Origins: The Durian (more photos than words)

Durians at the source in Malaysia, before transport to Singapore

To enjoy durians in Singapore, the usual practice is to head into Geylang or Dempsey Road and do your best to negotiate a delicious durian for a good price. Enjoying them at the curbside seated on plastic stools at old card tables and tossing the shells and pits into big plastic laundry baskets is a wonderful experience shared by many devotees.

There is a general awareness that the fruits are transported in from Malaysia, but not many have made the pilgrimage to the source. Well, now everyone can see the origins of the durians and how they make their way to Singapore.

Malaysia has many durian plantations. The word 'plantation' evokes images of stately manors, sprawling orchards with endless rows of fruit trees and ample warehousing, with farm machinery buzzing about.

The reality with durian plantations is far from that. It is closer to the traditional kampong village atmosphere found in the middle of rainforests.

After driving north from Singapore, just shy of Malaka there is turn-off on a narrow dirt road through a forest, where you can see what look like circus trapeze safety nets strung up between trees. These are not for jungle acrobats, but rather to catch the falling durians.

In the jungle, the GPS is not much use...

The GPS will not find this road...

The not too long but pretty bumpy road

After a brief bumpy ride you park in front of what at first looks like a lean-to, which is propped up alongside the plantation house.

The plantation manor and distribution centre

The house is nestled in the jungle, surrounded by beautiful sights in the trees.

Durians hanging low enough to grab

There are even some durians having a swim

The family members running the business welcome you with free samples of each type of durian they have harvested, everything from mountain cats to kampong durians, and they all taste great.

The durians are collected by guys on motorbikes. Some have a practical basket system for the durians.

Others use a more precarious method of stacking the fruits on the seat between their legs.

Once at the house, the durians are sorted by type.

Sorting of the Durians

Customers pick the ones they want.

As the paper sacks are filled they go onto the digital scales.

After weighing, the bags are closed and tied.

It is also possible to have the durians opened and have the fruit packed in Tupperware and other plastic containers.

This Tupperware is actually promoted as being good for durian storage.

Wholesalers transporting the durians to market use large plastic baskets which are then covered with newspaper before being loaded into their van.

Strolling around the plantation you will see an assortment of other fruits.

Starfruits

An insect pollinating starfruit flowers

Rambutans

Unknown fruit cradled by leaves

Another of the unknown fruits

Not only is it fun to enjoy durians under the trees from which they grow, the prices are a fraction of the amounts charged after they cross the causeway into Singapore.

Location:

Related links:

8 Myths and Facts About the King of Fruits

Durian enjoyment in Thailand

Friends enjoying Durian in Thailand