Are you wondering which exotic fruit from Asia that you should try? You have found the right person then! I have been living in South East Asia for 7 years now (since 2017). For 5 of those years I have been living in the ultimate tropical fruit country of the world, Malaysia!
From the smelly durian to the succulent mangosteen, there are so many delicious Southeast Asian fruits to try but if you only have a limited time then I recommend these 13 fruits. Before we get stuck into the list, let me introduce myself, my name is Georgia, and I am well known on TikTok for my passion for trying the many exotic fruit from Asia! So yep, you can trust me on this topic!
Because I live in Malaysia, this blog post is written from the perspective of trying tropical fruits in Malaysia. However I have also listed fruits in Thailand that you should try. One fruit that I could talk about forever is durian but for this article I keep it brief! As well as a detailed blog post about trying durian, I have also dedicated one to rambtuan.
Not only do I write about trying tropical fruits but I also have delicious fruit based recipe with these unique tropical fruits such including jackfruit sorbet, dragonfruit popsicles, dragonfruit jelly, and papaya lime boats. I also make a smoothie almost everyday with these wonderful fruits but this dragon fruit smoothie and this papaya smoothie are by far my favourite.
1. Durian
The first fruit on this absolutely has to be durian. Durian has earned a reputation for being the king of all Asian fruits due to its distinctive flavour and aroma. People go absolutely nuts over durian and it is an expensive delicacy that is shipped worldwide. However, to truly try durian, I believe that you must try it fresh in its home country, Malaysia!
My Experience With Durian
The first time I tried durian was on a road side stall in Singapore and not surprisingly, I hated it! If you are tourist in a foreign country, DO NOT DO THIS!! Durian should only be eaten fresh. You want to go somewhere where you pick the durian and they open it in front of you.
Where & When To Try Durian In Malaysia
If you are in Malaysia and travelling through Kuala Lumpur, I recommend that you try Durian Man in SS2. This is where I had my first (real) durian experience. I honestly don't count the Singapore experience! Durian season is usually July to September and this is the best time to try it. However, If you are only visiting Kuala Lumpur for a short period of time then you can always buy durian on food street (Jalan Alor). The durians here are available year round.
Types of Durian
Malaysia is well known globally to have some of the best durians in the world! There are specific durian stalls (like the one I recommend) where you can try many varieties. I recommend that for your first durian you try a more mild one like the Udang Merah, D24, or Kampung Durian. The most popular durian is by far the Musang King, and although the flavour is strong, I recommend you give it a go!
2. Ciku
Ciku (as it is called in Malaysia), or also known as Sapodilla in other parts of the world, is a small brown fruit that actually looks a bit like a potato. Once ripe, it is soft to touch and a burnt orange colour on the inside.
Ciku Taste
It is deliciously sweet, juicy, and soft. The sweetness can be likened to that of maple syrup, and the soft juiciness is similar to a soft pear. I personally love Ciku! but it's not for everyone! This fruit is quite polarising with some people loving it (like me) and others don't! We tried Ciku in Cambodia and this is where my American friends tried it for the first time. However, my first time I tried Ciku was in Malaysia. The first few times were a fail for me because they were either not ripe or too ripe!
Choosing a ripe Ciku
Just make sure to get someone to pick a ripe one for you if you aren't sure. This fruit can be tricky to pick when it is ripe! If you have been following me for a while you would know that though! It took me THREE times to get this one right... but once you do ITS AWESOME!!
3. Rambutan
The hairy exterior of rambutan may turn some people off, but the taste is worth it! The rambutan tastes similar to lychee but in my opinion better! Make sure to try it while on vacation in Thailand or while exploring Southeast Asia - you won’t regret it!
Where To Buy Rambutan
You can easily buy rambutan from road side stalls in Malaysia or at any wet market. I bought mine from the local wet market, also known as a pasar. Just be careful of the ants! Rambutan is actually one of the three fruits that I had never heard of until moving to Malaysia! Apparently for 2 million people on TikTok thought this was unbelievable?!
Types of Rambutan
You can get red or yellow rambutans. In Malaysia, the yellow ones are not so common with the red ones available everywhere almost all year round. If you want to try a yellow rambutan you will have better luck in Thailand. I found that all of the wet markets and fruit markets in Thailand had both he yellow and the red variety.
4. Dragon Fruit
Dragon has to be one of the most interesting fruits! You can get 3 different types of dragonfruit, red, white or yellow. Inside, it’s bright white or a dark purple with an abundance of small black seeds.
Taste of Dragonfruit
The texture reminds me of Kiwi fruit, and the sweetness can vary quite drastically with this fruit! I have had dragon fruits that taste extremely sweet, and others that actually taste like nothing. The sweetness of the fruit varies on the crop. If you try one and it tastes like nothing, then don't let this be your last dragon fruit you try! Eventually you will come across an amazing juicy and sweet one.
This can be true for the white or purple flesh, but is usually more common for the dark purple flesh. You can buy yellow dragon fruits too, and in my opinion, these are usually the sweetest and tastiest kind. The yellow dragon fruits also have a white flesh.
Just be warned that the purple flesh type will make your urine and poop a dark red colour! This freaked me out the first time I tried it!
Red VS White VS Yellow Dragonfruit
Also, if you may be wondering how do you tell the difference between a white or purple dragon fruit? Of course the yellow dragon fruit has a yellow skin, but the red / white variety appears to look the same! I made this quick TikTok discussing and identifying the differences. Once you know how, you will never NOT be able to tell the difference!
5. Mangosteen
Mangosteen is easily one of my favourite tropical fruits. I can't believe I had never heard of this delicious tangy fruit until moving to South East Asia! The inside of this fruit actually looks like a pieces of garlic at first glance, but the flesh should be plump, juicy, and white in colour.
