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Asia, Foodies, Taiwan · August 7, 2017

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 available throughout the island. Taiwan is home to bananas, apples, citrus, grapes, guavas, watermelons, and every other single fruit you know and love, thanks to its subtropical climate. 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 from most vendors.

So, what really sets Taiwan’s fruit scene apart from your home country? Well, a 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!

Here is a list of the top Taiwanese fruit you simply have to try during your trip.

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

Food // Taiwan // Check out the best Taiwanese fruit to try on your visit to Taiwan here! Plus awesome seasonal tips. #taiwan #asia#taiwanfood #fruit #localfoodguide #foodies

Disclaimer: This post probably contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through one of these links, I might receive a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

  • The Best Taiwanese Fruit To Try
    • #1 Dragon Fruit
    • #2 Star Fruit
    • #3 Wax Apples
    • #4 Sugar Apples
    • #5 Persimmon
      • Instagram Hotspot!
  • Get your Taiwanese fruit fix by season
  • Planning a trip to Taiwan? Check out these handy guides:

The Best Taiwanese Fruit To Try

#1 Dragon Fruit

Dragon Fruit - a popular fruit in Taiwan

Fire dragon fruit (火龍果), literally translated from Chinese, might look like spiky magenta fireballs, but they are lip-smacking delicious. The pink skin easily peels off, so whether you enjoy them sliced or simply 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. Both are absolutely delicious!

#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.

colorful fruit in Taiwan
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

#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 strange and a tad scary at first glance, but they have an incredibly smooth, creamy and custardy taste that is simply to die for. Give them 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!

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

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 nifty little chart just for you.

Happy feasting!

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…

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

  • 2 Weeks Taiwan Itinerary
  • 5 Days Taipei Itinerary
  • Best Side Trips from Taipei
  • Taroko Travel Guide
  • Alishan Travel Guide
  • Sun Moon Lake Travel Guide

Loved this post? Pin it!

Food // Taiwan // Check out the best Taiwanese fruit to try on your visit to Taiwan here! Plus awesome seasonal tips. #taiwan #asia#taiwanfood #fruit #localfoodguide #foodies

* pin 2 photo credit: Brooke Lark on Unsplash. 

In: Asia, Foodies, Taiwan · Tagged: food

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Comments

  1. My Travelogue by Bhushavali says

    August 7, 2017 at

    Interesting list! I haven’t been to Taiwan. But probably because of the same climatic conditions, all these fruits are cultivated in India too. I’ve tasted them all except Persimmon. Should try to lay on hands on Persimmon as well. Dragon Fruit is my fav of this list!

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 8, 2017 at

      Thanks! 😊 I’ve seen them all over Asia too…well not persimmon, but definitely the others. Lucky us, right!

      Reply
  2. Marvi of Osmiva says

    August 7, 2017 at

    I haven’t tried the dragon fruit before. Just the ice cream flavored. LOL. And it was delicious! 🙂

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 8, 2017 at

      Wow! Dragon fruit flavored ice cream!?! Take me to that shop right now! It sounds amazing! 😍

      Reply
  3. Suman doogar says

    August 7, 2017 at

    I love the star fruit but dragon fruit is as tasteless as water. It’s a bad analogy but I didn’t get any kind of taste.. It was bland….
    Love the pictures in your post and its a great perspective to write about fruits.

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 8, 2017 at

      Oh no, Suman, really? That’s a pity, because in Taiwan they are sweet and oh so delicious’! Hope you get a chance to try them one day!

      Reply
  4. Amrita Sen says

    August 8, 2017 at

    I love fruits. I will definitely try these when I visit Taiwan. I am sure they will be wonderful.

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 8, 2017 at

      Awesome! You will love them all if you are a fruit fan!

      Reply
  5. Gokul Raj says

    August 8, 2017 at

    I need the dragon fruit. Never tried that one. Also love the presentation in the photographs.

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 8, 2017 at

      Thanks, Gokul! Totally try them out, they are delish!

