Kampung Kian Sit (垦殖新村), formerly known as Site A of Sekinchan, is approximately 4 kilometers from the main part of Sekinchan town. Most residents here are farmers.

Mango King (华仔芒果园) is a fruit stall near the village entrance. The shop is around 800 meters from Nan Tian Gong temple (南天宫), the village’s most prominent landmark.

Mango King has around 10 cultivars of mango. The mangoes are mostly harvested from the owner’s plantation nearby. Also on sale are bananas, guavas, pineapples, rose apples and ciku.

Besides fresh fruits, Mango King also sells food and drinks. The bestseller is Pure Mango Smoothie (现打芒果冰沙, RM6.00), where fresh mangoes are blended with ice. Besides plum powder, no sugar is added. The smoothie is naturally sweet on its own!

The shop also sells Char Koay Teow (炒粿条), Asam Laksa, Clam Omelette (啦啦煎) and Fruit Rojak. Unfortunately, we are not able to taste these dishes this round.

Address: 248, Lorong 4, Kampung Kian Sit, 45400 Sekinchan, Selangor
Contact: 019-303-9406
Business hours: 11:00am-6:00pm (Monday-Tuesday), 9:00am-6:00pm (Wednesday-Sunday)
Taste

Presentation

Ambience

Hospitality

Value

Lexis Suites Penang is rolling out the Durian Fiesta promotion during this durian season. The all-you-can-eat durian buffet is served at Bayu Lexis, which is the beachfront lawn behind the hotel. Besides having a scenic view, the venue also takes advantage of the cooling breeze from the sea.

Lexis Suites is collaborating with a durian orchard in Balik Pulau to bring the freshest durians this season. During the 2-hour experience, customers are taken on a gastronomic journey as they savour multiple durian cultivars.

There are approximately 10 durian cultivars that Balik Pulau has to offer. Popular ones are Ang Hae (红虾), Cheh Phoay (青皮), Hor Lor (葫芦), Musang King (猫山王) and Kapli (甲必利). Each cultivar has a unique profile in terms of sweetness, bitterness, aroma and texture.

Some people enjoy durians with glutinous rice, which comes with coconut milk and gula melaka (palm sugar). As durians are considered “heaty”, diners are advised to drink plenty of water afterwards. In fact, the hotel provides complimentary bottled water too.

Lexis Suites’ Durian Fiesta is open to the public and is only available while durians are in season. The price is RM118.00 net per person. The hotel requires a minimum of 10 persons per session. But if your party is in short of 10 persons, just give Lexis Suites a call anyway so that the hotel can try to accommodate.

To ensure that customers get the best durian experience. 1-day advance reservation is required. Walk-ins are strictly not allowed. To sign up for Lexis Suites’ Durian Fiesta, simply fill up this registration form or call the hotel’s hotline (+60) 4-628 2888.

Name: Lexis Suites Penang
Address: 28, Jalan Teluk Kumbar, 11920 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-628-2888
Business hours: N/A
Website: https://www.lexissuitespenang.com
Coordinates: 5.28655 N, 100.23229 E
Directions: From Bayan Lepas, drive along Jalan Teluk Kumbar towards the intersection with Jalan Gertak Sanggul. Lexis Suites Penang is the tall building on the left just before the intersection. As the only building more than 3 floors in Teluk Kumbar, it is impossible to overlook this hotel. There are parking spaces inside the hotel.

Durian season has started, so it is time to indulge in the king of fruits! In this spirit, Iconic Hotel has erected an iconic (pun intended) durian shack outside the hotel. The fruits are sourced from Iconic Group’s own plantation in Balik Pulau.

Many durian cultivars are displayed at the shack; Musang King (猫山王) is perhaps the most popular one. Its flesh is sweet and creamy, and has a mild bitter aftertaste. Meanwhile, the seeds are relatively small.

Tian Sang (天送) literally means “heavenly gift”. This durian cultivar is not so well known but is cherished nevertheless. The durian’s flesh is orange in color.

