One of the most exciting aspects of travelling in Asia is trying a variety of wonderful, tasty but somehow bizarre looking fruits. If you take a stroll through any local markets, big or small, day or night, you’ll always find some interesting fruits that you have never seen before. So, here’s our list of the top 5 must-try exotic fruits of Asia.
Durian 榴蓮/榴莲 (liú lián)
The durian is famous or notorious for its astonishing smell, which has been described in hundreds of ways and none of them pleasant. Stinker, dirty feet, vomit, rotten onions… people associate the smell to previous olfactory experiences. A distinct flavor, with a light creamy texture, the durian is undoubtedly a must-try taste. Though many people are surprised by its flavor, we think the claims for it being the most disgusting fruit in the world are somehow wildly exaggerated.
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Mango 芒果 (máng guǒ)
Mango is definitely the best tropical fruit, in our opinion 😉. Crammed with powerful antioxidants and enzymes that can fight cancer, alleviate anaemia and protect against heart disease! Even better, they are low in carbohydrates, rich in iron and high in Vitamin A and C. Can’t wait to try, huh? If you visit Taiwan in the Summertime, we highly and strongly recommend you to enjoy a bowl of mango shaved ice covered with the condensed milk. The sweet, sour and unique flavor will amaze you.
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Passionfruit 百香果 (bǎi xiāng guǒ)
Passionfruit is a sweet, seedy tropical fruit with a hard case. Passionfruit is often blended with other fruits to share its intense flavor and aroma and a good source of nutrients. The reason it’s called 百香果 in Chinese is because of its variable flavor and tastes. 百 means hundred and 香 is fragrance or aroma, together, hundreds of different aromas.
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Lychee 荔枝 (lì zhī)
Lychee is a kind of pink-red fruit with a roughly textured rind. The flesh is sweet and translucent. You might wonder how to peel a lychee easily, it is similar to peeling an orange. No tools are required. Pierce the thin red skin with your fingernail. Then you’ll be able to quickly peel the skin off to reveal the pale pink fruit inside.
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Dragon Fruit 火龍果/火龙果 (huǒ lóng guǒ)
The spiky dragon fruit is a type of cactus that flourishes in the high temperatures of tropical regions throughout the world. It’s believed to have originated from South America. Like most of the southeast Asian fruits, more than 80% of dragon fruit is water. This makes dragon fruit an incredibly refreshing fruit, and it is considered a very good fruit for people who want to stay in shape.
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Even though traveling is difficult now, let’s enjoy these exotic fruits some days soon when we’re able to travel freely to any places we are dreaming of.