      Reply
  6. Madhurima Maiti says

    August 13, 2017 at

    Omg! They look delicious! I haven’t tasted Persimmon and wax apples yet. The pictures are adorable. I am already drooling 🙂

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 29, 2017 at

      Haha! Thanks Madhurima. The wax apples are awesome. 🙂 You should totally give them a try!

      Reply
  7. Lena from fouronaworldtrip says

    August 13, 2017 at

    wow.. i never heard of half of the fruits you’re listing!!! Would love to try persimmon, sounds super interesting!

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 29, 2017 at

      Thanks Lena! They are yummy!

      Reply
  8. Ariane says

    August 13, 2017 at

    Hey there! My absolute favourite fruit I discovered on one of my journey (in Vietnam) is dragon fruit. Really loved it and your description of it being a pure summer goodness is just perfect! It’s simply yummy!!!!! 😉

    Reply
    • hoponworld says

      August 29, 2017 at

      Thanks Ariane. Dragon fruit is the best! I can’t get enough of it! 🙂

      Reply

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Mariza is a South African who ditched her job in Advertising to teach English in Taiwan. Ten years later, she now calls Taiwan home but still visits South Africa whenever she can. She shares in-depth destination guides and all her insider tips on traveling in Taiwan & Asia here.

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To all my Taiwanese friends, 新年快樂! 虎年行大運!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I’d post a picture of a tiger, but I don’t have one, so these blooms will have to do! 😂🤣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#chinesenewyear #cherryblossoms #lifeintaiwan #expatlife #taiwan
We drove 3 hours to get to this secret cherry blos We drove 3 hours to get to this secret cherry blossom spot hidden in the hills of Yushan National Park, and boy, oh boy, were we glad we did! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wanggao Teahouse sits roughly 1500m above sea level and offers incredible views over green mountains that seem to go on forever. But the shining star here is the GORGEOUS cherry blossom forest planted against the mountain slope. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There’s a zig-zag trail lined with hundreds of cherry blossoms trees that leads you down the mountain. And although it's well-paved, it’s really steep. So get ready to break a sweat! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If you’re into off-the-beaten-path travel, this place is a MUST! 🥰⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀📍望高茶園景觀餐廳⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀南投縣信義鄉同富村太平巷72之6號⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#南投景點  #taiwantravel #taiwangram #instagrammer #artofvisuals #cherryblossoms #pinkpinkpink #colormakesmehappy #iseetaiwan #vscotaiwan #bpintaiwan #amazingtaiwan #igerstaiwan #exploretaiwan #popdaily  #ig_photooftheday #ig_color #nantoutravel
Endless mountain views 😍😍😍⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Endless mountain views 😍😍😍⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀📍 望高茶園景觀餐廳⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀南投縣信義鄉同富村太平巷72之6號⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#望高茶園景觀餐廳 #cherryblossoms #taiwantravel #nantoutravel #jademountain #yushan #taiwan_wheretogo #taiwangram #iseetaiwan #beautifuldestinations
These blooms make my heart flutter. 🥰🌸⠀⠀ These blooms make my heart flutter. 🥰🌸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wuji Tianyuan Temple is the BEST cherry blossom  viewing spot in Taipei (IMO).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If you want to see the blooms for yourself, they usually bloom for a few fleeting weeks in early February and then again in March (when a different cherry tree blooms). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀📍 Wuji Tianyuan Temple, New Taipei City⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀251新北市淡水區北新路三段36號⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀🚌 To get there, take the Red MRT Line to Danshui and hop on bus 875 or 876 towards Beixinzhuang. Get off at the Tianyuan Temple stop. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes and costs NT$15.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Opening hours: 9 am - 5 pm daily⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀💫 For more tips, head over to my blog, where you can read all about visiting this gorgeous Taoist temple during cherry blossom season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#cherryblossoms #cherryblossom #amazingtaiwan #taipeitravels #flowerstagram #flowerslovers #flowergram #sakura #travelyam #ig_photooftheday #tripgo #taiwan_dream #wantogo #wanderlust #wujitianyuantemple

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