5 Fruit you simply gotta try in Taiwan

One thing locals and expats particularly enjoy about living in Taiwan is the wide variety of fresh Taiwanese fruit that is available throughout the island. With its subtropical climate, Taiwan is home to bananas, apples, citrus, grapes, guavas, watermelons, and every other single fruit you know and love. Here, ‘fruit is king.’ Whether you are living it up in the city or taking it easy in the beautiful mountain hills…a vendor selling fresh and delicious fruit is never too far. Of course, imported fruit, which comes with a nice little price tag, is readily available at most vendors too.

So, what really sets Taiwan’s fruit scene apart from your home country? Well, a very unique selection of weird and wonderful Taiwanese fruit. With names like ‘fire dragon fruit’ and ‘Buddha’s head’, there’s simply no reason not to be intrigued. Fruit lover or not!

Check out this great little guide of 5 Taiwanese fruit you simply gotta try on your trip, below.

In a rush? Pin our top Taiwanese fruit picks for later…

The Best Taiwanese Fruit To Try

#1 Dragon Fruit

Fire dragon fruit (火龍果), literally translated from Chinese, might look like spiky magenta fireballs, but they are ‘damn delicious‘. The pink skin easily peels off, so whether you enjoy ’em sliced or simply just want to dig in with a spoon, every bite promises to be pure summer goodness.

In Taiwan, both the white and pink varieties are available throughout summer and autumn. Even though we still haven’t quite figured out how to spot the difference, both are absolutely delish!

#2 Star Fruit

Star fruit (楊桃) is packed with juicy goodness. They might lack a bit in the fiber department, but they have a nice crunchy bite. Note though, they are sometimes actually more salty than sweet. So, if the idea of salty fruit is too adventurous for your taste buds, best give this one a skip.

Enjoy with your usual breakfast bowl or just as is.

#3 Wax Apples

Wax apples (蓮霧), often referred to as bell apples, are sugary, succulent and downright mouth-watering. Be sure to buy the redder apples, as they tend to be sweeter and juicier.

#4 Sugar Apples

Sugar Apples (釋迦), or ‘Buddha’s head’ might look awfully strange and a tad scary at first glance, but they have an incredibly smooth, creamy and custardy taste that is simply to die for. Totally give ‘em a try!

#5 Persimmon

Although persimmons (柿子) have quite a weird texture when too ripe, they are delicious and packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When the skin is firm, you’ll find a perfect sweet fruit, very similar to a peach. Eat them as is, add them to your favorite salad or nibble on the dried version.

Instagram Hotspot!

Head on over to Wei Wei Jia Persimmon Farm (新埔的味衛佳柿餅觀光農) in Hsinpu on the outskirts of Hsinchu County to see how the locals dry persimmon in the sun. Enjoy amazing persimmon ice cream, gorgeous views and get totally Instagrammable shots!

Get your Taiwanese fruit fix by season

Just in case you are wondering which of these you can enjoy on your trip, we’ve made this neat little chart just for you.

Happy feasting, everyone!

So…

Have we missed any of your favorite Taiwanese fruity picks? We’d love to hear about your foodie adventures in the comments below.

Grab your Taiwan Lonely Planet here…

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Planning a trip to Taiwan? Check out these handy guides:

+ Everything you need to know about visiting Taipei

+ 10 Brilliant things to do in Taipei alone

+ 6 Affordable day trips from Taipei

+ The best things to do in Alishan

+ The best things to do in Sun Moon Lake

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This post was updated on July 12, 2019.

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* The cover photo credit of this post, also goes to the very talented Brooke Lark on Unsplash.