20 Must-Try Vietnamese Fruits You’ll Fall in Love With

Vietnam’s tropical climate brings an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies. From street baskets to café offerings, they’re vibrant, cheap, and joyful.

Here’s my guide to 20 must-try Vietnamese fruits with local names, seasons, and tips.

Where to Score Fresh Fruits in Vietnam

Finding fresh fruit in Vietnam is a breeze. Markets from North to South overflow with colorful produce, while street vendors on bikes or trucks carry whatever’s in season.

Quick tip: always check the price first!

Beyond snacking, try the street stalls and cafés for sinh tố (creamy fruit smoothies) and chè (sweet dessert soups). Refreshing, tasty, and easy on the wallet!

For me, nothing screams “I’m home” like a fresh glass of nước dừa (coconut water).

I sip it almost daily back in Vietnam—it’s cheap, refreshing, and miles better than the canned stuff abroad. Drink it as is, or add a splash of pineapple or calamansi for a little zing.

In the Mekong Delta, coconut quietly adds a touch of sweetness to savory dishes, from caramelized pork ribs and ginger chicken to caramelized catfish.

Then there’s coconut milk (nước cốt dừa), the creamy powerhouse of the fruit. It makes Ca Ri Ga (chicken curry) comforting and Banh Xeo irresistible.

Coconut milk also works its magic in drinks—think coconut coffee—and shows up in plenty of traditional Vietnamese cakes like cassava cake, pandan waffles and pandan honeycomb cake.

2. Lychee / Litchi (Vải)

Lychee has been grown in Vietnam since the 8th century, mostly in the North. Sweet like strawberries or pears, with a hint of citrus and a delicate floral note, it’s a flavor that sticks with you.

• Scientific name: Litchi chinensis
• Vietnamese name: Vải / Vải Thiều
• Season: May to July

3. Rambutan (Chôm Chôm)

In Southern Vietnam, especially the lush Mekong Delta, rambutan trees flourish. Their spiky red-and-green shells look wild, but inside is juicy flesh—similar to lychee, yet creamier and a touch sweeter.

• Scientific name: Nephelium lappaceum
• Vietnamese name: Chôm Chôm / Lôm Chôm
• Season: May to August

Most of the time, we eat chôm chôm fresh, peeling back that quirky shell to enjoy the juicy fruit.

But like many tropical fruits here, rambutan is versatile—it can be tossed in salads, cooked in stews, or brewed into a light, fruity tea. To me, it’s pure Mekong Delta summer in a bite.

4. Longan (Nhãn)

Longan, or “dragon’s eye” for the way its seed peeks through translucent flesh, is a tropical gem you can’t miss. It’s a specialty of Hưng Yên in the North and also thrives in the Mekong Delta.

• Scientific name: Dimocarpus longan
• Vietnamese name: Nhãn / Long Nhãn
• Season: Year-round, sweetest from July to October

Fresh longans are juicy, sweet, and perfect for snacking—families often gather around a bowl, peeling one after another until only shells and seeds remain.

They’ve even found their way into modern desserts, like sponge cakes layered with oolong jasmine cream and fresh longan.

Dried longan has its own charm—naturally sweet and fragrant, it’s a star in traditional chè, from chè sâm bổ lượng (cooling herbal dessert) to chè dưỡng nhan, a nourishing treat packed with dried fruits and seeds.

5. Dragon Fruit (Thanh Long)

When the French arrived in Vietnam, they didn’t just bring Banh Mi, egg coffee, and pâté chaud—they also introduced crops that became local staples, including dragon fruit. Today, Vietnam is one of the world’s top exporters.

• Scientific name: Selenicereus undatus
• Vietnamese name: Thanh Long
• Season: Year-round, peak April to October

6. Mangosteen (Măng Cụt)

If lychee is the “queen of Northern fruits,” mangosteen is the crown jewel of the South. With its thick, deep-purple rind and soft, juicy white segments inside, it’s sweet with just a hint of tang—refreshing on a hot day.

• Scientific name: Garcinia mangostana
• Vietnamese name: Măng Cụt
• Season: Year-round, best from April to October

Grown mainly in Bình Dương and across the Mekong Delta, mangosteen thrives in the hot, fertile climate.

We usually eat it fresh, but unripe slices add a tangy crunch to Goi Ga (chicken salad), and ripe fruit can even be brewed into fragrant mangosteen tea.

7. Durian (Sầu Riêng)

Known as the “king of fruits” in Southeast Asia, durian is famously a love-it-or-hate-it fruit—much like fish sauce in Vietnamese cooking.

• Scientific name: Durio
• Vietnamese name: Sầu Riêng
• Season: Year-round, peak April to October

8. Jackfruit (Mít)

Jackfruit is in the same family as durian, but much gentler on the nose. When ripe, its golden-yellow flesh is sweet and fragrant, a mix of banana, apple, and mango.

• Scientific name: Artocarpus heterophyllus
• Vietnamese name: Mít
• Season: June to August

9. Star Apple (Vú Sữa)

Vú Sữa literally means “Milky Breast,” a name inspired by a sweet folk tale about a mother’s love. This fruit thrives in the Mekong Delta, where heavy, round star apples hang from lush orchards.

