Just like the people, beaches and tourist spots are charming and exotic, so is the traditional Thai fruits list. Whenever you turn your eyes to, you will always find some of the most exotic tropical fruits you could ever think of. You could comfortably say that anything can grow in Thailand. This is all because of the fertile plains and hot tropical climate coupled with the more temperate regions of the north. Compared to Thailand, very few places in the world can boast of such fertility that guaranteed a great supply of tasty, beautiful tropical and exotic fruits.
List of exotic fruits in Thai
From the well-known pineapples and watermelons, to those very fruits that some of us may have never have tasted or seem like the weird-looking Dragon Fruit, the enormous Jackfruit as well as the huge pungent Durian.
When in Thailand, make it a point to explore and sample out as many of these Thai fruits list as possible. Initially, you might find these fruits to be strange looking especially the smelly durian. Don’t let the smell or the looks of these fruits fool you. The moment you have a taste of these fruits, believe me you will be going to the nearest market looking to get more of the taste of these delicious fruits.
First off, these fruits are so cheap. Besides their delicious taste, they are also very healthy and nutritious. Seeing as Thailand can usually get so hot, these fruits can also be a more nutritious way of hydrating one’s body. Plus, they can also be very great snacks as you explore and get to know more about Thailand. So, don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith, be adventurous and have a taste of the finest fruits in Thai. Whether it’s with some sugar, chili or salt, you can enjoy these fruits with whatever potion that tantalize your taste buds.
The variety of fruits is just unimaginable. They are all over local markets. Go wild and try as many as you want. At the Banzaan Market in Patong Beach or by the beach in Naithon or Nai Harn beach you will find some of the best fruit displays in Phuket.
Well, here is a list of the most traditional fruits that you can find in this tropical country…
Mango (Ma-Muang)
Taken with salt and chili when its unripe, dip the crunchy slices in sugar or as delicious spicy salad that the Thai locals like to put on top of fried fish, the mango is undoubtedly one of the most traditional fruits in Thai. The ripe ones can be eaten like that, blended into juice and even taken with sticky rice and coconut milk… a dish that tourists really enjoy.
Durian (Tu-Rian)
Much as it is one of the controversial fruits the whole world over, the Durian is also referred to as ‘King of Fruits’ by those who love to devour it. They love its rich and unique taste. It’s an acquired taste because if I am to be honest, some people don’t appreciate its fetid smell. The aroma, if you’d like to call it that, is pretty strong. Some would even say that it smells like a fruit that is rotting. Plus, its look is quite aggressive.
I will have you know that on this Thai fruit list, it is apparently THE most expensive. One other fact is that it is banned from public places, hotels and on airplanes. (You read right. BANNED.)
Pineapple (Sapparod)
Phuket is one of the biggest producers of this juicy fruit and it grows all year round. It is traditionally a very popular tropical fruit all over Thailand and grows well in sandy seacoast soil as a low-lying plant. The beauty of this sweet fruit is that it is so versatile that it can be made into juice, pieces of the flesh of the fruit and juice used to make cocktails as well as used on savory dishes. Phuket pineapples are not like any other. They are more flavorful than any other you have ever tasted. You don’t want want the chance to have a taste pass you by.
Dragon Fruit (Kaew Mang-Korn)
Does the name of this fruit sound scary? Maybe it got its name because it looks like a cactus plant. Well, this fruit shouldn’t scare you one bit. This is one of the fruits in Thai that is a polite fruit of you may. Just some mild sweetness and has seeds like the kiwi fruit. All you need to enjoy this mild sweetness is just a spoon to help you scoop that flesh and beautiful seeds.
Pomelo (Som-O)
If you have experienced the grapefruit, then you will notice that both the pomelo and the grapefruit have a similar taste… size too. The difference is in the flesh though. The pomelo is more succulent and meatier and has a delicious sour-sweet flavor. If you fall in love with the taste, don’t sweat it as you will get it in Thailand whenever you travel there because its available all year round and in different varieties from light yellow to red!
Coconut (Ma-Praow)
How can we talk about Thailand’s tropical fruits without mentioning the coconut fruit? One thing about the coconut fruit is that this fruit is very versatile. If you never knew, it’s the juice is even more hydrating than the hydration you can get from water. Its flesh can be used on deserts plus the shell can makes such great souvenirs.
Jack Fruit (Kanoon)
Unlike most of the fruits on this Thai fruits list the jack fruit is a seasonal fruit that is available between January and May. This fruit kind of as big as the size of a large melon. It has a very distinguishing aroma and juicy taste. The fruit is divided into various pieces. All these smaller pieces in the fruit have seeds surrounded by waxy flesh. You can eat it raw or fry it in butter like some of the locals too.
Other fruits you will find in Thailand are mangosteen, rambutan, papaya, guava, rose-apple, custard apple, langsat, longan, lychee, sapodilla, banana, snake fruit, watermelon, starfruit, pomegranate and many more. When there, try them all!