Food from the Philippines: Lanzones fruit

Posted on / 18 Comments by Dave from The Longest Way Home in » Filipino food | - Updated on November 4th, 2013.
Lanzones Fruit from The Philippines
Lanzones Fruit from The Philippines (click to enlarge)

Lanzones Fruit from The Philippines

The Lanzones fruit from The Philippines is seasonal, and usually only found in the southern islands. It grows and is sold in bunches that resemble grapes, but the Lanzones fruit is about twice the size.

What do lanzones taste like?

The yellowish skin is easy to peel, revealing a near translucent, segmented flesh underneath. The lanzones taste is almost akin to that of a grapefruit, though slightly less bitter, and not overflowing with juice.

Inside some of the Lanzones segments are dark seeds. I’ve eaten a few with no ill effects as they are soft, but they are very bitter. The lanzones fruit itself is very refreshing, and not heavy at all. The only ill effect is that they can leave your fingers quite sticky. But unlike other fruit, not to the extent to stain your clothes.

The best place to find lanzones fruit

A bunch of Lanzones fruit
A bunch of Lanzones fruit (click to enlarge)

The Lanzones fruit is celebrated on the southern island of Camiguin. Where once a year, they celebrate its harvest with the Lanzones festival. Usually around October. Be aware that due to over harvesting the festival now only uses real lanzones once ever two years. 2013 is the next year when fruit will be harvested for the festival.

Check out my travel story on Miss Camigiuin Island for more details on the Lanzones Festival. Or for up to date information on do read Camiguin island tourism information, ferry schedule & how to get there

Around central and southern Philippines Lanzones fruit can be found easily. Aside from October, the fruit also has a season in March / April where prices are as low as 20 peso a half kilo.Or, out in the country it’s nearly free!

This is an additional post and one of a series highlighting Filipino food

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18 Replies to “Food from the Philippines: Lanzones fruit”

  1. These sound delicious! The flesh reminds me of lychee. Mmm, I’ll have to see if I can some in the Asian market. :-)

    1. -Krista- It would be interesting to know if they are available elsewhere in Asia!

      -clementine- Welcome! Enroute to Davao. Lanzones are refreshing, but Marang is really my favorite fruit here!

      -Ivy- Hi, nice to see you again! I’d never heard of them either, but that’s the education of travel. I’ve only ever seem them down south here. So they might only be regional.

  2. this is so cool! i haven’t had my fix of lanzones from the motherland in ages!

    btw. where in the world are you now?
    -fellow pinoy nomad

  3. I’ve never heard of this fruit before. Learning a lot of stuff on this blog :)

    1. -jessiev- Yep, they are quite nice

      -Nomadic Chick- Not seen one of them in a while!

      -Trixie- Seems like they are found in other parts of Asia too (Malaysia). Just not as popular as here.

  6. Never heard of it – the photos make it look similar to a nut with fleshy innards (whatever THAT would look like ;)). Sounds and looks delish.

  7. this is called the Langsat in Malaysia! It’s sour. The Duku is a bigger sweeter version of the langsat but less aromatic. Crossbreed the two (which is v popular in Msia) and you have the sourish sweet Duku Langsat.. Delicious!! Great post.. sunday is pasar malam night for fruits( night market). u just reminded me to get a bag :) yay!

    1. -ciki- Great information. Now we know it’s in Malaysia too, and it has a cousin. Langsat it is. At least I can tell people it’s not just in The Philippines, which leads me to believe theres no fruit here that’s truly indigenous to the Philippines alone …

  8. we have lanzones here in florida growing wild….found some trees i didnt know what it was tried it its sweet and free yummy

  10. After the delicious Marang last week, i found lanzones in the local market, they do NOT taste like lychees at all, they are much nicer . Many Asian fruit taste like lychees, i expected this one to be the same, but exactly like you said, a taste of pink grapefruit, superb.

    Thanks for great tips about these Pinoy foods, i agree 100%

  11. there are a lot of lanzones trees in Valencia, Negros Oriental! these fruits are truly yummy!

  12. YES I FELL IN LOVE WITH LANZONES,THEY ARE SO REFRESHING,. BUT I THINK THAT THEY TASTE MORE LIKE A CROSS OF A PEACH AND A GRAPE, MAYBE MY TASTE BUDS ARE DIFFERENT.

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