50 Best Mouth-Watering Native and Tropical Fruits to Try in the Philippines

Introduction

Summer has begun and eating delicious tropical fruits from a tropical country makes it more enjoyable
and fantastic. The Philippines is one of the many tropical islands in Southeast Asia. It has many exotic
fruits that can make you feel refreshed and want more. Visiting the Philippines is a good choice,
especially on vacations as it is a humble haven to many tropical fruits.

Aside from the beautiful beaches and hospitable people, it also offers a variety of tropical fruits worth
savoring. Thus, upon visiting Cebu, you might see lots of delicious fruits around. This country is known as
a tropical paradise and it is a good place to unwind during summer vacations. Below are some 50 juicy
and delicious tropical fruits to try.

Moreover, some tropical fruits here become delicacies in some provinces and even as a source of the
town’s festivals. People celebrate and dance with the use of fruits, which will be revealed later on.
Usually, Filipinos love to pair some fruits with salt, especially sour ones. Below are some juicy and
delicious fruits to try in the Philippines.

10 Best Delicious Tropical Fruits to Try in the Philippines

 o Mango

Scientific Name: Mangifera indica

Cebuano Name: Mangga
Bearing Season: March to June

Carabao Mangoes are very popular in the Philippines. It is also considered as the national fruit of the
country. This tropical fruit is known for its sweet and delicate flavor with lots of vitamin C. It can be used
as desserts like mango grahams, iced candy, mango pies, and so on. Moreover, in the Philippines, there
are four kinds of mangoes: Carabao mango, Indian mango, and Pico mango.

Filipinos love to eat Indian mangoes that are not ripe yet. These tropical fruits are sour yet delicious,
especially when paired with a shrimp paste (hipon) or salt. It can also be paired with soy sauce and sugar
(patis and kamay). However, this method does not apply to ripped mangoes, it is only for the green ones.

o Guava

Scientific Name: Psidium guajava

Cebuano Name: Bayabas
Bearing Season: September to December

Guavas have a rough green texture outside but are soft and fleshy inside. When ripened their rough
texture will become light or yellowish-green and easier to bite. It is very delicious and even the seeds are
digestible. It is also good when paired with salt and chili. This tropical fruit has more Vitamin C compared
to oranges. It has many uses as well, such as making tea and treatment. In the Philippines, guava leaves
can be used as tea to cure sick people.

o Durian

Scientific Name: Durio zibethinus L.

Cebuano Name: Duryan
Bearing Season: July to October

Durians typically grow in Southeast Asian countries, considered the “King of Fruits.” It has its hard spikes
and delicious taste. It has a strong smell, but its flavor is pleasant to taste. It has lots of nutrients, which
are good for our bodies. In Davao City, approximately 80% of Durian production is found in mountainous
areas of this place as it has a tropical climate.

o Sapodilla

Scientific Name: Manilkara zapota

Cebuano Name: Chikoos
Bearing Season: January – February

Chicos also known as Sapodillas are called Chikoos in the Philippines. It has a soft, juicy, and grainy
texture. It is a round-colored brown sweet tropical fruit and has been noted to be high in natural sugar,
which is organic. Thus, it presents many health benefits and is good for desserts, too. Moreover, this
tropical fruit is also commonly found in Southeast Asian countries.

o Mangosteen
Scientific Name: Garcinia mangostana
Cebuano Name: Manggostin
Bearing Season: August to September

Mangosteen has a tart-sweet and sour taste. This tropical fruit can be seen as a round purple fruit,
similar to a tennis ball with fluffy white flesh inside. They have big seeds, so it’s best to sip and gnaw
them until they are bland. It has an addicting taste, so it is best not to swallow the whole wedges
because the seeds can choke you.

o Rambutan

Scientific Name: Nephelium lappaceum

Cebuano Name: Rambutan
Bearing Season: August to October

Rambutans come from the same family as lychee, but it has the same texture. They are known for their
hairy red but often yellowish skin. This sweet and savory tropical fruit is also native to Southeast Asian
countries, including the Philippines, but is unsuitable to grow in all regions. They have white flesh and big
seeds on the inside. So, it’s best not to chew them, too. The word “Rambut” is a Malay word for “hair.”
This fruit is also abundant in potassium which is good for our heart.

o Star Fruit

Scientific Name: Averrhoa carambola

Cebuano Name: Balimbing
Bearing Season: August to October

This delicious tropical fruit is known for its star-shaped texture. It comes in a yellow or green color with a
little tangy sour but sweet flavor. They can also be paired with salads and cocktails to add design and
attractiveness to the dish or drinks. This juicy one usually tastes like a combination of grapes, oranges,
and pears.

