Traveling to an exotic destination is not just about swimming in the turquoise waters or sunbathing. You also have to taste some of the cuisine and sample some of the exotic fruits of the place. For those hot summers when you need something refreshing, we have collected 10 tropical fruits you absolutely must try.
1. Rambutan
Native to Malay Archipelago, Southeast Asia
Coming from an evergreen tree, the Rambutan fruit resembles the Lychees, have a leathery red skin and are covered with spines. Rambutan is a popular garden fruit tree and one of the most famous in Southeast Asia. The fruit is sweet and juicy, being commonly found in jams or available canned.
2. Jackfruit
Native to southwestern India, Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri Lanka
Jackfruit is a common fruit for Asia and Australia and considered as one of the largest tree borne fruit in the world. The juicy pulp around the seeds have a taste similar to pineapple, but milder. Apart from canned jackfruit, it is also available as sweet chips. The wood of the tree is used for making various musical instruments, while the fruit is a common ingredient for many Asian dishes.
3. Passion Fruit
Native to South America, grown in India, New Zealand, Brazil, etc
The passion fruit has a soft, juicy interior full of seeds, being commonly found in juices to boost their flavors. There are two types of passion fruit: the golden one (maracuyá), similar to a grapefruit and the dark purple passion fruit (gulupa), comparable in terms of size with a lemon. However, the latter ones have been reported as being mildly poisonous.
4. Lychee
Native to southern China, found in India, Taiwan
Coming from an evergreen tree, the lychee or litchi are small white flesh fruits, covered in a red rind, rich in vitamin C and with a grape-like texture. The fruit has started making its appearance in markets worldwide, refrigerated or canned with its taste intact.
5. Star fruit
Native to Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka
The star fruit comes from the carambola, a species of tree with pink flowers grown even in the US. The golden-yellow fruit is crunchy, sweet, with a taste of pineapples, apples and kiwis combined. There are two kinds of star fruits - acidulate and sweet, both rich in vitamin C. The fruit is particularly juice, some even making wine out of it.
6. Mangosteen
Native to the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas.
The mangosteen is another evergreen tree that produces oddly shaped fruits. The fruits are purple, creamy, described as citrus with a hint of peach. It is rich in antioxidants, some scientists even suggesting it can lower risk against certain human diseases, such as cancer. There are even legends about Queen Victoria offering a reward to the one that brings her the fruit.
7. Kumquat
Native to China
The kumquats or cumquats are small edible fruits resembling oranges that grow in a tree related to the Citrus. As with most of the fruits in the Citrus family, the kumquats are eaten raw. They are often used in marmalade and jelly but also in alcoholic drinks such as liquor. The Taiwanese add it to their teas, while others boil it and use it as a remedy for sore throats.
8. Durian
Native to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia
Also known as the “King of Fruits,” Durian has a very particular odor, a unique taste and is covered by a hard husk. Having a disagreeable smell, compared to skunk spray or sewage, the fruit is forbidden in hotels and public transportations in Southeast Asia. Still, the whole experience is worth it, considering the absolutely divine taste of the Durian.
9. Dragon Fruit
Native to Mexico and Central and South America
Dragon fruit, strawberry pear or pitaya is a fruit of several cactus species with a sweet delicate taste and creamy pulp. The most common dragon fruit is the red pitaya, but other varieties include the Costa Rica pataya and the yellow pataya. Juice or wine can be obtained from the fruit, while the flowers can be eaten or used for tea.
10. African cucumber
Native to Kalahari Desert, Africa
The African cucumber, horned melon or melano is a fruit that can be best described as melon with horns. It originated in the Kalahari Desert and is now present in California and New Zealand. The dark green pulp reminds one of bananas, limes, passion fruit and cucumber. It is often used for decorating food but also in smoothies and sundaes.
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Nice. I’ve had all those excepts the African cucumber. I’ve never heard of it before.
Mangosteen and Lychees are my favorites!!!
Get them all all good fruit stores near you!
Hey, I’m from the Philippines and we also have Lychee, Mangosteen, Star Fruit, and Durian here.
Just wanted to say (:
I’ve eaten Durian in Bali. At first i couldn’t get past the fact it smelled like kerosene. We got it offered to us at a very popular Cafe in Ubud. I was the one to try the fruit, as the rest of the group couldn’t get past the smell, and i actually really enjoyed the taste.
Great list, love all (most) of them. However, can’t believe you forgot my favorite: soursop (or guanabana)
Great article, nice exotic fruits. I remember tasting the Rambutan a couple of years ago. Good taste.
Divine indeed…you have obviously never tasted durian…
I’m in Singapore (lah!) Whenever it’s durian season I have to stay inside. You can smell it EVERYWHERE; all the shops have it. I find the taste waxy, slightly sweet and bland. And your body will remind you over and over again that you’ve eaten it recently (if you know what I mean.)
