauce.
3. Pork bun
These steamed buns are a staple in many Southeast Asian countries, so you’ll find them in both Cambodia and Vietnam.
Though the sweet Chinese version is probably best known in the UK, the Cambodian version has a more savoury taste – with the bun simply stuffed with roast pork and egg. Great for a protein boost when you’re on the go.
4. Cambodian iced coffee
Unlike classic European or American coffee, Cambodians take their caffeine super sweet. The taste is created by drying the beans in the hot sun, and then slowly roasting them, which means they retain their natural sugars and oils.
That sweetness is then intensified by using condensed milk, which tends to collect near the bottom – so your coffee will get sweeter as you drink (or stir) it.
5. Lort cha
These short rice noodles are tossed together with traditional local veg (think broccoli, bean sprouts and spring onions) to create a crispy noodle salad.
You’ll find them being stir fried and sold outdoors in most markets throughout Cambodia, with vendors sometimes offering extra ingredients like chicken, pork, beef or shrimp for a heartier meal.
6. Chive cakes
Similar to pork buns, these popular street snacks originated in China. Rice flour and chopped chives are combined and pan fried with plenty of herbs like coriander, creating a thick pancake with a pleasant, crispy exterior and a chewy texture on the inside.
Dip your cake in any number of local sauces (with fish sauce being traditional) for extra flavour.
Try Cambodia's delicious street food on Good Housekeeping's unique cruise down the Mekong River through Cambodia and into Vietnam.
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The clever travel essentials you never knew you wanted
LAY-N-GO Cosmo make-up bag
Selfridges
£29
Lay out all of your make-up in one place and quickly pack it up again with the ultimate cosmetic bag for travellers. There’s even a pocket to store your jewellery.
Take control of the sound in your holiday environment with this USB-charged machine that masks noise which can disturb sleep or concentration through its sound options, including bright white noise, deep white noise or gentle surf.
Ideal for sleeping in dry hotel rooms, this portable dehumidifier secures over a water bottle to add moisture to the air.
Not just trendy-looking cabin luggage, this smart case uses a lithium ion battery so you can charge your phone on the go. It's a great gift for the traveller in your life, too.
...And you can keep tabs on your bag with this intelligent little tile that you pop into the luggage tag and attach to you case before tracking it with your phone. It makes for a great travel gift, too.
Inflatable, foldable and lightweight, these blow-up hangers are ideal for packing in your suitcase, as you never know if there will be enough in your hotel wardrobe.
Comfortable to wear on the plane, in the car or in your hotel room when noise stops you from sleeping, these earplugs use sound reduction filters and feature personal volume control.
If you're not staying in a fancy hotel with a Nespresso coffee machine in your room or just want to enjoy your favourite brew whenever and wherever you are on holiday, this portable espresso machine will come in handy.
Washing your clothes on holiday is now quick and easy with this portable washing machine. Just add your clothes, water and a drop of washing liquid, seal tight and rub for a few minutes on the internal, flexible washboard before rinsing.
The ultimate baggage compressor, this little device sucks up all the extra space in your luggage within minutes by easily compressing your clothes in a vacuum bag so you can buy more and pack more.
Designed by a former flight attendant who watched endless passengers struggle to sleep on flights, this travel pillow with a three-way support system helps keep your head, neck and chin completely supported while you snooze.
Keep your valuables close with this silk pouch you simply snap over your bra strap. The small pocket is great for stashing your money and credit cards.
This easy-to-use steamer is a the perfect alternative to carrying a travel iron. It's harmless to even delicate fabrics and will remove creases and unfresh odours.
Just what you need for packing light on a beach holiday, this lightweight and water-resistant blanket can be used for picnics too and features weights at each corner to stop it being blown away.
For when the in-flight pillow just won’t do, this mulberry silk pillow with a matching sleep mask was created to provide the ultimate combination of shine, thickness, softness and durability
Want to be a more organised packer? These nifty cubes help you pack your clothes neatly while providing compression so you can fit more into your case. Genius!
A great gift for the business traveller who has everything, this hard case will protect a shirt from creasing and is lightweight and compact enough to pack in a laptop bag or backpack.
