Let’s be honest: one of the best parts of traveling is diving into local food culture. Through food, you get a real taste of a country’s unique customs and traditions. But sometimes, so-called “traditional” food can be a little—terrifying.

While exploring Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, we stumbled upon one of Thailand’s most infamous—and adventurous—street foods: fried insects.

The insect cart was surrounded by curious Thai teens, mostly girls, who seemed to be enjoying their crunchy snacks as if it were no big deal. Despite the horror-movie spread of creepy crawlies laid out on metal trays, the smell from the cart was oddly appetizing. I just stood there, staring at the bugs, trying to psych myself up. I wasn’t alone.

Soon, a few other curious tourists joined the standoff. We exchanged hesitant glances and sheepish grins—because let’s be honest, awkward smiles are a universal language. At that point, it felt like backing out wasn’t really an option anymore. In the name of “experiencing local culture,” we went all in.

We bought three types of fried insects: grasshoppers, crickets, and silkworm pupae. Each type cost 20 baht, for a total of 60 baht (roughly a couple of U.S. dollars). The vendor scooped up generous portions of each into a single bag, tossed in some seasoning, and handed it over with a smile. Victory. We walked away feeling oddly proud of our crunchy snack haul.

Turns out, buying the bugs is the easy part. Eating them? That’s where things get real. First up, the silkworm pupae were surprisingly doable. They looked relatively neat and unfamiliar, so it felt like eating something abstract—tasty, with a chewy texture and a mildly nutty flavor. Not bad at all.

Then came the grasshoppers. And wow—these were huge. Honestly, nothing like the little garden hoppers you see back home. And the worst part? Those shiny, bulging black eyes. I swear they were staring at me. Once you lock eyes with your food, it’s game over.

The crickets? Even worse. Small, dark, hairy, and just plain creepy. Nope.

Many night markets in Bangkok are said to serve even more extreme options, like deep-fried tarantulas and scorpions, so what we picked were actually beginner-level bugs.

Curious how it all went down? Wondering if they actually taste good? Watch the full video below and see this wild Bangkok food adventure for yourself: