10 Best Fruits to Eat in Singapore

There are plenty of reasons to visit Singapore – from the year-round tropical weather to the fantastic nightlife and the exotic beaches. However, the one thing that tops the list of reasons to visit Singapore is its food.

Singapore is known for its rich heritage of cuisine consisting of Indian, Malaysian, Chinese, and Indonesian influences, but believe it or not, Singaporean fruits are no less! Here are the best 10 Singapore fruits to eat on your next trip to the country.

#1 Durian

Have you even been to Singapore if you haven’t tried their infamous national fruit – the durian. No kidding, Singaporeans are simply obsessed with the durian. The fruit looks spikey and thorny on the outside but has a creamy, yellow flesh on the inside. Durian has a sweet and peculiar taste that you might grow to love with time, but one thing that will surely disturb you is its smell. It has a strong, pungent aroma that can linger around for days and is perhaps the reason why the fruit is banned from being brought in hotels and public transport. The fruit can be eaten on its own or a part of a dessert.

#2 Lychee

Lychees can be found in most Asian countries, but when in Singapore, you'll be amazed at the array of choices you have to try Singaporean lychees. From street hawkers to McDonald's menu, you'll find lychee drinks almost everywhere you go. You can also eat them fresh or as a part of a dessert.

#3 Chiku

Chikus attract bats, so to prevent that from happening, the locals wrap them in the newspaper while they still hang on the tree branches until they are ripe enough for picking. The fruit itself is extremely sweet and has a woody aroma. Chiku can be enjoyed fresh or can be made a part of shakes, drinks, and desserts. 

#4 Chempedak

This exotic fruit looks similar to jackfruit, but it's taste and smell are closely related to durian, and for this reason, chempedak is also known as a 'durian jackfruit'. Chempedak has a deep yellow and sweet flesh that encloses brown seeds in its core. The fruit gets ripe when its rind changed to a golden-brown color, and the nibs become spaced out after which it can be eaten.

#5 Jambu

The Jambu fruit goes by many names, including rose apple, since it smells similar to roses. These luscious bell-shaped fruits have a pinkish red, glossy sheen when ripe and can be eaten without any hassles. Jambu fruit has a juicy, crunchy texture and a faintly sweet taste, similar to that of an apple.

#6 Custard Apple

Custard apple has a sugary scent that attracts flies and is therefore picked up early. When it becomes ripe, it can easily be split open by pressing down the middle of the fruit and can be enjoyed fresh on its own or in some dessert. Custard apple has a sweet white pulp with shiny black seeds.

#7 Buah Long Long

Buah Long Long fruit has different names and varieties in different countries. For instance, the Singaporean variant of Buah Long Long has a fibrous seed in the core, which is absent in the Indonesian variety. You will often find hawkers offering refreshing Buah Long Long drinks as you roam around the streets in Singapore, so make sure to give them a try. 

#8 Dragon fruit

Dragon fruit, locally known as pitaya, is a popular superfood in Singapore as it comes with an array of health benefits. This exotic looking tropical fruit had a vivid, inedible red skin with white flesh embedded with small black seeds. The taste of a dragon fruit varies widely but is generally a sweet mix of pear and kiwi.

#9 Jack Fruit

Another exotic tropical fruit you should try out in Singapore is the Jack Fruit. The fruit itself may look scary on the outlook because of its theory skin, but don't let that fool you – Jack Fruit is rich in potassium and magnesium and has plenty of health benefits. The fruit has a meaty aromatic flesh and a distinct sweet flavor that can be eaten raw or be made a part of rich desserts like the Thai Red Ruby.

#10 Longan

Longan, also known as the Dragon’s Eye, has been used in China for centuries. It has a translucent/white flesh with a brown seed in the middle, representing the eyes of dragons as depicted in ancient Chinese art. Longan is often confused with lychee, but the two fruits are different, nonetheless. Longan is commonly used in China as a natural sweetener, but this ancient Chinese delicacy is readily available and quite affordable in Singapore too. It can be consumed raw or as a part of a dessert or drink, so make sure to give it a try.