KUCHING, Dec 18 — Durian season has arrived here, and with it comes the irresistible allure of the ‘King of Fruits.’

From fresh ‘kampung’ (village) varieties to the highly-prized ‘Musang King’, local sellers are offering an abundance of choices to satisfy every craving.

In Kuching, here are three spots that local durian lovers should not miss in their hunt for the season’s best.

At Taman Mimpi along Jalan Stapok here, across the KSC Store, Dilla Kilat, 27, and her uncle, Rezuan Milanau, 30, have set up their humble stall, ready to offer their ‘longgok’ (piles).

"Each day, we bring durians fresh from Simunjan to Kuching, as the majority of our customers are from Kuching,” she told The Borneo Post when met yesterday.

Theirs offerings comprise ‘Durian Kahwin’, also known as ‘Durian Senah’, as well as ‘Durian Lusing’.

Pricing is reasonable, ranging from RM8 to RM10 per fruit; RM40 for a regular bunch consisting of four to five fruits; and RM50 for a larger bunch.

Dilla and Rezuan often arrive in the afternoon, bringing in fruits freshly harvested in the morning, and their stall seems to be a reliable stop for those seeking good quality and freshness.

Another trader, KW Chong, has been selling durians at the Hui Sing Garden roundabout for over 20 years.

His supply comes from Serian, featuring the premium varieties like ‘Musang King’ and ‘D186’, also commonly known as ‘Durian IOI’.

Musang King goes for RM70 per kilogramme, while the IOI is priced at RM35 per kilogramme.

My durians are often snapped up quickly, so timing is crucial.

"However, rainy days can slow down the sales,” said Chong.

He added: "I plan to keep my stall open until the season’s end, so durian enthusiasts still have some time to indulge.”

Meanwhile, Yung Yung Durian operates in front of the Public Bank branch in the Stutong area here, from 2pm to 10pm daily.

They source their durians from Tebedu and Serian, offering ‘IOI’ and ‘Kampung’ varieties.

For convenience, they sell the flesh already packed in boxes — RM60 for two boxes of fairly large durian meat, or RM50 for five boxes of smaller pieces.

For those preferring the unopened fruits, the ‘IOI’ ones go for RM30 per kilogramme, and for now, Yung Yung is running an exciting promotion on the ‘Kampung Durian’ — fill a plastic bag with as many pieces as you can for RM60, or alternatively, get two bags for RM100 straight away.

With up to 1,000 durians transported almost daily from Tebedu, there is no shortage of supply.

One of Yung Yung employees said the prices would drop as more durians flooded the market, balancing the supply and the demand.

So, durian lovers, what are you waiting for?

Head to these locations across Kuching and savour the season’s thorny treasures before they run out! — The Borneo Post