▷ 25 Thai Fruits to Discover in Phuket

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What exotic fruits can you find in Phuket?

Exotic Thai fruits in Phuket range from the well-known pineapple or even watermelon to the most surprising ones like the weird-looking Dragon Fruit, the huge pungent Durian or the enormous Jackfruit.

The choice of fruits in Thailand is endless and visiting a local market in Phuket is a chance to try as many as you can. Some of the best fruits displays in Phuket are at the Banzaan Market in Patong Beach or by the beach in Naithon or Nai Harn beach.

1. Mango [Ma Muang]

Mango is without a doubt one of the most popular tropical fruits in Thailand. You can eat ripe mango with sticky rice and coconut milk, which is a big travellers’ favourite. Thai people love it green as a snack with salt and chilli or as a spicy salad on top of fried fish…. which is delicious. Try it next time!

The best season for mangoes in Thailand is late March through July.

2. Ma Yong Chit

Ma Yong Chit is a surprisingly delicious seasonal fruit only available between February and April. It looks like a very tiny mango, but taste is sweeter, fruity and more delicate than mangoes. The texture is very smooth in the mouth.

3. Rambutan [ngǿ]

Rambutan is a well-known and very popular funny looking fruit. Red and hairy on the outside, it is white and very sweet on the inside.

The best season for Rambutans is usually May to September but you probably can find them all year round.

4. Mangosteens [mung kut]

Mangosteen is a round fruit with a hard-looking purple skin with 5 to 8 soft white segments inside. It is very sweet and very popular. It’s not difficult to open but if you happen to drop that purple skin on a white tee-shirt, well, you will have a purple mark forever.

The best season for mangosteens is from May to August.

5. Bananas [kluay]

6. Dragon Fruit [Kaew Mang-Korn]

Sounds scary, but the taste of the Dragon Fruits is very faint, just slightly sweet with seeds like in kiwis. The most common variety comes with white flesh but the red flesh is sweeter.

The best time to enjoy dragon fruit is April to October but you can find it all year round.

7. Phuket Pineapple [Sapparot]

Very popular all over Thailand, Phuket Pineapple is sweeter and has more flavour than other pineapples. Often served complimentary after dinner, it usually comes with a mix of chilli and salt. Don’t underestimate how good the Phuket Pineapple is and don’t miss a chance to try it!

8. Durian [Tu Rean]

Durians are called the ‘King of Fruits’ by those who obviously love it. Among the many known varieties available, some can be really smelly, but the best ones are not as pungent. You love it or you hate it, it’s that simple.

9. Papaya [Malakor]

Papaya is known for having many healthy properties… if you like its tastes. Thais eat it ripe with lime juice, but more often green in the famous Som Tam, a very spicy and very popular salad among Thais.

10. Guava [Farang]

Well known fruit, but the Thai version is harder and not as sweet as the Caribbean version of it. Thai people often dip it in a mix of sugar, salt and dry chilli, it’s nicer than you might think. ‘Farang’ in Thai also mean ‘Foreigners’.

11. Star Fruit [Ma Fuang]

Star fruits are a little harder to find on a market, probably due to the fact that it is not an easy fruit to keep for more than a day. The fruit itself doesn’t really look like a star until you slice it. Tastes sweet and very refreshing.

12. Pomelo [Som O]

Thai people look at this as a kind of orange (Som), but it’s more like a giant grapefruit. It is huge, really hard to peel and tastes just a bit sweet. Try it!