Not to my taste.
One that should be on here is the custard apple, one of my favorites! It has a hard, kind of leathery skin, and when you cut it open the inside is white and creamy with lychee-looking seeds in it. It tastes like pear custard. Delicious!
(and I agree with the durian comment. I think it tastes like canteloupe and onion)
I absolutely love kumquats, I buy a bunch whenever they’re available at my store (usually during spring) and they are delicious! Slightly tangy, but nonetheless.
I’m pretty certain that the wildly differing opinions about durian come from genetic differences in how people taste and smell. The fruit’s chemistry is incredibly complex. So it’s not very helpful to report that it smells like X or tastes like Y, because the person you’re talking to might have a completely different experience. To me it smells garlicky and tastes like a rich pineapple custard (but better).
One of my favorite unusual fruits is the tree strawberry or Arbutus unedo, popular in Greece, if I understand correctly. These little fruits have too many seeds to please everyone. But when they’re nice and ripe (late autumn), and if it’s been a good year, they’re really luscious, kind of like a peach with a tart skin. But with a million little blackberry seeds stirred in.
The third fruit down from the top, as you call it the starfruit, is heavily used and grown in the Caribbean, where it is known as the Carambola. They are excellent, and you can just pick them off a tree like an apple.
Mike - Nevis, West Indies
Ooops, sorry about that, I meant the 5th fruit down, and I can’t edit the comment
I’ve had the African cucumber. It has an interesting consistency. The taste reminds me of fresh cut grass with a hint of lemon. Not bad.
I’ve tried all (except the African Cucumber) and love them all. I’m sure I’ll also love the African Cucumber, if I could get my hands on one!
Pitaya is the most amazing fruit i’ve ever eaten! Wish i could include the photo of me eating it.
has anyone tasted the chaya leaf or fruit and knows of it ? Lychee is the best
We have kumquats here in Florida. I enjoy them, but most people around here aren’t that crazy about them.
…add the Ugli from jamaica…
I like durian but I don’t like its smell
Yummmmy! I have tasted these fruits except for the last two: dragon fruit and african cucumber… looking forward for a taste of these fruits! Nice post!
I like mangosteen, rambutan, jackfruit and lychee. When I was a kid I liked durain a lot but I don’t know why when I grew up I just don’t like it anymore. The smell is very strong but anyways I don’t mind eating fried durain thought. Did any of you try it before? It’s really yummy here in Thailand!
Got to try the Rambutan for the first time while I was on Kawaii (Hawaii). We went to a little farmers market and got a bag of them
Best part of traveling is checking out the foods you can’t get at home!
Wow, messed up that spelling. Thats Kauai
I’ve tried about 4 of the fruits listed, but will try to find the others, now I know what to look for.
mangosteen, best tasting fruit IN THE WORLD!!!
i don’t like the word exotic - go ask an indonesian and s/he’ll tell you a strawberry is exotic!! pick your words better, mate!
Purple passionfruit are mildly poisonous?? They are a mainstream variety in Australia, more common than golden, sold in supermarkets and nurseries, and it’s what goes on top of the national desert - pavlova. Never heard that one about their toxicity before. I like freezing them after buying them in bulk, and then scooping out the pulp as required for smoothies.
An edible fruit I know is mildly poisonous - the alkaloids (typical of the nightshade family) in native kangaroo apple, although a traditional indigenous food. Soviet Russia used it to manufacture birth control pills. That’s an exotic fruit I don’t recommend, although I’ve grown it, the taste is sweet but sickly!
You may come to Indonesia if u wanna taste the original fruits of it..^^
There are a lot more unique and juicy fruit^^
if you visit the Fruit Markets here, just easily ask for the origin name of them:
1. Rambutan as Rambutan
2. Jack Fruit as Nangka
3. lychee as Lechi
4. Star Fruit as Belimbing
5. Mangosteen as Manggis
6. Durian as Durian or Duren
7. Dragon Fruit as Buah Naga
commonly, Those will be easily got durring their season. Because, most of Indonesian (saouth east asian) fruits have their own particular season, such as Musim Rambutan (Rambutan Season) or Musim Duren (Durian Season).
starfruit is yummy!
Vicky, you miss Passion Fruit as Markisa
i’ve tried this fruits in the Philippines and i love it!
especially the mangosteen and durian
Strawberries…exotic? Ask a Californian and he or she’ll tell you that everything on this list is exotic. Exotic, exotic, exotic. I like the word exotic.
I have African Cucumbers growing in my garden, and i live no where near the Kalahari Desert. Im in South Africa however, i was told its poisonous and shouldt eat it lol….. Gonna try when i get home
Durian has got to be the most foul-tasting thing ever to grow on a tree.
I like the taste of human flesh.
