Visiting Taiwan means amazing food everywhere - and that includes the fruit! Because Taiwan sits in the subtropical zone, the island has the perfect climate for growing all kinds of tropical fruit. Hot, humid summers and short, mild winters create the ideal environment for sweet, juicy produce that tastes fresher than anything I've found in the States.
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During my trip, I stopped by a Taiwanese street vendor and found some of the most colorful and delicious fruit. Here's a look at what I saw (and tasted!).
Yellow Watermelon (黃西瓜 Huáng xīguā)
Yellow watermelon is common in Taiwan and shows up in grocery stores and fruit stands all summer long. The inside is a beautiful golden color, and the flavor is slightly sweeter and more honey-like than red watermelon. Vendors often chill slices on ice, which makes them extra refreshing in Taiwan's heat. Nutritionally, they're very similar to red watermelon - just a fun, summery twist if you've never tried it!
Taiwanese Guava (芭樂 Bālè)
You can buy guavas in the U.S., but I swear they're nothing like the ones in Taiwan. Taiwanese guavas are big, crisp, juicy, and naturally sweet. Many street vendors serve guava chilled and pre-sliced, often with a little packet of plum powder for dipping - a classic Taiwanese pairing. If you visit Taiwan, definitely grab one from a fruit stand!
Starfruit / Carambola (楊桃 Yángtáo)
Starfruit is one of the most beautiful fruits - slice it crosswise and it forms perfect little stars:
The flavor is refreshing, lightly citrusy, and a mix of apple + plum. When fully ripe, starfruit is sweet; when less ripe, it leans tart. In Taiwan, it's commonly sold at fruit stands already washed and ready to bite into, making it a super convenient on-the-go snack.
Papaya (木瓜 Mùguā)
Papaya is one of those fruits that tastes completely different in Taiwan compared to the U.S. Taiwanese papayas are larger, sweeter, and far more fragrant - you can smell the tropical aroma the moment you slice one open. The texture is smooth and creamy, and the flavor is naturally sweet without being overly rich.
Papaya is everywhere in Taiwan: fruit shops, night markets, breakfast stands, and even convenience stores. Vendors will often help you choose one that's perfectly ripe for eating that same day or suggest one that needs just a little more time on the counter. It's a fruit locals grow up with, and once you try it in Taiwan, you'll understand why it's so popular.
One of the most iconic ways to enjoy it is Papaya Milk (木瓜牛奶 mùguā niúnǎi) - a simple blend of ripe papaya and fresh milk, made to order at many juice stands. It's creamy, refreshing, and tastes like a lightly sweet dessert. If you're visiting Taiwan, papaya and papaya milk are must-tries!
Wax Apple (蓮霧 Liánwù)
Wax apples - called liánwù (蓮霧) in Taiwan - are one of those fruits you have to try when visiting. They go by so many names: champoo, java apple, love apple, mountain apple, rose apple… the list is honestly kind of endless. But despite all those names (and the word "apple"), they taste nothing like apples at all.
The outside has a beautiful glossy sheen - which is where the "wax" part comes from - and the shape is almost like a bell or a tiny vase. When you bite into one, the texture is crisp yet tender, almost like a cross between a pear and a super juicy bell pepper (but sweeter and way more refreshing). They're lightly sweet, very hydrating, and incredibly cooling on a hot Taiwan day.
Durian (榴槤 Liúlián)
Durian is famous (or infamous!) for its strong smell, but don't let that scare you. Once you get past the aroma, the flavor is rich, creamy, and custard-like. Durian can grow quite large - up to 12 inches long - and if you're feeling adventurous, Taiwanese durian is as fresh as it gets.
Here it is being split up and making some people cringe and some people get hungry with its smell:
Coconut (椰子 Yēzi)
Fresh coconuts are easy to find all over Taiwan, especially at roadside stands. Vendors often keep them on ice, then crack one open right in front of you and pop in a straw so you can sip the sweet coconut water straight from the shell. It's unbelievably refreshing in Taiwan's hot, humid weather, and some vendors will even chop it open afterward so you can scoop out the soft coconut meat.