How To Eat Mangosteen
There is a knack to opening the mangosteen, which involved pressing firmly and twisting. Just be careful to not get any of the dark purple juice from the exterior on your clothes. It will stain!
Where and When To Buy Mangosteen
Mangosteen seasons are June to August and December to January. During these times you will find an abundance of fresh mangosteens at all for walking / night / food markets across South East Asia.
Cool Fact About Mangosteen
You can actually tell how many pieces of mangosteen are inside the fruit by counting the tips of the star at the base of fruit! I explain better here if you are a visual learner instead.
6. Longan
The longan is a close relative of the lychee but longans generally have thinner, lighter-colored shells than lychees do. The inside if longans are also very similar to lychees, rambutan and pulasans. It is a white juice interior which is deliciously sweet.
Where To Find Longan
The longan is extremely popular in Malaysia, and can be found at any pasar (wet market), or road side stalls.
Longan VS Langsat
The longan fruit is actually very similar to the langsat and I myself have often been confused between the two. Whilst is is diffcult to tell the difference from the exterior, the interior of the longan is one round juicy flesh whereas the langsat peels away in slices (similar to garlic or mangosteen). I dont have a photo of the longan so here are some photo's of langsat instead!
7. Pulasan
Pulasan is a close relative of the rambutan and the taste and texture is also very similar to rambutan. Similar to the rambutan, once you peel the exterior of the fruit, the juicy, sweet, and slightly tangy interiors resembles that of a lychee. Pulasans are well known to be slightly chewier and tastier than rambutans!
Where To Find Pulasan
Pulasans are much rarer to find, and I have actually only come across Pulasan a handful of times during my whole time in Malaysia! However, recently I have noticed that this fruit is often sold on Jalan Alor food street throughout the year.
If you find this spiky fruit, you must buy it!
How To Open Pulasan
"Pulasan" in Malay means "twist" and thats exactly how you open this fruit! I actually love this about this fruit! I share it with all my guests when they come to Malaysia.
8. Soursop
Soursop, also known as sugar apple or custard apple, is a tropical fruit with a spiky green exterior and a creamy white interior. It has a sweet and tangy flavour, similar to a combination of pineapple and strawberry. Soursop is rich in vitamin C, fibre, and antioxidants and is well known as a "super fruit".
Where To Buy Soursop
Soursop is available throughout South East Asia. I have personally has soursop in Malaysia as well as Cambodia but I've also seen it everywhere when travelling throughout South East Asia including Thailand and Indonesia.
9. Papaya
Papaya is a tropical fruit with a soft, orange flesh and a sweet, but mild flavour. The texture is smooth and similar to that of a rock melon.
Papaya is likely available where you live but if you are travelling through Malaysia then make sure to try one! Papaya is actually Malaysia's national fruit and this is because the papaya's here a truly special!
I love to sprinkle a bit of salt and squeeze some lime juice on fresh papaya. This is truly delicious and you absolutely must try it!! I talk more about papaya and ways to enjoy it here.
I was also pleasantly surprised at how delicious papaya is for a smoothie. This simple recipe honestly tastes exactly like a milkshake or thick shake!
10. Starfruit
Starfruit is a tropical fruit with a unique shape and flavour. When sliced, it forms a star shape, hence the name. It has a sweet and tangy taste, similar to a combination of apple, grape, and citrus. I have only ever tasted the green star fruit, which is actually very tart! I didn't like it at all. However, I am told that if you buy the sweet variety it can be quite delicious.
11. Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a large, spiky fruit that is native to Southeast Asia. It has a sweet, tropical flavour and a meaty texture. The jackfruit is from the same family of the durian and the cempedak, which means it is one of the stinky fruit from Asia! At first, the smell is overpowering, but honestly, I believe that you start to get use to the smelliness and actually start to enjoy it!
How To Eat Jackfruit
Jackfruit can be eaten fresh (ripe jackfruit), or cooked in curries and stews, or used as a filling for tacos and sandwiches. However, it is important to note that the jackfruit that is used in curries or vegan dishes is often a young jackfruit. This is white in colour and the is harder to touch. The ripe jackfruit is bright yellow and very soft to touch.
Where To Buy Jackfruit
The jackfruit is a huge fruit. Therefore, it is unlikely you would buy a whole one. Therefore, you will find that it is common to buy fresh jackfruit already extracted from the fruit. This is what I recommend that you do if you want to try jackfruit whilst in Asia
Recipes With Jackfruit
I love making vegan dishes with young jackfruit! You can checkout this delicious deep fried vegan chicken recipe that I make with young jackfruit.
I also make a delicious jackfruit sorbet (highly recommend you try this recipe!).
12. Cempedak
Cempedak is another tropical fruit in Asia that is closely related to jackfruit and durian. It has a sweet, musky flavour and a soft, creamy texture. It looks very similar to jackfruit but it's not! It's actually hard to find fresh Cempdeak but it is easy to find deep fried on the streets of Malaysia!
One of the most famous Malaysian street food dishes is Cempdeak Goreng, which means deep friend Cempedak!
13. Snakefruit
Snakefruit, also known as Salak, is a tropical fruit native to Indonesia but also cultivated in other Southeast Asian countries. It gets its name from the scaly skin that resembles that of a snake. The fruit has a firm, crunchy texture with a slightly acidic taste that is a combination of apple, pineapple, and banana. Its flesh is yellowish-white and has a single large seed in the center.
I really enjoyed the flavour of snakefruit when I tried it. I would compare it to consuming an apple or banana as snack. The crunchiness of it would also be delicious in a salad. I plan to create a salad recipe with this delicious fruit eventually!
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