The only good thing that’s come out of the recent heat wave is that it’s officially durian season again! Thanks to the rising temperatures (and hence increased supply), the king of fruits are going for less than half their usual prices.
For the ever-popular Mao Shan Wang (Musang King), the market rate is now $18 to $20 per kg even at well known sellers like Ah Seng Durian, Combat Durian and The Durian Story.
READ NEXT
Tips for buying durians in Singapore:
• The best way to get your hands on the thorny fruit is to order in advance. You must call, WhatsApp or Facebook message them to reserve your durians, otherwise you’re probably going to be disappointed when you show up at the store.
• Dishonest sellers don’t only exist on Carousell – durian sellers can be bad too. They may try to pass other durian species off as Mao Shan Wang, or they may give you unripe or rotten fruit. If you’re worried about getting scammed, read online reviews or ask for the entire fruit to be opened at the shop. At least then if it’s unripe or rotten, you will know right away.
Durian Delivery is an online-only store. Their durians come de-husked and ready to eat, so you don’t have to fiddle with the thorny fruit exterior.
They are sold in 400g and 800g packs, and according to them, 800g of durian flesh (including seeds) comes from about 3.2kg of husked durians.
Delivery is chargeable at the following rates:
- Same-day: $9.70 per location
- Next-day: $6.90 per location
- Express: $12.70 per location
If you hit $80 you get free shipping, but that excludes late-night orders after 10pm.
128 Durian‘s per kg prices may not be the lowest, but they often announce flash deals on Facebook. For today (10 Jun), they’re selling 6kg of Mao Shan Wang for $98, including free islandwide delivery. That’s only about $16 per kg!
Address: 231 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574362
The Durian Story prides itself for selling quality durians imported from “world-recognised harvesting spots” at competitive prices. Although they may not currently be in season, The Durian Story brings in quite a few cultivars, including the Green Bamboo (also called “Queen of Mao Shan Wang”) and the XO durian.
Address: 151 Serangoon North Ave 2, #01-11, Singapore 550151
The original Hao Chi Durian is located at Clementi, but they’ve since opened a branch at Sembawang Road. Prices are generally quite reasonable, and they have seasonal promotions from time to time.
The most recent promo was $5 for small Mao Shan Wang durians.
Address: 109 Clementi Street 11 #01-02, Singapore 120109 (main) / 439 Sembawang Road, Singapore 758400 (branch)
227 Katong Durians used to be a makeshift stall, but thanks to their quality durians and regular customers, they have “upgraded” to shophouse at East Coast Road. They get their durians fresh from Muar, Pahang and Johor, and on top of durians, also sell other fresh fruits and juices.
Address: 227 East Coast Road, Singapore 428924
Ah Seng Durian is undoubtedly the most popular durian store in Singapore. And surprisingly, they’re actually quite affordable too. Mao Shan Wang durian prices are currently fluctuating between $18 and $17 per kg, depending on the day’s supply.
Their durians are highly in-demand, so if you want, make sure to go early. The durians arrive at 1.30pm and 6pm daily.
Address: Blk 20 Ghim Moh Market #01-119 to #01-122, Singapore 270020
Bentong Durian is a super popular durian store at Holland Village. Their durians sell out quite early, so they recommend reserving your fruits at least one day in advance.
If you want to walk in, take note of the shipment timings: The Pahang Mao Shan Wang arrives at 5.30pm, while the Johor Mao Shan Wang arrives at 1pm daily. The rest come at 3pm.
Address: 241 Holland Avenue, #01-02 Holland Village, Singapore 278976
After Ah Seng Durian, Combat Durian is probably the next best known durian seller in Singapore. Their durians seem a little more expensive and they sell out very quickly, but the good thing is that they only do walk-ins. The durians arrive at 3pm and 6pm, so you know what time to camp for the goodies.
Address: 249 Balestier Road, Singapore 329727
Durian Kaki has two outlets, one in Yishun and the other at Simei. They’re pretty big, and even offer durian catering services for in-house parties, as well as private and corporate events.
Most durians arrive at 11am to 2pm daily. For the Pahang Mao Shan Wang, the arrival time is 5pm to 8pm – just right for you to swing by after work.
Addresses: Junction Nine #01-83, 18 Yishun Ave 9, Singapore 768897 & Eastpoint Mall #01-10/11, 3 Simei St 6, Singapore 528833
From their Facebook reviews, it seems like Durian 36 has quite the passionate following (4/5 stars, 99 reviews). Past customers gush about the fruits being the “best durians (they’ve) ever tasted” and that you can “trust them with checking” the durians.
Their prices seem a little steep – especially the premium Mao Shan Wang – but for the regular one, it’s actually reasonable. They charge by the fruit ($20), and each one is around 1.4kg to 1.6kg. That makes it about $13.30 per kg.
Address: 608, Geylang Road Lorong 36, Singapore 389547
READ MORE:
How Drinking Natural Wines Can Help You Live Longer
Got A Supper Craving? Try These Late-Night Food Delivery Services In Singapore
9 Best Food Delivery Services In Singapore To Satisfy Every Craving
A version of this post first appeared on Moneysmart.