A-ping is Cambodia's deep-fried tarantula - palm-sized spiders fried crisp with garlic and salt, a snack thought to have spread during Khmer Rouge-era famine and now sold by the basket.
About A Ping
A Ping is one of Cambodia's most beloved dishes, representing the rich culinary tradition of the region.
Cambodia's Famous Spider Snack A-ping, deep-fried tarantula, is Cambodia's most notorious snack, associated above all with the town of Skuon between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Palm-sized spiders are seasoned with garlic and salt and deep-fried until the legs are crisp and the body soft, then sold by the basketful to passing travellers.
“Cambodia's Famous Spider Snack A-ping, deep-fried tarantula, is Cambodia's most notorious snack, associated above all with the town of Skuon between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.”
From Hardship to Delicacy Eating spiders is widely thought to have spread during the desperate famine of the Khmer Rouge years, when people ate whatever they could find, and it endured afterwards as a snack and a curiosity. Crunchy outside and meaty within, a-ping is now as much a dare for visitors as a genuine local treat.
What to Expect
At the roadside market in Skuon, vendors hold up trays of glistening fried tarantulas, legs crisp and bodies meaty. Trying one is a classic Cambodian dare, the garlic-salt crunch giving way to a soft centre that surprises those brave enough to bite.
Why Try It
It is Cambodia's most famous edible curiosity, born of hard times and now a roadside snack and rite of passage for adventurous eaters.
Insider Tips
- The town of Skuon, on the road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, is the spider capital.
- Start with a crisp leg before tackling the softer body if you are nervous.
- Buy from busy stalls where the spiders are freshly fried and turning over quickly.