o Pomelo

Scientific Name: Citrus maxima

Cebuano Name: Buongon
Bearing Season: November to January

Pomelo is a kind of citrus fruit that is native to Asian countries. It is also considered the biggest Citrus in
its family. They are usually called as big sweet oranges but are not watery. They have green skin and a
thick white layer that tastes bitter. Filipinos love to eat this fruit with salt to add more texture to its
flavor. This delicious fruit is full of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, especially since it is low in
calories.

o Banana

Scientific Name: Musa

Cebuano Name: Saging
Bearing Season: Any time of the year
Bananas are known for their yellow skin and white elongated flesh. However, in the Philippines, there is
more to that, they vary in size and appearance, too. This country is popular for its banana cultivation and
production. There are 12 types of bananas, that can be found in the Philippines. Each of these types has
different purposes as well. This delicious fruit is very flexible in some ways. It can be used for ketchup
and chips; dishes like humba —a pork dish with a sweet-like flavor; desserts like salad, halo-halo, and
shakes; for snacks like banana cue, pinaypay — a fan-shaped long slices of banana with sugar.

o Velvet Apple

Scientific Name: Diospyros blancoi

Cebuano Name: Mabolo
Bearing Season: Any time of the year

The velvet apple is one of the exotic fruits in the Philippines and is also native to Taiwan. It is commonly
found in tropical regions. This custard-like delicious fruit is known for its strong aroma. Its color varies in
a reddish brown velvet texture and its flesh is white to yellow. The size is similar to apples but it has a
different taste and has tiny hairy-like skin. This one has a combination of apple and banana flavors.
10 Sour and Unique Tropical Fruits in the Philippines

o Watermelon

Scientific Name: Citrullus lanatus

Cebuano Name: Watermelon
Bearing Season: March to June

Watermelons are one of the most popular tropical fruits to eat due to their watery texture. This delicious
fruit is round with dark and light green stripes, which is noticeable since it is the only fruit that has it.
They have red soft, sweet, and granular flesh inside, but when overripe, it will harden. They are
refreshing to drink, as well, especially on summer vacation. You can eat watermelon fresh, shake or drink
it, or frozen like a popsicle ice cream.

o Elephant Apple

Scientific Name: Dillenia indica

Cebuano Name: Katmon
Bearing Season: October to January

Katmon is one of the rarest tropical fruits in the world. It is usually native to India but also grows here in
the Philippines. This fruit originated from the Dilleniaceae family tree and grows on tall green trees 15
meters above. This tree is common in Luzon, Leyte, Negros, Guimaras, Cebu, and some areas in the
Philippines. This delicious fruit can usually be used in culinary ingredients, like sinigang, and is now
considered endangered.

There is a place in Cebu, called Catmon, from which this name was derived. Although this fruit is not
commercially introduced due to its limited numbers, it is still one of the foods to try. Especially in
Catmon, Cebu. It has a grape-like and very sweet-sour taste when ripened. It looks like a sleeping
elephant’s head that has formed into a circle and inside has a swirl-like green pulp.

o Malay Apple

Scientific Name: Syzygium malaccense

Cebuano Name: Makopa
Bearing Season: February to June

Malay Apple is among the most delicious fruits in the Philippines. It looks like an upside-down dark red
tulip flower but with the taste of an apple. They share the same taste as apples but are softer. In
comparison to apples, they are denser and sometimes bland.

o Egg Fruit

Scientific Name: Pouteria campechiana

Cebuano Name: Tisa
Bearing Season: February to June

This delicious fruit is known for its round to oblong yellowish shape. They also have waxy skin and a
sweet taste. It is like a combination of pumpkin, papaya, sweet potato, and mango. Its color is derived
from the yolk of an egg, which is a golden yellow color, but it does not taste like an egg. It comes from
the Sapote family, and its pulp and skin can be used as antioxidants.

o Langsat

Scientific Name: Lansium domesticum

Cebuano Name: Lansones
Bearing Season: August to September

This delicious fruit comes from the Meliaceae family tree with a sweet flavor. This is native to Southeast
Asian countries, particularly, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They are small and their
wedges are divided into 5-6 slices with their seeds inside of it. Others would say, it takes like a sweet
pomelo. However, even though it is edible, you must not swallow the whole slice since its seeds are
bitter.

