Selamat. Welcome to Java!
Java’s primordial landscape evolves before your eyes. This volcanically active island is a colorful cauldron of 145 million people speaking more than 4 languages, a place of furious development and creativity that has somehow never changed in a thousand years.
Here is a world where ancient Hindu temples perch among windy pine trees on conical slopes above an ocean of paddy, where barefoot men plow their fields with buffalo and video chat on WhatsApp, where sports cars edge around vast potholes, and the new always falls on what was here before.
It’s here, in the fertile foothills of Mount Merapi and Mount Tangkhuban Parahu, that we invite you to take a taste of Durian Lai.
Lai is a hybrid of Durio zibethinus and Durio kutejensis that originates in Kalimantan, Borneo, but was brought to Java in the early 60’s and 70’s by palm oil workers and has naturalized into the Javanese landscape. It’s been here long enough to allow regional differences.
We’ve chosen the more yellow-sweet Lai from Klaten and the richer reddish Lai from Subang.
We are pleased to introduce these Indonesian durian varieties to durian lovers of the USA 🇺🇸 & Canada 🇨🇦
This Durian Box is focused on
- Durian Lai: A hybrid of D. zibethinus and D. kutejensis
- 150g sample of Snakefruit Gula Pasir
- 150g sample of Snakefruit Pondok Madu
Also included:
- Tasting Instructions and recommended order to eat them
- Video Farm Tours by licensed local tour guides to take you on a virtual Durian Tour in Indonesia
- More educational materials
This is a Mail Order Durian package – you can buy durian online and it ships anywhere in the USA, Canada, & the EU.
The Sweet, the Fruity, the Perfumed, the sometimes Cherry Cough Medicine
Durian Lai does not taste like durian. Let’s just be clear.
If you’re hoping for a hefty, onion-vanilla bite of Monthong, this is may not be the durian for you.
Durian Lai has a very thick, dry, sticky texture. For durian lovers, its flavor is bizarre the first time as it lacks the onion/garlic/gaseous PUNCH of so many good durians.
Instead, Lai has a strong tropical fruit vibe, like funky pineapple or slightly fermented jackfruit blended with hazelnuts and dyed bright orange. If you get an excellent piece, there’s something of a cherry liquor to the back taste. We are obviously obsessed with it.
For those of you who love very sweet durians or the chemical complexity of wild durians from Borneo, this box is for you.
If you’re after traditional bitter durian, or love a super chunky, big-flesh durian, this is likely not the durian for you. Hang in there – Thailand’s season is coming soon.
About the Extras
Included in this box are two varieties of Snakefruit, still in their scaly brown skins.
Gula Pasir is the smaller, darker black fruit with pale flesh and an excellently dense crispness, like a Granny Smith apple but with green apple candy flavor.
Pondok is the larger one, with a foamy crunch and something more pineapple than apple to the aroma.
They are both excellent accompaniments to the Durian Lai and Lindsay’s favorite road trip snack in Indonesia.
*Meet the Indonesian Durian Farmers*
*No Styrofoam Packaging*
To get these durians to you still cold, we need sturdy insulation.
We have decided to stick with a polyurethane insulation covered with thermal reflecting material.
How Environmentally Friendly is Polyurethane?
Polyurethane is very durable, so please do us the favor of re-using this great insulation. You can keep it in the box and re-use the box + insulation as a cooler when you go the farmers market.
If you don’t wish to keep the insulation, please take it to your nearest recycling center.
We are sorry about using non-bio-degradable packaging, and a little bit annoyed with ourselves, so we will keep searching for better solutions.
Want to order Indonesia Durian in bulk?
Please inquire by sending a message to [email protected]
Refund/Replacement Policy
The following reasons are covered under our refund/replacement policy:
- We will replace boxes lost by UPS/FedEx
- Late delivery or improper handling by UPS/FedEx that results in spoilage or damage
- Anything that is our mistake is on us
What we may not cover:
- If you change your address mid-shipment or pick-up location mid-shipment, and the box is delayed as a result
- If you entered your address wrong and the box was rerouted and hence, delayed
To claim a refund/replacement, please notify us within *24 hours* of receiving your box with Photos.
Cancellations
- Please notify us of cancellations before the Friday 11:59PM before the Shipping Monday. All boxes ship on Monday only.
Box Reviews on Youtube
Rhonda (verified owner) –
Amazing!!! Durian Lai are orange miracles. Mahalo for the cosmic experience. Everything is so thoughtful – artwork and story on box, fruit card info with QR codes and photos, and the amazingly cold, delicious durian that made it’s way to my door in Hawaii….. great job Year of the Durian team!
Mikey (verified owner) –
I ordered two boxes, and I’m about to order another. Being in Canada, I miss the fruits of Indonesia. So when this lovely box came up, it contained two of my beloved fruits, Durian and Salak. I was able to share with my friends and bring them a bit closer to my childhood memories. The box that this package came in is pretty much an ornament in itself, lovely and character, one you don’t want to throw away! I highly recommend this box, Lindsay is absolutely dedicated to providing you with a wonder story, product and helping local farmers showcasing their wonderful work.
John Castleberry –
Wonderful! I really enjoyed this variety and the snake fruit was a great treat as well. Rich, multi faceted flavors in the Java Lai. A marvelous treat. I appreciate your devotion and love of the
people who grow these treasures. Your packaging and inserts are precious. Thank you also for the chocolate.
Best wishes and gratitude. I’ve tried several of your offerings and hope to enjoy many more.
Tatyana (verified owner) –
Durian adventure! Without leaving the house!
O my! Durian Lie from Java Indonesia! 💥⛰🗻
This was literally out of this world experience. 🚀👨🚀💛🧡💛🧡
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Taste and texture like nothing I’ve tried before. Incredibly, delicious, very fragrancy and perfumy! And so very different. It’s hard to describe. It doesn’t taste like any other durian I’ve tried before (I’ve ordered a few boxes from here) or any usual fruit for that matter.
Canistel (Egg Fruit) like texture… tropical flowers perfume notes…🌺 if someone told me it’s a fruit from another planet I’d totally believe them! 🚀 👽🖖
Stephanie (verified owner) –
I LOVED the Java Lai Durian SO much! The description is correct that the flavor profile is definitely unlike traditional durian. However, just like all durian varieties, it is amazing in its own unique way. Everything arrived cold and slightly frozen too, as is ideal for being ready to consume within about an hour of unpacking 👍.