D604 (六零四) is a local cultivar in Balik Pulau. This durian is often referred to by its name in Hokkien dialect, “lak kong si”. Like Musang King, D604 has somewhat small seeds.

Penang M5 (红肉仔) is another local favorite. Known locally as “ang bak kia”, this durian has a soothing aroma reminiscent of flowers.

Kampung (土种), or generic cultivar, is the most common type of durians sold by roadside stalls. Do not underestimate these durians because they can sometimes bring unexpected surprises.

The mangosteens here are also harvested from the same plantation in Balik Pulau. More often than not, mangosteens are eaten with durians because both fruits turn ripe around the same time. Moreover, mangosteen juice is believed to negate the “heatiness” of durians.

Iconic Hotel allows customers to eat-in or take-away. Fitted with proper ventilation, the durian shack offers a unique way to enjoy the fruit. While dining, customers can help themselves to complimentary nutmeg juice.

Iconic Hotel’s durian promotion runs from 12 June 2019 to 12 July 2019 or while stocks last. The shack operates between 12:00pm and 10:00pm daily. Durian cultivars are subject to availability.

As for durian lovers who prefer to sample a variety of cultivars, Iconic Hotel offers all-you-can-eat durians for only RM45.00 per person. Each session has a limited number of slots, so it is advisable make a reservation ahead of time.

Name: Iconic Hotel
Address: 71, Jalan Icon City, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-505-9988
Business hours: 12:00pm-10:00pm
Website: https://www.iconichotel.com.my
Coordinates: 5.34177 N, 100.43292 E
Directions: From the North-South Expressway, take the Bukit Mertajam exit and head east. Turn left just before Petron gas station, then turn right to the front entrance of the 15-floor Iconic Hotel. The durian shack is just in front of the hotel. The hotel provides multistorey parking.

Mr & Mrs Fruit Natural’s Candy is a fruit store at i-Avenue. The shop occupies the former location of Happy Meal and is sandwiched between 7-Eleven and Shen Food & Beverages (陞卤味专卖店).

Mr & Mrs Fruit supplies local and imported fruits at the retail level. Unlike most fruit stores, Mr & Mrs Fruit also specializes in bringing in exotic fruits that are not commonly stocked elsewhere. Some of these fruits are seasonal, so customers can expect to see different varieties every month.

Examples of fruits sold here are pineapples, mango, banana, papaya, watermelon, guava, plum and peach. More exotic fruits include kiwifruit (green, red and golden), pitaya (dragon fruit), avocado, persimmon, hami melon and sugar-apple.

Mr & Mrs Fruit also sells fresh palm dates from Egypt and China. Sweet in nature, these dates produce sappy sensation in the mouth. It is uncommon to see fresh palm dates in retail stores. Usually the dried version, called kurma in Malay, is sold instead.

Another attraction at Mr & Mrs Fruit are its blended juices and cold-pressed juices. Taken directly from the shelves, actual fruits are used to produce pure fruit juices.

One such example is Shingo pear (신고배), which is a special cultivar of Asian pear from Korea. Taking advantage of the fruit’s honey-like sweetness, the drink does not contain any added sugar. Optionally, customers can also sprinkle some chia seeds onto the drink at no extra charge.

The best pomegranates are grown in India, and these are the most suitable ones for juicing. Unlike those from other regions, Indian pomegranates do not taste sour at all. The drink’s intrinsic sweetness is soothing as it trickles down the throat. Preparing pomegranate juice is tedious because the seeds have to be plucked by hand. White membrane must be removed as its intense bitterness ruins the overall enjoyment.

Besides fresh fruits, Mr & Mrs Fruit also sells dried fruits, oats, quinoa, nuts and seeds. Employees of large companies like Intel and Motorola enjoy 5% discount on fresh fruits and juices. Despite being small in scale, Mr & Mrs Fruit is able to offer competitive pricing even when compared to large hypermarkets.

Name: Mr & Mrs Fruit Natural’s Candy
Address: 1-1-42, Medan Kampung Relau 1, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 017-461-5556
Business hours: 8:00am-7:00pm (Monday-Friday), 9:00am-6:00pm (Saturday), closed on Sundays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/MrNMrsFruit
Coordinates: 5.33315 N, 100.29329 E
Directions: Mr & Mrs Fruit is located at i-Avenue. The shop is sandwiched between 7-Eleven and Shen Food & Beverages (陞卤味专卖店). Street parking is available in front of the shop.

Gertak Sanggul Fishing Stage boasts a pond roughly an acre in size. Palm trees and attap-thatched huts provide shade for fishing hobbyists. Visitors are billed by the hour with three hours minimum.

There are several larger gazebos with ceiling fans. These amenities provide the perfect spot for the Durian Hunt event today. In fact, the business owner has graciously allowed the group to use his premises at no charge.

This marks the second major event organized by this group. The group’s logo has been modified slightly since the last event at Midland Court.

As for the durians, it is all-you-can-eat buffet style. Due to the large turnout for this event, the price is negotiated at RM30.00 per person.

While waiting for the durians to arrive from the nearby orchard, rambutans and mangosteens are also available in free-flow style. These fruits are traditionally believed to neutralize “heatiness” caused by durian consumption.

Due to the large number of avid durian lovers, the durians have to be delivered in several batches.

There are a number of different types of durian cultivars available, such as Ang Haer (红虾), Hor Loh (葫芦), Che Poi (青皮), Kun Poh Ang (坤宝红) and Cho Chun Ang (朱春红).

Today’s event is officiated by YB. Teh Lai Heng, State Assemblyman for Komtar. The group, over 40,000 strong now, has been gaining momentum in government recognition recently.

The co-founder behind this group, Joeson Khor, serves as the emcee and coordinator of this event. Once the durian station is set up, Joeson gives the green light to start the gluttony!

Opening durians with bare hands is difficult. But not everyone is comfortable wielding a parang (machete) either. Fortunately, we have some mechanical tools at our disposal.

Durians are typically opened from the bottom because this is where the fruit splits easily. This durian opener essentially wedges a wooden stake at the durian’s weakest spot. A hole at the base keeps the durian firmly in place.

Amused by how this handy gadget works, YB. Teh renders his service by helping to open durians for the long queue of hungry durian enthusiasts. Speaking of serving the people with his bare hands…

Due to the large crowd, each person in the line has to make do with whatever durian breed is available during his/her turn. With many online friends and newly-met friends today, it is easy to share around to try different varieties.

Certain cultivars have firmer flesh and but are usually paler in color. These durians tend to come in larger sizes.

Several other breeds are smaller in nature, but the flesh is more yellowish and has a creamy texture. Sometimes, there is also a pleasant bitter aftertaste. I personally prefer these types of durians.

Although most durians are round, there occasionally abnormal shapes such as this one which resembles buttocks.

Usually, an abnormal shape causes the durian to pack less flesh. In fact, there is only one fruit per compartment for this instance.

I am fortunate enough to sample the famed Ang Haer (红虾), a signature cultivar of Penang. The fruit is particularly fragrant and solid-yellow in color. The seeds are very small, which means the fruit is mostly rich, creamy flesh!

A bottle of nutmeg juice (豆蔻水) is provided to each person courtesy by the durian orchard owner. The drink typically sells for RM2.00 per bottle in the market.

More expensive durian cultivars such as Musang King (猫山王) and Or Chi (黑刺) are not included in the general buffet, but they are available at discounted rate of RM30.00 per kilogram.

In addition, the orchard owner also introduced an incoming durian breed: Rose (玫花). The flesh has a glaring yellow hue. I did not have the opportunity to sample this one because it is premium grade and there are not many to go around.

To spice things up, there is also a raffle event for five lucky winners. The prizes are several of these more expensive durian varieties.

RM30.00 is an affordable price to pay for the quality of durians today. The benefit of feasting in a large group is the opportunity to try different varieties at once. Overall, the event is enjoyable and very satisfying to my palate.

Address: 388, Mk. 8, Gertak Sanggul, 11910 Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-649-1812
Business hours: 6:00pm-12:00am, closed on Wednesdays