Beyond the Smell: Inside durian mania

There is no in between in the case of durian: you either love or hate it. Durian lovers’ mouths would water when they see the golden yellow meat, while the haters would wrinkle their noses, unable to tolerate the smell.

Durian is hugely popular among those who love it. It is an annual summer delight, although durians are available all year round in some parts of Thailand.

There is always a strong demand, both domestically and for export. Of the Southeast Asean countries, Thailand leads in durian exports.

Hotel’s chefs manage to get flesh from durian./PHOTO courtesy of Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit.

Durian has long been crowned the “King of Fruit” by the people and the nomenclature has even found its way into government papers. Strangely enough, no one can really recall when the title was given nor the reasons behind it.

One theory has it that the sharp spikes on its skin relate to the crown, while another credit the golden yellow flesh inside and the economic value. Whichever it is, even its detractors have no objection to the title.

As summer arrives, durian lovers eagerly anticipate the arrival of their favorite tropical fruit.

A delicious spread: what to expect on a durian orchard tour./Photo by Warunee Maneekum

No other fruit offers such a combination of sweet and creamy taste and texture, along with a smell that can be aromatic (or pungent for non-fans). In the old days, people would head to the markets or wait for street vendors to pick their choices of durian.

Just like a steak, some prefer unripe (rare) durian with firm flesh, ripe (medium rare) with creamy texture, or overripe (well-done) with mushy flesh.

Be warned, if you are sensitive to the durian's smell, stay away from the overripe ones because the smell is intense and can be nauseating.

I well remember a childhood incident travelling on an air-conditioned bus when the driver, hyper-allergic to the durian smell, was forced to stop halfway in the Pratunam area because he developed a severe headache and couldn’t continue.

After the conductor's initial fruitless inquiry about who brought durian on board, she searched row by row and finally found the culprit.

Remarkably, the driver was so sensitive that he reacted even though the durian was uncut. The conductor took the bag and hung it outside the bus by the side window. And our bus could finally drive off again!

Gone are days when durian enjoyed “freedom of movement”. Incidents like that one have led to a different reality for durian. The bus incident wouldn’t happen nowadays.

Most public places are off-limits to durian due to its strong odor. Durian has joined the ranks cigarettes or pets in having signs banning them.

Everyone now knows that durians are not allowed in hotels, airports and all public transport. And while there are smoking rooms or smoking areas in some public places, no such facility exists for durian in hotels or airports.

Kanom Krok gets a tropical twist with durian meat topping.//Photo by Veena Thoopkrajae

Businesses Cater to the Craze

Yet despite the interdictions, the demand from durian fans and the spiky fruit’s economic value prevails.

Durian has landed in a new territory in the modern gastronomic era. Premier durian is available in almost every leading supermarket, albeit well packed so odor free.

Buyers know that feasting on the fruit is best reserved for their homes. That said, some shopping malls and hotels are responding to the desire for durian by holding annual events.

Durian chiffon cake.//Photo by Veena Thoopkrajae

For almost a decade, shopping malls have launched major durian events during summer. Right in the heart of Bangkok’s shopping district, Siam Paragon holds an annual durian buffet, adding other tropical fruit to the menu and holding the event outdoors to manage the smell.

Tickets can be booked for each round. Designed as an all-you-can-eat in one hour, the highlight is the variety of durian up for tasting, with this year’s event featuring more than 40 types of durian from over 80 farmers around the country.

The potency of the durian aroma is not a problem as long as the durian-eating venue is open to the elements or in a space specially arranged specially for durian lovers.

The Baiyoke Hotel, once Thailand’s tallest building, also holds an annual buffet highlighting durian at its hotel.

Needless to say, it is not for those sensitive to the smell, but the majority of patrons go just because they love eating durian and enjoy the comfort of an all-you-can-eat feast in an air-conditioned room.

Durian lovers can expect an array of durian dishes, the second best choice for durian lovers after the flesh. The usual dishes involve sticky rice and ice cream, but unusual gastronomic creations are also increasingly featured.

The Hyatt Recency Bangkok Sukhumvit has held a durian afternoon tea for two consecutive years thanks to the enthusiastic response from guests.

The menu is prepared with the premium Monthong variety from Toby’s farm in Chanthaburi.

Apart from common dish like durian sticky rice, the hotel offers creations such as durian scone, durian cheese tart, durian chiffon cake, durian Panna Cotta, Durian Spring Rolls and durian gelato.

An afternoon durian tea set at a five-star hotel.//Photo courtesy of Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit.


“We want to celebrate one of the country's greatest soft powers. Last year's trial was successful, so we anticipate even greater success this year,” said Sammy Carolus, General Manager of Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit.

Carolus, a durian lover himself, believes that not all durians give off the same pungent smell.

“For the afternoon tea, it is not like you walk into the room and it is head-on durian. And for our guests who wish to take durian to their rooms, the answer is yes.

However, as we don’t have balconies, a strong odor will unfortunately incur a cleaning fee. This is because thorough odor removal takes up to three days.”

From Orchards to Malls and Online

Durian creations continue to grow as the fruit is a great match for Thailand’s attempts to cash in on its soft powers. Thailand tops durian exports with 750,000-800,000 tons expected this year, while local consumption is about 300,000 tons annually.

Local consumption has the potential to grow thanks largely to durian menu creations. Many, such as crispy durian or durian ice cream, are available all year round. They are also favorites with locals and durian-loving tourists.

The mushrooming online channels have also changed the durian game. The rise of online ordering is at everyone’s fingertips, with the fruit delivered direct to your door.

The convenience of online ordering also comes with a gentle reminder: enjoy your durian responsibly, keeping in mind those who might not share your enthusiasm for its potent aroma.

Gastronomic tourism such as the durian event in a five-star hotel can help farmers reduce the risk of being too dependent on the export market.

This type of tourism is not new, as many durian orchards offer a tour-cum-buffet where durian lovers can stroll through the orchard and eat as much durian as they can.

And tourism operators are cashing in: for example, Go Hotel Sri Racha has come up with a Go Local, Eat Local excursion that gives guests a voucher to visit Suan Khun Yai durian orchard in Rayong for an all-you-can-eat experience.

Online ordering and durian promotion events help support local farmers and promote non-mainstream durian varieties.

These days, it isn’t just the seven main varieties such as Monthong, Chanee, Kob and Kenyao, but also the lesser-known varieties or limited GI cultivation species earning recognition, and online platforms are handy for those with limited cultivation who want to sell at a better price by doing away with the middle man.

As for durian lovers, it is happiness money can buy. They can shop around and find the right flesh, taste and level of ripeness that they prefer.

What makes the durian unique is that there are two distinct groups - durian lovers and durian haters. But within the universe of lovers, there are people who dislike overripe durian and others who adore it.

There are also growing numbers of enthusiasts who dislike the stronger aroma of Chanee varieties. So, as durian mania is here and will stay intense for a couple of months, the best advice for lovers is to enjoy the season to the fullest and eat it responsibly.

The convenience of online ordering also comes with a gentle reminder: enjoy your durian while keeping in mind the universe of people who could become nauseous due to the strong smell of your favorite fruit.