The edible insects to try first in Thailand are grasshoppers, mini crickets and silkworms, light snacks that are easy to start with. Crickets, bamboo worms, scorpions, sago grubs and giant water bugs take more courage, and here’s what I found with each first bite.
Eating insects in the evening is part of travelling in Thailand, on Bangla Road in Phuket as well as on Khao San Road in Bangkok. Above all, they’re very popular snacks in Thai cuisine, light and surprisingly healthy. Once I got past my instinctive resistance to putting little bugs in my mouth, I found some of them genuinely tasty.
- Which insects should you try first?
- Which insects take more courage?
- Which are the hardest to eat?
- Where can you find edible insects in Thailand?
- My other guides to Thailand
| Insect | Thai name | Taste | Texture | Who they’re for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grasshoppers | takatan | salty, green tea finish | crunchy | beginners |
| Mini crickets | jing reed khai | light, makrut lime | soft centre | beginners |
| Silkworms | nhon mhai | citrus, bitter finish | slightly sticky inside | curious beginners |
| Crickets | jing reed | fatty, soapy bitterness | soft centre | experienced eaters |
| Bamboo worms | rod duan | salty then cheesy | crunchy shell | experienced eaters |
| Scorpions | mang pawng | sour milk, crab claws | tender beneath the shell | brave eaters |
| Sago grubs | tua duang | bacon | very meaty | brave eaters |
| Giant water bugs | mang da na | good, chewing gum smell | meaty | brave eaters |
Which insects should you try first?
Grasshoppers (takatan) are among the most common because they’re the least slimy. Fried in soy sauce, they taste mostly salty, with a bitter finish that reminded me of green tea. Think of them as crisps or salted peanuts: I found them surprisingly filling, even if they take a little getting used to.
Mini crickets (jing reed khai) sit halfway between grasshoppers and regular-sized crickets: the soft centre of their bigger brothers, the lighter flavour of grasshoppers and the fragrance of the makrut lime leaves they’re often fried with, the same ones used in my tom yum kung soup. Their subtle taste makes them a good introduction to eating insects.
Silkworms (nhon mhai) are a popular snack in Thailand, even if beginners often mistake them for maggots, and knowing they’re behind those luxurious Thai silk scarves doesn’t make them any more appetising. Fried with makrut lime leaves, they have a strong citrus note followed by a bitter aftertaste, and the inside is a little sticky.
Which insects take more courage?
Crickets (jing reed) look like grasshoppers, but their taste is very different. The first bite gave me a slightly unpleasant shock: their fattier innards fill your mouth very quickly, and their soft centre leaves a slightly soapy bitterness. Appetising, isn’t it?
Bamboo worms (rod duan) are among the most popular insects with Thai people, much less so with tourists. Like silkworms, which are smaller, they have a crunchy shell and a soft inside, but their flavour differs slightly: salty at first, then with a cheesy note.
Scorpions (mang pawng) are often bite-sized, although some stalls sell large specimens on skewers. Mine was tender beneath its crunchy shell, with a slight bitterness and a somewhat unpleasant sour-milk flavour, but the claws taste like crab. There’s no risk of poisoning from the venom.
Which are the hardest to eat?
Sago grubs (tua duang) are the large larvae of the Asian palm weevil, and one of the hardest insects to eat in Thailand. Once I got past their rather off-putting appearance, I discovered a very meaty texture with a bacon flavour. They’re usually fried, but you can try them raw if you’re up for a challenge.
Giant water bugs (mang da na) are the biggest edible insects in Phuket, and also among the hardest to eat. You have to pull off the head to reach the flesh, hidden inside a hard shell. I dared to try, and the taste is actually quite good: a meaty texture and a smell surprisingly close to chewing gum.
Where can you find edible insects in Thailand?
In Phuket, I found them at many night markets and stalls across the island, including a market in Patong, and at street stalls in nightlife hotspots, especially Bangla Road. Bamboo worms are at almost every food stall and cart on the island, including in Phuket Old Town. Scorpions are less common in Phuket, but you can find them if you look carefully. In Bangkok, Khao San Road is the place to go. Trying insects is one of my favourite things to do in Phuket.
My other guides to Thailand
For other street food, you’ll find my recommendations in where to eat in Phuket and where to eat in Bangkok. After the insects, I go back to the classics I cook at home, like pad thai or som tam. Everything else I eat in Thailand is collected in my guide to Thai cuisine.