Since this list was published, they become ordinary, not exotic
I am from Mexico and we have Carambola, Rambutan and more common Chaya leaf as lulu said,
you should try the zapote, it’s a very rich fruit from here 
whenever you come to yucatan. you are welcome 
rambutan is indonesian fruits
Dear fruit lovers.
I would like to say that in the case of the Cactus fruit Pitaya should be first as a common name since these is the Original name giving to several especies of the cactus family that are comercialize widely over America( I talk about the Continent). Since these is a fruit that belong to a family of plans native of these part of the world. From my humble point of view giving some exotic names. those not show the respect to those that have been ussing it for thousands of years. As a botanist and a native from these part of the world I kindly invite everybody to use the original names not only of these but also of all the other fruits we like to eat from other regions. By doing so we will contribute to protect the world
heritage. thanks and enjoy it:
yours kindly
Maguil Céspedes
Tried 9 out of 10. Not surprising since I used to live in South East Asia. Ahh. How I miss the place and the food.
I am from Malaysia and have tried all the above except for African cucumber as I am not sure how it taste like.
hey every one i’m from the caribbean the beautiful islands of Trinidad and Tobago to be exact
I have tried the first three fruits and Rambutan is my fav! the local name we have for “star fruit” are “five fingers” just had one a while ago!! its very come here…………………………..
I have tried durian and mangosteen when i was at malaysia.Jack fruit is one of my favourites.you get a lot of it here in india.I o havent ever had african cucumber nor have i seen it before..i will have to try dragon fruit and star fruit when i see it next
Yum!
Your article was very intriguing and delicious!
these look minging
i’ve never tryed any of these but would like to!
the african cucumber is one of the grossest fruit i think i’ve ever had. the seeds have the texture of cross between a cucumber and a watermelon and are encapsulated in a thick, boogerlike consistancy. it has little to no flavor. i can kind of taste maybe grape. almost smells like a cleaning agent… not something i’d suggest.
I enjoy many types of fruit. I enjoy grapes the most. I have heard of all of those fruits apart from the African Cucumber. Where might I be able to buy that???
Bob
:-) 
Where is our beloved Acai Berry?
Açai you can find over here in Brazil, we just açai down here and not acai berry. Come to Brazil paradise of fruits. for sure i even don’t know 20% of all fruits we have here. did you guys know “Jaboticaba”?
Im from Liberia west Africa and we have all these fruits, but we call them different names
I’ve had such a hard time trying to find them, I live in maryland…
can anybody tell me where they can tell me where they sell them in md, Philly, or new jersey????
I really wanna get a taste of home, felt good to see them again
thanks
All you guys who had unpleasant experience with durian, I totally agree with each of you having been through the same myself. But with a little courtesy to my friends who were persistently sharing what they know is good, by tasting a tiny piece about 5 times in a span of one month, I was rewarded, and learned about what acquiring a taste means. It’s now my favorite, tastes like custard ice cream, far from milk-onion-garlic taste the first time I had it. Tip: when trying a new fruit, especially durian, take a small piece and try to savor it. Then take your time and don’t shock your taste buds by racing at the rate enthusiasts eat, or you might also race to throw the thing up. That’s my bad experience which no one need to go through and still earn the reward. Hope you’ll someday also enjoy it like I do, then you’ll have something good to share as well. Lately, I’ve tried three other varieties (there are plenty which I’m looking forward to trying), which I won’t discuss here and would rather let the ‘brave’ discover for himself. But hope you guys will catch up, and maybe we’ll somehow meet along the way!
have tried everything except the African cucumber. I am not sure I wanna try it though…
I just stumbled across this blog entry looking for the name of the spiky fruit I just ate was. I didn’t know the name of it and neither did the shop I bought it from. They just weighed it as a capsicum. I still think the 0.61 euro I paid was waaay cheaper than it was supposed to be. Now I know that the fruit that tasted like green banana with lime squeezed on top is called the African Cucumber
The wax jambu is an exotic fruit you should all taste. Cannot describe its taste, but it looks like a pink pear.
Hi to all, may i know where to get african cucumber?
Thanks
some of it i tasted already
I’ve had all them except durian, although I’d like to try it soon. Unfortunately, the mangosteen I have eaten had gone bad and was awful, so I don’t know what they are supposed to taste like! I found the rest of them to be mediocre, except passionfruit. I love them and eat them all the time.
Wow, a very good rundown on some fruits I had not known about before. Nice list!
I haven’t tasted anyone of those fruits but I’m doing a project on them!!! I think was very useful telling you where they come from and what the fruits is generally like! So thanks for that. You have helped me alot in my project
I am from china we have a fruit called Poo fruit it takes like poo
Had plenty of rambutan in Indonesia. Tried several other fruits but rambutan was my favorite.
I love mangousteen
This site is pretty good. I really want to try mangosteens but doesn’t it have to be exposed to radiation?