o Philippine Lime

Scientific Name: Citrus × microcarpa

Cebuano Name: Lemonsito
Bearing Season: August to October

Calamansi are also considered as Philippine Limes which come from a citrus family. They are small round
green fruits and it is perfect for drinks. This small fruit is flexible as it can be used in different ways. It has
a sour flavor which can be used as a beverage, cake, sauce, or even for culinary purposes to add a soury
texture such as noodle dishes —bam-i, and pancit. To make a drink with this fruit, just cut it in half, get
its dew, and add sugar, depending on your taste.

o Java Plum

Scientific Name: Syzygium cumini Myrtales

Cebuano Name: Lumboy
Bearing Season: May to June

This delicious fruit is often mistaken as pure violet, but its color is more deep blue or velvety pink. They
are small —around 1-2 centimeters in length— and it is also not best to swallow them because they have
seeds. Although not big seeds, it is best to be safe. When you eat this, your tongue will turn blue-violet
due to its dye color. Filipinos love to eat this delicious fruit a lot. It has a sour taste and is watery with no
fats.

o Cotton Fruit

Scientific Name: Sandoricum koetjape

Cebuano Name: Santol
Bearing Season: July to September

One of the most sour and sweet but delicious fruits in the Philippines. This fruit has a thick light brown
peel and a bitter taste. It also helps in minimizing bad cholesterol. In the Philippines, it is best to eat this
fruit with salt to add texture to its flavor. It is also a good way to combat the sour flavor. Moreover, it has
a pillow-like white pulp similar to cotton that is put together. Their flesh also has a sweet, tangy, and tart
candy-like taste.

o Coconut

Scientific Name: Cocos nucifera (L.)

Cebuano Name: Lubi or Butong
Bearing Season: Any time of the year

This delicious fruit is very famous in any tropical region. You can drink the water raw just like juice. Many
people would love to eat their white flesh, especially with condensed and evaporated milk. In some
family gatherings, this drink is present, especially if you live near mountainous areas. This palm fruit is
very flexible and can be used in many ways. Their waters can be used as vinegar and wines called tuba.
The coconut milk can be used to add flavor to some dishes like ginataang utan (vegetable in coconut
milk soup). It can also be used to make delicacies like rice cakes —bibingka, budbud kabog, and biko.

o Milk Fruit

Scientific Name: Chrysophyllum Cainito

Cebuano Name: Kaymito
Bearing Season: December to April

Milk fruit is also known as a star apple due to its star-shaped pattern formed by the seeds inside when
sliced. They are usually colored purple when ripe. This delicious fruit has a chewy jelly-like and milky
flesh which is perfect for fruit salad. It has a sweet taste with a hint of grapes and milky melon combined.

30 More Savory Tropical Fruits in the Philippines

Below are some tropical fruits that can be found in the Philippines. Some of these are not commercially
available to the market but Filipino people love to eat these at home, especially ones that come from big
trees.

 Sabana (Soursop)

 Abokado (Avocado)

 Kamatis (Tomato)

 Kakaw (Cacao)

 Atis (Sugar Apple)

 Sambag (Tamarind)

 Limon (Lemon)

 Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)

 Peras (Pear)

 Orange (Orange)

 Kamansilis (Breadnut)

 Ubas (Grapes)

 Stroberi (Strawberry)

 Kapayas (Papaya)
  Mansanas (Apple)

 Anonas (Anonas)

 Tambis (Watery Rose Apple)

 Pasyon (Passion Fruit)

 Marang (Marang)

 Siniguelas (Spanish Plum)

 Melon (Melon)

 Ponkan (Tangerine)

 Manzanitas (Jamaican Cherry)

 Pinya (Pineapple)

 Kulo (Breadfruit)

 Granada (Pomegranate)

 Mais (Corn)

 Nangka (Jackfruit)

 Long-an (Longan)

 Kiwi (Kiwi)

Key Takeaway

When visiting the Philippines, especially enrolling in QQEnglish campuses —IT Park and Beachfront— it is
best to try some delicious fruits. It can satisfy your fruit cravings, particularly here in Cebu, Philippines. It
has a lot of fruits that can make your mouth watery and hungry. With all of these, always remember, that
Filipinos love to eat fruits with either salt, shrimp paste, sugar, or even vinegar. Moreover, it is better to
know their customs and traditions as well. Therefore, do not forget to have them as well. Enjoy your
staycation in the Philippines!

 Pluto QQE

 September 2, 2024