Whilst eating the local food is a fantastic way to add to the experience and is generally a safe thing to do there are a few common sense things to consider.

Always be aware of just what you are eating and the way it has been prepared. A general rule of thumb is to eat only what has been cooked or requires peeling. Buying meat from the market will challenge western ideals and again it is wise to wash (if not lightly boil) the meat prior to adding it to your dishes to be cooked.

The long term volunteers have preferred places to buy food and also to eat so it would be smart to talk to them about what to favor or avoid. In saying that there are some great places to eat and here are just a few…

KM Hotel Restaurant, Malop Svay Restaurant, Blue Seas Restaurant, Phnom Pech Hotel, Pursat Pizza House.

Regarding water to drink…Only bottled water and for long term stays this can be bought in 20 litre plastic bottles at a very cheap price…perhaps 5000 riel initially and 2000 to refill. There is a wide variety of packaged drinks including the standard Western style ones dotted along all of the streets and roads.