Traveling, meeting new people, trying out new cuisines and local fruits, exploring through different tourist spots, beaches...Who doesn't love traveling and experiencing something new? When you want to experience a totally unique and fun experience, nothing beats visiting the countries of Asia.
Asian countries are known for their beautiful beaches, rich culture, incredible food, welcoming locals, diverse seasons, and overall natural beauty. Speaking of incredible food, Asia has some of the best fruit-bearing trees you can see. Here are some of the fruit trees that you should know about when traveling in Asia.
Avocado trees have large leaves with dark green color. It can reach 30 to 60 feet in height and thrive no matter what soil types you plant an avocado tree in. It loves warm climates, but they don't do well in windy areas. Avocados are widespread in Indonesia and the Philippines, but it is native to Mexico. You can easily plant it in your home if it fits the type of weather it needs to thrive.
Lychee is home to China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries. It’s fruits have tough green skin when unripe. When lychee is ripe, the skin turns into red or pinkish-red color with a smooth or rough texture. The flesh is a sweet white translucent with a floral smell.
The tree can grow up to 40 feet in height; its leaves have a reddish-brown color, and it produces the world's smelliest fruit. Ignoring the smell, durian is one of the best tasting fruits in the world. Durian has been entitled the King of Fruits because of its weight and spiky exterior. Durian is native to Indonesia, Borneo, and Malaysia. Although, you can also find the fruit in the Philippines, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and China.
Durian fruits can be seen sold on the streets in these Asian countries. Durian candies are often gifted to people after one visits the Philippines. There are many variations to durian candies, and some of these countries sell durian flesh with sticky rice and brown sugar or cacao on top; some even fry the fruit.
Longan fruits have yellow skin and some brown marks, but the inside of these, when peeled, are translucent and orb-shaped. You can find these fruit-bearing trees in South India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Unripe fruit can be sour when you eat it. Longan fruit when ripe is sweet and comparable to grapefruit.
A banana tree is known as the largest flowering plant that's herbaceous. Bananas have an array of firmness, size, and color. These trees are usually curved and elongated with soft flesh inside that's covered by a rind. This rind can be red, brown, purple, green, or most especially, yellow. The fruit grows in clusters that hang on the top of the plant.
Persimmon originated in China; it's an essential fruit in Korea, Japan, and China. The fruit kind of looks like a yellow or pale red tomato. When ripe, it tastes like sweet mango, with hints of a peppery and cinnamon taste. It contains Vitamin A, supports healthy vision and heart health, and has a lot of essential nutrients.
It's cultivated in Vietnam, Malaysia, and in most Southeast Asian countries. Dragon fruits are known for their unique appearance. It has prominent scales and different skin variations from bright red, yellow to purple. It's oval, pear, or elliptical. The flesh is red or white with edible black seeds all over. The fruit has a subtle sweet and sour taste when eaten ripe.
These trees are grown in most tropical countries with warm and sunny temperatures. Some large varieties of papaya trees can grow up to 33 feet in height, but most of the types are shorter than this. This fruit has a pink-orange exterior that's not supposed to be eaten. Papayas are known for their deep yellow to orange salmon-colored flesh. The inside of the fruit has countless round black seeds attached to the walls.
Mangosteen is the national fruit of Thailand. Known for its sweet, sour taste, these fruits are typically harvested from average-sized trees. The fruit has a leathery purple shell that surrounds the sweet, snow-white flesh. Aside from tasting good, the fruit itself is used in numerous food supplements because of its benefits.
One of the reasons why travelers do what they do is to eat delicious food from all around the world. Aside from the extravagant beaches and marvellous sites all over, Asia is home to some of the best-tasting fruits prepared in exotic ways. For example, if you find yourself in the Philippines, you’ll get to taste semi-ripe papaya sticks served with salt, chili, and strong vinegar.
Speaking of exotic, let’s not also forget that Asia’s diverse land enables it to produce curiously unique fruits such as persimmons and dragon fruits. The next time you’re traveling anywhere in Asia, be sure to ask the locals for the best fruits in season!
