The Pinnacle of China's Tropical Fruits Lies Neither in Guangxi Nor in Guangdong

Sanya, a city hailed by northeasterners as their "second hometown," a place dubbed the "Oriental Hawaii"... But did you know? Sanya produces fruit year-round, with a variety so vast it exceeds imagination.

While Sanya is renowned as a tourist hotspot, it remains understated as a "new paradise for tropical fruits."

Construction site of the National Nanfan Biological Breeding Zone project in Yacheng District, Sanya.

Sanya, historically known as Yazhou, was first documented in the Jin Dynasty's *Records of the Plants and Trees of the South* for its native tropical fruits like lychee and longan. Later, the Southern Song Dynasty's *General Records* noted the introduction of jackfruit, while bananas and mangoes appeared much later in the Qing Dynasty's *Yazhou Annals*. In short, Sanya has a long history of cultivating and introducing tropical fruits, though previously mostly for local consumption.

Since the 1980s, with professional guidance and planning, Sanya began large-scale tropical fruit cultivation. According to Sanya's Bureau of Statistics, the city now has 390,000 mu (about 26,000 hectares) of orchards, yielding 480,000 tons annually. Leveraging its unique geographical advantages, Sanya grows and has introduced over 400 tropical fruit varieties. Located at 18°N latitude, Sanya enjoys an average annual sunshine duration of 2,534 hours (6.9 hours daily), making it a natural greenhouse for tropical fruit cultivation.

Guifei mangoes hanging from branches, resembling heavy door curtains.

In Sanya, you can enjoy mangoes all year round!

At 3.68 yuan per jin for Guifei, 4.05 yuan for Jinhuang, and 3.53 yuan for Tainong No. 1 (April data from Sanya Price Monitoring Center), visitors are often amazed by how affordable and delicious Sanya's mangoes are. The city's fruit stalls exude a strong mango aroma year-round—no exaggeration, as decades of breeding and technical innovations ensure nearly continuous mango harvests. Achieving "mango freedom" here is no pipe dream!

Varieties of mangoes are cultivated in terraced patterns across Sanya's hills.

Sanya's tropical maritime monsoon climate, with an annual average temperature of 25.5°C (even exceeding 20°C in January), is ideal for tropical fruit farming. Though mountainous terrain once posed challenges, selective breeding has adapted different mango varieties to varying elevations. For instance, Tainong No. 1 thrives at 100–500 meters, Guifei at 800+ meters, and Jinhuang at 800–1,000 meters. Techniques like bagging further enhance resilience, enabling year-round growth while reducing pesticide use and improving quality.

Bagged Yuwen mangoes—premium quality deserves layered protection.

Today, Sanya boasts diverse, top-tier mango varieties—after all, "Sanya Mango" is a nationally protected geographical indication product.

Key commercial varieties include Tainong No. 1, Guifei (Red Golden Dragon), Jinhuang, Australian, and Ivory mangoes. Tainong, introduced from Taiwan, is round, golden, and intensely aromatic—the quintessential mango in many minds. Guifei, large and thin-seeded, offers a fresher fragrance and melt-in-the-mouth sweetness. Australian mangoes, plump and rosy-yellow, evoke nostalgia for 1990s northeasterners and cater to niche markets.

Guifei mangoes: large, thin-seeded, with juice that smears across your face.

This barely scratches the surface. Jinhuang, with its thick, silky flesh, ranks among the sweetest. Yuwen, "larger than a face," matches in sweetness. Peppery mangoes, a Guifei variant, sport a slender tail and command high prices. Green mangoes stay green when ripe, tart yet juicy. Sacred Heart, small but fiberless and red-skinned, is a recent favorite.

Jinhuang is one of the sweetest mango varieties.

As other mango types proliferate, the long-cultivated green-skinned mango's market share dwindles. Though mildly tart, locals adore it—traditionally eaten unripe with chili salt for crunch.

When will locally grown durians hit the market?

Durians' high prices stem from import reliance, making Sanya's homegrown durians a beacon of hope.

In mainland China, only Sanya can cultivate durians, requiring an average annual temperature above 22°C (Sanya: 25.5°C). Ample sunlight, rainfall, humidity, and fertile soil further suit durian growth.

The durian plantation base in Yucai Ecological Zone, Sanya City.

According to information from the Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the introduction of durian to Sanya has been a "persistent" process, spanning from 1958 to 2019. Commercial cultivation began in 2018, and the industry now covers over 30,000 mu, though it remains largely in the cultivation stage. This year, the durian planting area in Hainan capable of flowering and fruiting is about 2,000 mu, with an estimated yield of 50 tons starting from 2023.

The durian varieties currently introduced in Sanya are primarily Thailand's Golden Pillow, with the remaining being Malaysia's Musang King and Black Thorn. Staff at the Hainan Rouming Durian Base claim that Hainan durian tastes better than those on the market because naturally tree-ripened durians differ from commercially circulated ones, which are typically 75% chemically ripened.