Sugar-Apple / Custard Apple (釋迦 Shìjiā)
Sugar apples - called shìjiā (釋迦) in Taiwan - are one of the most beloved fruits on the island. Despite the name, they taste nothing like apples. The outside looks like it's covered in little green bumps, but once you crack it open, the inside is incredibly soft, creamy, and custard-like.
The flavor is sweet, fragrant, and almost dessert-like, especially when they're perfectly ripe. A lot of people describe it as a mix between vanilla pudding and a tropical pear - but honestly, it just tastes like sugar apple and nothing else.
They're not easy to find in the U.S., but in Taiwan, they're everywhere when they're in season. Vendors will often help you choose a fruit that's ready to eat that day (versus one you need to let ripen for a bit). Some stands even peel or split the fruit open for you so you can enjoy it right away.
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Looking for more posts about my travel in Taiwan? There's plenty here!
triptracker says
As a fruit lover it is interesting to see the varieties from around the world. My mouth has turned into a waterfall just thinking about them
beyondanomie says
I can't remember which country it was, but somewhere in Asia I've visited had signs banning the carrying of Durian on public transport because of the smell. I don't think it's all that bad, but then again, I quite like the smell of natto as well, so maybe I just have a strange sense of smell....
Tina says
Haha, I think it is Singapore? But I am not sure...
JJ Lim says
Yes, you are right, that is totally Singapore. We banned Durian as much as flammable items on our public transport. 🙂
JJ Lim says
Oh yes, those wax apples are delicious. We often call them Jambu in Singapore, often io Hokkien Dialect. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself in Taiwan.
christine says
These pictures and your descriptions make me want to go back to Taiwan! I always end up eating everything else and not much fruit! Don't forget about dragonfruit! YUM!!
Tina says
That's true! I must've missed the dragonfruit or else I definitely would have included it!
Carrie says
Awwww~~ your photos brought back a lot of my memories, especially the night market!! >0< But it was definitely nice to see them on a Western blog (somehow I felt rather previliged!! LOL) My favourite of all of the above has to be the yellow watermelons, I love them more than the red ones as I dislike some of the powdery mouthfeel if there isn't enough juice =P
You just need to be careful with the wax apples though, they are yummy too, yes; but they are exposed to large amount of pesticides, so you gotta make sure you thoroughly wash them before eating 😉
Tina says
That's interesting! I did not know about the pesticides. Oh well, I only get to have them when I am in Taiwan which is not as often as I would like to be!
bringmemycoffee says
Street food always tastes better somehow, as does anything from Taiwan, and those sugar apples really caught my eye. Great post!
zoetic * epics says
It's so true! Funny how it's juicier and fresher and yummier there!
scintillatebrightly says
I see all of these on a regular basis and realized I haven't really gone out of my way to try half of them.
I will definitely have to fix that in the upcoming weeks.
SavingDosh says
So wonderful to see so many different and interesting fruits.
Thank you for sharing.
Zak.
Selvinas says
Yum starfruit! I miss it. Did you know it's very good for your throat?
I'd like to try wax apples and sugar apples some day! Now that I've found out about it I will keep an eye out for it when I will travel this summer.
btw: Durian is also a very nice fruit once you get past the smell! Love it in dessert!
Valerie {all mussed up} says
This post made me very, very homesick...nicely done. (: Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
meganchapple says
Those sugar apples look interesting
Valerie {all mussed up} says
Jambu is SO delicious and so refreshing...I grew up shaking them off trees on Java, and eating them by dipping them in a spicy-sweet peanut sauce.
CYT says
Indonesians does that too with jambu! hahaha
Dee says
Morning. Durian and most of typical fruit are exported from Thailand to HK, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan...etc. Now this is a season of Durian, mangosteen, rose apple. For generation, we eat mangosteen after eat durian. Like Yin & Yang. Durian is hot type, mangostee is cool type. Another reason, I think, to reduce the smell when belch. Hat yat is in the southern of Thailand. If you can visit there, you'll find now.
Dee says
Durian and many more that sold in Malaysia, HK, Taiwan, Japan...etc are exported from Thailand. If you now visit Hatyat (southern of Thailand), you can try to taste these. Now this is a season of Durian, rose apple, mangostreen. For generation, we eat mangostreen after durian. It likes Yin and Yang. Durian is a warm type and mangostreen is a cool type. Another reason, I think, mangostreen can reduce the smell of durian when we belch.