Carambollas (star fruit) are avalible in MA united states. Ive had one before and it taste like grass mixed with an apple. It taste really good.
I sooo… want to try african cucumber! From what “janee” said It seams like the perfect fruit for me.
Where do you get these kind of fruits? I live in Iowa… so they definately don’t grow here! They sound very cool though, and I would like to try them!
I think those are the best and most typical fruits of tropical regions. They’re healthy too.
Nice list! i tried most of them, Yummy!
Tried them all and they are delicious if consume tree ripe. Like everything in life, natural matured is essential and it tickles all your senses in a special sensation, a “Tropical Experience” one can not forget.
Dragon fruit is not as tasty as the passion fruit.
The African cucumber is more a cooling fruit as it’s originate in a hot blazing country.
But Asia has so much more exotic and sweet & sour fruits.
From a baby 7cm to a 40-50 cm long banana, a mandarin orange to a basket ball size grapefruit.
They are available in major Chinese shops at most large cities in Holland.
Somebody mention Jamboe/ Jambu There are so many sorts of them and taste differently but again, very nice!
How about the Cacao flesh? around the bean ! They taste soooo good!!!
Papaya in many different sorts.
Some of them are difficult to get here but you can definitely get them in the markets of Paris and Barcelona. Travel and enjoy! it’s 2 hours flying.
Isn’t God good to provide us with all these exotic stuff? Imagine it might disappear if we are not careful with our environment.
Be good to one and other, live and share as if it’s your last day.
I have had the carambola (starfruit), kumquat, dragonfruit, and passion fruit. Some friends showed me a passion fruit tree when i lived in Trinidad-with that had slightly under-ripe fruit, but i had to try it. I burst it and sucked the pulp from the rind. They told me later I should stop because it would burn my lips- i think now it had something to do with it being “mildly poisonous”, as the article says. I was ok tho!
I had some ‘African Cucumber’ this weekend although from what information I have gathered it’s more properly known as Kiwano Melon. It tasted really good at first but the more I ate the more it started to taste like medicine.
When I bought it nobody knew what it was and there was no label on the container I took it out of. The person working the checkout spent 10 minutes before finding someone who could figure out what it was.
Jack Fruit,Star Fuit and Lychee are know to me.Others i have never seen in India.
Lychee is my favorite fruit.
those are some freakishly freaky fruits. i aagree with the first person… guanabana is the bomb!
just need to try 7 and 10.
already taste other
I just tried Lychee and kumquats for the first time when I was in Hawaii. I couldn’t believe how good the Lychee was. I did not know what it was called and upon returning home to the mainland, attempted to find it in the stores. I didn’t know what it was called, so had to look it up on the internet. I found in a grocery store. I just hope they are half as delicious as those on the island!
according to Men’s Health magazine kumquat is a hybrid fruit
tated 7 of them…boy i love them all and hail to durian! will search for the 3 others
I absolutly adore the dragon fruit! it totally turns me on!
You can see its all in Thailand.
Durian Nonthaburi is Really king of fruit.
hi
I live in Thailand and to me 8 of the above mentioned fruits (African cucumber and Kumquats being the exception) are not exotic at all they are simply the normal fruits we eat in our everyday life and they taste amazingly good i cannot imagine living without them. also apart from these Thailand has a lot more varieties sometimes not commonly available in the market that taste heavenly. This country is really a fruit heaven
Try LONGANS, CUSTARD APPLES, LON TAN, MA YOM, lONGkONG, some more nice fruits from thailand
mmm, i was hoping persimmons would be mentioned.
some of these fruits are found in nigeria but wasnt metioned e.g the star fruit and kumquat……
Indeed a very well written article, very informative thanks for posting it on the net..I could use this as reference and many others can also use it.
Thanks again..
Jain Neha
sweet fruit but it look gross
Dear All, Thank you for giving me some insight on the ten(10) fruits listed , but i am familiar with most of them listed. But, I am fascinated about the mangosteen i do have a question about it. My question is -HOW DO I OBTAIN PLANTS OR SEEDS FROM THIS FRUIT?. Kindly give me some information and keep up the good works on unusual fruits from around the world. Have a great day .
Thanks for this great list! I would like to try all ofthere but they’re hard to find in Los Angeles California. I did try the soursop (or guanabana) last week. It was in the frozen food isle and i made an icy slushy treat. It was ok, not a fan of sweet/sour fruits but next time I’ll try to find a fresh one. There are 3 fruits that I would like to try:
Rollina, Custard Apple and the Cherimoya. Some say that the custard Apple and Cherimoya is the same fruit but they’re not. Just in the same fruit family. HAs anybody ever heard of the mamey fruit?
EEWW!! everything looks gross! Lol
kumkuats can be found easily in Corfou Greece!