China's annual durian consumption is about 1 million tons. For Hainan durian to enter the market on a large scale and lower prices, patience is still required. If Sanya durian can achieve stable yields and quality while solving the global challenge of disease susceptibility in durian trees, the day may come when Sanya enjoys "durian freedom."

Click to watch the video *Growing Durian in Hainan*.

What fruit tastes like "spring water growing on a tree"?

Wax apple, known as "tian bu" in some southern regions or "plop" due to the sound it makes when falling from the tree, originates from India, Malaysia, and Java, earning it the name "Java apple."

Wax apple seeds usually do not develop, making it a truly shell-free, seedless "lazy fruit." The darker the color, the riper it is; the sepals at the "navel" must spread open to indicate ripeness. Its extremely thin skin makes it prone to bruising and rot, hence its high price.

Wax apple is a seedless, shell-free "lazy fruit."

Sanya has cultivated wax apples for over a century. The local native variety is pink, mildly sweet, with a camphor-like aroma. Today, improved varieties like Black Pearl and Black Diamond dominate the market. Black Diamond wax apples are crisp, tender, and juicy, offering a refreshing sweetness—like "spring water growing on a tree."

Xing Jun, president of the Sanya Wax Apple Association, mentioned in an interview that in recent years, Sanya has mainly grown an improved specialty variety called "Milk Wax Apple." It is sweet, crisp, and juicy but highly perishable, almost "fragile as a bubble." The name comes from using milk mixed with soybean milk, eggs, fish meal, and other nutrients to create a bio-organic fertilizer, resulting in its unique taste and high price. Another self-developed second-generation variety, "Nanlu No. 1," combines the flavors of Black Diamond and Milk Wax Apple and has been exported to Canada and other欧美 countries.

Wax apples bruise easily and require layered packaging for protection.

The more exotic the types, the richer the varieties.

Every morning, stalls selling colorful tropical fruits like mangoes, durians, jackfruits, and wax apples line the streets. The Xinhonggang Fruit Market, frequented by locals, also attracts many tourists. The market is bustling, offering fresh and affordable fruits, with vendors even providing packing and shipping services.

Sanya's fruit markets offer fresh and cheap tropical fruits.

Many Sanya locals' childhood memories are tied to mobile fruit vendors, especially the strong aroma of guava, a distinctive tropical fruit. Guava, also called "bala," comes in red and white flesh, with older Sanya residents preferring the red variety.

The carambola (star fruit) from elementary school textbooks is memorable for its star-shaped cross-section. In Sanya, there are two main types: sour and honey carambola. Honey carambola is sweet, juicy, and crisp, but its ridges should be removed due to bitterness. Sour carambola is intensely tart and often used in fish stews by locals to remove fishy flavors and add a hint of sweetness.

Carambola ridges form a "star" shape.

Another example is dragon fruit. Besides red and yellow varieties, Sanya has introduced the pitaya from Central America, nicknamed "bird's nest fruit" for its juiciness, smooth texture, and exceptional sweetness. Its unique appearance also makes it highly expensive.

Bird's nest dragon fruit: a treat for both taste buds and eyes.

In Sanya's fruit markets, if there's one tropical fruit you must buy, mangosteen is definitely on the list. Its segments of white, tender, and silky flesh resemble a cat's chubby little paws, making it irresistible to eat many at once, and they melt in your mouth.

The segments of mangosteen flesh look like a cat's tiny paws.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Sanya introduced rambutan from the Malay Peninsula, also known as "hairy lychee" because its flesh's texture and taste are strikingly similar to lychee.

The horned melon, native to African deserts and also called kiwano, looks like a golden spiked club. Its pulp is very sour, so a common way to eat it is to cut a hole at the top, pour in honey, insert a straw, stir the flesh, and sip it. Sanya’s markets also feature a fruit resembling a miniature dragon fruit but tasting like mulberry, staining fingers and tongues purple—this is the prickly pear, a "cousin" in the cactus family.

Fig.1: Kiwano resembles a spiked club. Photo/VCG

Fig.2: Prickly pear looks like a pocket-sized dragon fruit but tastes like mulberry. Photo/Tuchong Creative

Visitors to Sanya’s Nandao Farm will surely remember the canistel, a tropical fruit native to Cuba and North America. Its golden hue resembles an un-oily salted egg yolk, but biting into it reveals a flavor like intensely fruity roasted sweet potato—dry and fluffy. Eating it with a spoon can be a bit choking, so it’s best paired with water.

The sugar apple, native to the Americas, the Indian Islands, and the Caribbean, resembles a Buddha’s head, hence its name. Dubbed "the ice cream of fruits," it emits a unique fragrance when ripe and offers a dense, sweet bite. Among the world’s sweetest fruits, Sanya has recently introduced purple sugar apples alongside the common yellow-green variety, adding new hues to the "Buddha’s head."