• Scientific name: Chrysophyllum cainito
• Vietnamese name: Vú Sữa
• Season: September to April

A bite of ripe star apple reveals jelly-like, custardy flesh—intensely sweet, like tropical grapes blended with applesauce.

While many enjoy it fresh, it’s also perfect in a creamy smoothie, a true Southern Vietnamese treat.

10. Sugar Apple (Na / Mãng Cầu Ta)

In Vietnam, this fruit goes by two names: Na in the North and Mãng Cầu Ta in the South—the “Ta” meaning local, to distinguish it from soursop (Mãng Cầu Xiêm), which came from Thailand.

• Scientific name: Annona squamosa
• Vietnamese name: Na / Mãng Cầu Ta
• Season: August

Sugar apples are little green treasures with custard-like flesh inside—sweet, fragrant, and creamy, sometimes with a hint of vanilla.

The pulp is soft and juicy, though a few fruits are slightly firmer. In Vietnam, we usually keep it simple: scoop and enjoy fresh, one bite at a time.

11. Soursop (Mãng Cầu Xiêm)

In Vietnam, we call it Mãng Cầu Xiêm (or sometimes Mãng Cầu Gai). Its flavor is a tropical mix—sweet and tangy, with hints of banana, pineapple, and strawberry, all brightened by a citrusy note.

The flesh is soft, creamy, and almost custard-like, perfect for desserts.

• Scientific name: Annona muricata
• Vietnamese name: Mãng Cầu / Mãng Cầu Xiêm / Mãng Cầu Gai
• Season: June to September

You can enjoy it in a Soursop Smoothie, Soursop Iced Tea, Soursop Tea, Soursop Ice Cream, or simply fresh—a tropical treat you won’t forget.

12. Avocado (Bơ)

Avocado is loved worldwide, but in Vietnam, we’ve turned it into something extra—creamy drinks and desserts you won’t find anywhere else.

The local avocados aren’t like the Hass variety: they’re softer, richer, and naturally sweet—perfect for blending.

• Scientific name: Persea americana
• Vietnamese name: Bơ
• Season: Year-round, peak May to September

13. Tamarind (Me)

Tamarind grows in long, brown pods hiding tangy-sweet pulp—perfect for adding a punch of flavor to drinks and dishes alike.

• Scientific name: Tamarindus indica
• Vietnamese name: Me
• Season: Year-round

14. Chikoo (Hồng Xiêm / Sa-pô-chê)

Chikoo, or sapodilla, is hands-down my favorite fruit. Each bite is like jaggery meets caramel—a natural sweetness somewhere between brown sugar and pear, comforting and indulgent.

• Scientific name: Manilkara zapota
• Vietnamese name: Hồng Xiêm / Sa-pô-chê / Lồng Mứt
• Season: Year-round, peak May to August

In Vietnam, we mostly enjoy chikoo fresh, letting its soft, sweet flesh melt in your mouth. It also makes an incredible Chikoo Shake—sometimes with a hint of coffee for an extra kick.

15. Banana (Chuối)

Bananas might seem ordinary, but Vietnam’s local varieties—like Chuối Sứ and Chuối Tây—are on another level. Creamy, naturally sweet, with a honey-like flavor, they easily outshine regular Cavendish bananas.

• Scientific name: Musa acuminata
• Vietnamese name: Chuối (local varieties: Chuối Sứ / Chuối Tây)
• Season: Year-round

16. Star Fruit (Khế)

Star fruit, or Khế, is a uniquely Vietnamese treat. Depending on the variety, it can be sweet with a touch of tang or bright and sour—perfect for snacking or cooking.

• Scientific name: Averrhoa carambola
• Vietnamese name: Khế
• Season: Year-round

17. Java Apple Fruit (Mận / Roi)

Java apples, or rose apples, are called Roi in the North and Mận in the South—though beware, Mận can also mean plums!

• Scientific name: Syzygium samarangense
• Vietnamese name: Mận / Roi
• Season: Year-round

These bell-shaped fruits are popular across Southeast Asia (known as Chompoo in Thailand) and for good reason.

Crisp, juicy, and lightly sweet-tart, they’re refreshing and delicate—like a crunchy, airy apple—perfect for snacking on a hot Vietnamese afternoon.

18. Papaya (Đu Đủ)

Papaya is a favorite in Vietnam, enjoyed both green and ripe—unlike in the West, where it’s usually eaten only when ripe.

• Scientific name: Carica papaya
• Vietnamese name: Đu Đủ
• Season: Year-round

19. Mango (Xoài)

Both ripe and green mangoes are hugely popular in Vietnam, each with its own charm.

• Scientific name: Mangifera indica
• Vietnamese name: Xoài
• Season: Year-round

20. Pomelo (Bưởi)

Pomelo is one of Vietnam’s favorite citrus fruits, alongside oranges, limes, tangerines, and calamansi.

• Scientific name: Citrus maxima
• Vietnamese name: Bưởi
• Season: Year-round

Pomelo is delicious on its own—juicy, fragrant, and refreshing.

In Vietnam, it also stars in dishes like Pomelo Salad, crisp and tangy, or Chè Bưởi (Pomelo Dessert Soup), a sweet, aromatic treat that’s truly unique and delightful.