Enjoying the 3-region fruits in Vietnam is one of the most memorable experiences that foreign visitors should not miss when having journeys here.
Vietnam is a tropical-climate country, which is a paradise of unique and delectable fruits. When trying fruits in Vietnam, travelers will surely be impressed by their varied colors and flavors. Additionally, some dried fruits are also perfect Vietnamese dishes that you can bring back to your country after the holiday.
In this blog, Vietnamtour.in will suggest the top 13 best fruits in Vietnam, as well as useful tips for buying fruits from locals. If so, let’s dive right into a fruit-exploring journey with us below!
Durian – Sau Rieng
Durian is one of the most famous fruits in Vietnam for its exceptional flavor and special aroma. The inside meat is covered by hard spikes, which can make your hands wounded if careless. When eating Sau Rieng, you might be impressed by its custard-like texture, as a perfect combination of sweetness and saltiness.
Due to having a strong fragrance, visitors can’t take fresh durians to the planes. Instead, let’s try durian-made products, like Banh Pia or dried Sau Rieng in case you want to get this kind of fruit as a present for your relatives.
- Price range: 2.35 to 11.40 USD/kilogram
- Season: March to May
- How to eat: Wear gloves and use a knife carefully to separate the durian’s meat from its crust.
Milk fruit (Star apple) – Vu Sua
Travelers can catch sight of plenty of Milk Fruit (Vu Sua) when journeying to the Mekong Delta region. Its size is similar to an orange, with shiny skin in the color green or purple. The special flavor comes from the fragrant and juicy meat inside, which can intrigue your taste a lot.
- Price range: 2.5 – 3 USD/kilogram
- Season: February to March
- How to eat: Use a sharp knife to cut a milk fruit into 2 or 4 pieces, then use a spoon to spoon out the white pulp inside.
Dragon fruit – Thanh Long
Dragon fruit, is one of the unique fresh specialties of Vietnam, mainly grown in the Mekong Delta or Binh Thuan Province. It is known as a nutrition-rich fruit, containing various minerals, like vitamin C, magnesium, or fiber. For the first time, visitors will surely be impressed by its red or white flesh, together with its naturally sweet flavor.
- Price range: 1 – 1.5 USD/kilogram
- Season: October to November
- How to eat: Slice a dragon fruit into smaller pieces, then peel its thin skin off and try the flesh inside.
Lady Finger Banana – Chuoi Tay
Not only gaining popularity in India, Bananas are also a special food in Vietnam. When traveling to any region in Vietnam, you can find and buy a distinctive kind of banana, called “Chuoi Tay”, or “Lady Finger banana”. With thick skin and sweet-flavoured flesh inside, Chuoi Tay offers you a wonderful sugary dessert.
- Price range: 0.7 – 1.5 USD/kilogram
- Season: Around the year
- How to eat: Peel the banana skin and enjoy its fresh meat.
Rambutan – Chom Chom
Rambutan, also called “messy hair fruit”, is outstanding with red and hairy cust covering the white flesh inside. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss a chance to try Chom Chom. Its sweet flavor is really special, not strong sweetness like grapes, but a bit sour.
- Price range: 0.7 – 1.2 USD/kilogram
- Season: May to August
- How to eat: Use a knife or your hands to break the skin in half, then eat the flesh inside and throw away its seed.
Custard Apple – Mang Cau
Custard Apple is one of the well-known fruits in Vietnam, impressing eaters with its delicate taste and soft flesh. When Mang Cau gets riper, its shells expand, and reveal a part of the white meat inside. In Vietnam, people usually use this kind of fruit as a Vietnam special product decorated in the five-fruit tray during the Tet holiday.
- Price range: 1.5 – 2 USD/kilogram
- Season: May to August
- How to eat: Peel off the skin and eat the flesh directly or with a spoon.
Mangosteen – Mang Cut
Mangosteen is a tasty fresh specialty of Vietnam. With its slightly souring taste and tangy flesh, Mang Cut will surely bring you a unique experience with Vietnamese fruits. If you want to try it, let’s drop by local markets or supermarkets to get some kilograms.
- Price range: 2.5 – 3.5 USD/kilogram
- Season: May to August
- How to eat: Break the skin from the chop of Mang Cut and slightly separate its meat into smaller pieces.
Mango – Xoai
Not only in India, Mango is called “King of fruit” in Vietnam due to its special flavors. Vietnam foodies can eat ripened mangoes or use green mangoes as a special snack. Let’s prepare a little chili salt or sweet fish sauce to eat together. Besides that, Xoai can be used in other sweet dishes such as Mango sticky rice, Mango sweet soup, or Mango pancake.
- Price range: 0.7 – 2.5 USD/kilogram
- Season: March to May
- How to eat: Use a sharp knife, then slice meat sections around the pit (remove its skin or not) and try directly/mix with other materials to launch a new dish.
Jackfruit – Mit
Jackfruit is the most common fruit in Vietnam, attracting people with its fleshy yellowish-colored bulbs and strong aroma. Normally, a jackfruit weighs from 10 to 20 kilograms, thus, it seems to be cut into small portions for easy enjoyment.
Another special jackfruit-made product that you should not miss is “Mit Say”. You can buy this food anywhere in Vietnam, from local markets to malls, at affordable prices.
- Price range: 1.5 – 4 USD/kilogram
- Season: July to August
- How to eat: Bring gloves and use a sharp knife to separate its rough skin, then remove the flesh inside after that (recommend buying Mit portions available).
Longan – Nhan
Longan is called a local name “Nhan Long”, which brings a sweeter taste and more flesh than “Chom Chom”. Visitors can find the best longan in the Northern regions of Vietnam, particularly in Hung Yen. This province is home to a variety of “Nhan Long”, where visitors can try discovering longan-growing activities in the gardens with locals.
- Price range: 1 – 2 USD/kilogram
- Season: July, September or October
- How to eat: Peel off the brown skin, then enjoy the flesh, and throw away a hard black seed inside.
Star Fruit – Khe
When ripening, Star Fruit has a golden color, with an impressive taste of sourness and sweetness. Visitors normally see Khe decorated with most of the local dishes in Vietnam, with beautiful star-shaped slices. In Vietnam, Star fruit is ripened at least twice a year, however, in some regions, you can enjoy this kind of fruit around the year.
- Price range: 1 – 1.5 USD/kilogram
- Season: October to November/ February to March
- How to eat: Use a knife to slice the Star fruit vertically or horizontally.
Rose Apple – Qua Roi in the Northside and Qua Man in the Southside
You can find Rose Apple anywhere in Vietnam, with its shape of a bell, and outstanding red color. In the Northside, locals can call it “Qua Roi”, however, Southern people name it “Qua Man”. Rose Apple is outstanding for the fresh flavor of fruits in Vietnam, bringing a juicy and crispy experience. Remember to eat it with a little chili salt to gain the best taste.
- Price range: 1 – 2 USD/kilogram
- Season: Around the year
- How to eat: Use a knife to slice Rose Apple into small pieces to enjoy.
Passion Fruit – Chanh Leo
Passion Fruit is a unique fruit of Vietnam, offering eaters a sour taste and a bit of sweetness. In Vietnam, travelers can buy Chanh Leo at a very cheap price, however, you find its price much more expensive when being exported to foreign markets. You can eat Passion fruit for a fresh flavor, or use it for other dishes such as ice cream, cocktails, cakes, and so forth.
- Price range: 0.5 – 1 USD/kilogram
- Season: May to December
- How to eat: Slice passion fruit into half according to a horizontal line, and use a spoon to spoon out the flesh inside.
Tips for trying fruits in Vietnam
- To have a wonderful experience with fruits in Vietnam, don’t miss our useful tips below:
- Buy fruits in some famous markets in Vietnam such as Dong Xuan Market (Hanoi); Ben Thanh Market or Thu Duc Market (Ho Chi Minh City).
- Bring cash and bargain when buying fruits
- Be cautious of bruised, rotten, or damaged fruits
- Buy dried forms of products for durians or jackfruits to get on the plane
- Follow instructions from local guides (contact Vietnamtour.in)
Final thoughts
Our blog has just reviewed the must-try fruits in Vietnam, ranging from the North to the South. If you want to buy souvenirs in Vietnam for relatives, let’s take some dried fruits for longer storage. Or else, visitors can also refer to other must-try food in Hanoi to have a broad experience with Vietnamese cuisine. We hope these could be helpful for your upcoming trip in Vietnam and look forward to welcoming you!