The sugar apple is one of the sweetest fruits in the world.

The "thumb watermelon" popular in Beijing’s upscale supermarkets, labeled as from Sanya, is also pricey. Native to Mexico and Central America, this mini watermelon, after being introduced to Sanya, is truly thumb-sized with classic watermelon stripes but tastes like slightly tangy cucumber. Though not very sweet, its "burst-in-the-mouth" texture is uniquely delightful.

Thumb watermelons are petite and offer a one-bite "bursting" sensation.

This is far from all—Sanya also boasts miracle fruit, which makes everything taste sweet afterward; salak, with coconut-like flesh and pineapple-like flavor; breadfruit, resembling bread in appearance and potato in texture; and finger limes, whose pulp mimics caviar...

Sanya truly deserves the title of a new paradise for tropical fruits. Not only are "traditional" varieties like mangoes, dragon fruit, wax apples, and guavas widely cultivated, but the city also breaks seasonal limits, ensuring their fragrances linger year-round. Moreover, it continually pushes the boundaries of tropical fruit farming, introducing previously hard-to-cultivate varieties. Here, you can fully savor a diverse array of exotic flavors and nature’s wondrous marvels.

In Sanya, fresh fruit is available all year round.

Like opening a new world for your taste buds.

In Sanya, you can not only enjoy a rich variety of tropical fruits but also experience vibrant, down-to-earth ways of eating them.

Green mangoes soaked in saltwater, served fresh on demand.

The winter romance of wearing short sleeves while sipping coconut water.

Sanya, a city that escapes winter. While northerners bundle up in down jackets, Cantonese wear sweaters, and Haikou residents don long sleeves in January, Sanya locals lounge in T-shirts and beach shorts, leisurely sipping coconut water by the sea breeze.

In the scorching summer, coconut water is ubiquitous—the most authentic and quickest way to beat the heat. After drinking, the tender coconut meat, thin as cicada wings, melts in your mouth; older coconut meat is chewy and crisp, often dipped in brown sugar by locals.

Coconut desserts are commonly seen on the streets of Sanya.

The earliest records of coconut cultivation in Sanya can be traced back to Su Dongpo's "Ode to Coconut Wine." Traditional green coconuts have shaped today's coconut-lined coastal scenery, while the recently introduced golden coconuts, sweeter than their green counterparts, are also worth trying.

The old-fashioned taste of green mango dipped in chili salt.

In Sanya, locals actually prefer mangoes that aren't fully ripe. They enjoy them when the fruit is still firm, with a sweet-and-sour crunch, dipped in chili salt—a traditional eating method passed down through generations. Green mangoes paired with chili sauce or shrimp paste, though seemingly "dark cuisine," are hidden old-school flavors found in alleyways.

Many small shops along Sanya's streets serve sliced green mango strips with two dipping sauces: one is a sweet-and-spicy sauce made from local yellow lantern chilies and brown sugar, while the other is a local specialty shrimp paste. Though slightly pungent, it subtly enhances the refreshing tartness of the green mango, creating a unique flavor where the crisp crunch carries a hint of the sea.

Green mango dipped in chili—sweet, sour, crisp, and spicy.

During the scorching summer, locals in Sanya also prepare green mangoes like a cucumber salad, tossing them with rice vinegar or a bit of soy sauce, making it a refreshing and thirst-quenching treat.

Freshly shaved fruit ice, loaded with toppings.

When visiting Sanya, you must try freshly shaved fruit ice! Mango, wax apple, lychee, durian—anything can be turned into shaved ice, piled high with toppings like taro balls, winter melon barley, raisins, and peanuts. If you prefer added sweetness, locals will recommend brown sugar over white sugar, saying, "White sugar is bland and not as tasty!"

Mango shaved ice, with toppings so abundant they "steal the show."

Additionally, dishes like jackfruit stir-fried with pork, coconut chicken, and guava dipped in chili salt, sweet chili sauce, or shrimp paste... In Sanya, a new paradise for tropical fruits, a whole new world of flavors awaits.

Cover image | Courtesy of Tuchong Creativity.

Gao Aiping, Researcher at the Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences.

Zhang Yilin, Chairman of Zhelin Mango.

Wu Panpan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University.

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China Daily · "Seasonal Fruits Fill the Air with Fragrance! Exploring Sanya's Local Fruit Market"

Hainan Daily · "A Brief History of Hainan Fruits", "Hainan Has Promoted and Expanded the Cultivation of Tropical High-Quality Fruits and Vegetables Over 300,000 Mu"

Sanya Daily · "Tightening the Grip on Agricultural 'Chips' to Secure China's 'Rice Bowl'", "Unveiling the Secrets of 'Milk Wax Apple' Cultivation: Quickly Capturing the Mid-to-High-End Market with Premium Products"

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Feng Xuejie, Director of the Tropical Fruit Research Institute, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Hua Min, Researcher at the Tropical Fruit Research Institute, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences