13 Fantastic Fruits of Vietnam: A Guide to Vietnam’s Tropical Treasures
Vietnam is home to a vast array of tropical and exotic fruits that delight locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re exploring bustling street markets or rural villages, you’ll find fruits in Vietnam that are unique in flavor, texture, and appearance. From sweet lychees to creamy star apples, each fruit offers a taste of Vietnam’s rich agricultural heritage. Here are 13 fantastic Vietnamese fruits you must try during your visit.
1. Durian: The King of Fruits
Durian is a fruit that divides opinion. Known for its strong, pungent aroma, it has a creamy texture and sweet, custard-like flavor. This fruit looks like durian with its spiky exterior and soft flesh inside, but many people are either fascinated by it or repelled. Despite its smell, durian is a beloved fruit in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
2. Longan: Sweet and Juicy
In Vietnam, longan (called “nhãn” in Vietnamese) is a small, round fruit with a translucent, juicy interior. It is often compared to lychee due to its similar texture and flavor. The fruit’s thin, brown peel covers a soft, sweet flesh and a black seed inside. It’s a popular snack, eaten fresh or dried.
3. Mangosteen: The Queen of Fruits
Mangosteen is another tropical delicacy often referred to as the “queen of fruits.” Its thick, purple rind encloses a fragrant, white, segmented flesh that’s both tangy and sweet. Mangosteen is highly prized for its unique taste and nutritional value. It’s one of the most exotic fruits in Vietnam and is often sold in markets during the summer.
4. Star Apple: A Creamy Delight
Known as “vú sữa” in Vietnamese, the star apple has a sweet and creamy texture, making it one of Vietnam’s most beloved fruits. Its round, smooth exterior comes in shades of green and purple. Inside, the fruit’s soft flesh is eaten by scooping it out with a spoon. It’s a perfect example of the unique fruits of Vietnam.
5. Dragon Fruit: Vibrant and Refreshing
With its bright pink or yellow skin and speckled white or red flesh, dragon fruit is one of the most visually stunning fruits from Vietnam. It’s mildly sweet with a crunchy texture due to the small seeds scattered throughout. Dragon fruit is often enjoyed fresh, in smoothies, or as a decorative addition to fruit platters.
6. Rambutan: Hairy but Sweet
Rambutan is a cousin of the lychee, and its name comes from the Malay word for “hair.” The outer skin is covered in soft, hair-like spikes, and inside is a translucent, juicy fruit. Rambutan is highly valued in Vietnam for its sweet taste, and it’s often enjoyed fresh or used in desserts.
7. Jackfruit: The Giant Fruit
Jackfruit is the largest fruit that grows on a tree, and it’s a staple in many Vietnamese dishes. Its flesh is sweet and fibrous, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. In fact, jackfruit has become popular worldwide as a meat substitute in vegan dishes because of its versatile texture.
8. Sapodilla: Nature’s Candy
Sapodilla, or “hồng xiêm,” is a brown, round fruit with a grainy texture. Its soft, sweet flesh tastes like brown sugar and is often described as nature’s candy. It’s a tropical fruit native to Vietnam and is perfect for those who enjoy rich, sweet flavors.
9. Lychee: A Vietnamese Classic
Lychee is one of the most popular fruits in Vietnam. Its reddish, rough skin is peeled away to reveal a sweet, juicy flesh similar to longan. Lychees are enjoyed fresh, added to desserts, or canned in syrup for a refreshing treat.
10. Custard Apple: Creamy and Fragrant
The custard apple, or “na,” is a green, bumpy fruit that breaks open to reveal a creamy, fragrant flesh. Its texture is soft and sweet, making it a favorite among those who enjoy rich, dessert-like fruits. It’s also commonly used in smoothies and sweet treats across Vietnam.
11. Mango: A Tropical Staple
Mango is widely enjoyed throughout Vietnam and comes in many varieties, from sweet to slightly tart. Eaten fresh, dried, or blended into juices, mangoes are a must-try for anyone visiting Vietnam, as they are versatile and always delicious.
12. Green Grapefruit: A Refreshing Citrus
In Vietnam, green grapefruit, or “bưởi,” is commonly eaten as a refreshing snack. The thick skin is peeled to reveal juicy, segmented flesh that’s less sweet than regular grapefruit but wonderfully refreshing. It is often served with a dip of salt and chili powder.
13. Soursop: A Tropical Delight
Soursop is a spiky green fruit that is becoming more popular in Vietnam. Its white flesh is soft and juicy, with a sweet and tangy flavor. Known for its health benefits, soursop is often enjoyed fresh or as an ingredient in smoothies and desserts.
Vietnam: A Fruit Lover’s Paradise
Vietnam’s tropical climate allows for a wide variety of fruits to thrive. From familiar options like mangoes and lychees to more exotic finds like star apples and custard apples, fruits grown in Vietnam are diverse and delicious. Exploring the fruits of Vietnam is not only a culinary adventure but also a way to learn more about the country’s agricultural richness.
Whether you’re wandering through a local market or visiting rural fruit farms, you’ll find that Vietnamese fruit trees are abundant and produce some of the freshest, most flavorful fruits in the world. Be sure to try as many as you can during your travels!