With near-daily thunderstorms in Southeast Asia and concerns about fare increases due to fuel cost rises following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the price of fruit is probably a side issue for travellers considering a trip during monsoon season.
But for anyone hoping to try what proponents laud as the "king of fruit," the infamously pungent durian, a bumper harvest has seen a drop in prices in Malaysia - meaning a hungry visitor can have their fill for little more than the equivalent of a euro amid what has been described as a supply glut.
That's if locals do not get there first, that is: Local media reports have described people showing up at fruit vendors with sacks to be filled with bargain-price durian, which in recent years has arguably been hyped as much as it has been eaten.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s biggest city, already lured in visitors keen to sample the gloopy, custardy flesh of durian at streetside stalls or inside air-conditioned malls and restaurants as they seek a break from the mix of heat and downpours.
But they can now also visit the city’s Durian Experience Centre to be told of the history and cultural import of the world's smelliest fruit in Malaysia.
On June 25, Malaysia's national tourism body released data showing arrivals for the first five months of the year up 1% to 10.6 million, an increase driven by a 21% surge in numbers from China, Malaysia's main durian export market.
The new durian attraction opened in June with an “orchard experience zone” and “immersive theatre” for those who have not included a trip outside the city to see durian being grown - an increasingly popular add-on to holidaymaker itineraries and a potential competing attraction to durian-themed rivals elsewhere.
A five-hour drive south from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore is not only home to a thriving durian market, but for several months each year sees a “durian fiesta” take place at one of the city-state’s hotels, the Goodwood Park.
The 2026 fiesta started in March and will run until August, with a durian mousse-filled chocolate bear listed as one of the main attractions along with an array of durian-themed merchandise from tote bags to soft toys in the shape of the spiky green-shelled fruit.
