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15 Amazing Hawaiian Fruits You Have to Try

Are you heading to Hawaii and want to taste local fruit? Scroll to find the best Hawaiian fruits you have to try on your next trip! Find them at the grocery store or at a Hawaii farmers market.
This Hawaiian fruits post was written by Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

When our family visits Hawaii, one of our first stops as we leave the airport is always the grocery store. That’s so we can stock up on delicious Hawaii fruit to eat for breakfast the next morning.

I don’t want to miss a single day of enjoying tasty Hawaiian fruit!

Then, we usually check the Farmers Market schedule to figure out where to go each day to get farm-fresh Hawaiian fruits. We love shopping local and supporting local farmers in Hawaii.

We like to chat up the farmers and find out which fresh produce is in season and any new varieties of fruits or vegetables we should try. It’s one of the best places to buy fruit in Hawaii.

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “What fruits grow in Hawaii?” The answer is SO many!

I’ve gathered my favorite 15 fruits that grow in Hawaii for an easy list of fruits everyone should try!

Plus, you get bonus points for picking them off Hawaiian fruit trees yourself!

Learn how to make a Strawberry Mango Smoothie Bowl!

Hawaii Fruit FAQs

What kind of fruit grows in Hawaii?

In the Spring, you’ll find lychee and citrus fruit. In summer, you’ll get mango, passion fruit, and dragon fruit. And year-round, you’ll find pineapple, papaya, coconut, and the tasty apple bananas! So many tasty Hawaii tropical fruits!

What fruit is Hawaii famous for?

Most people associate Hawaii with pineapple. That’s because of the pineapple plantations in the early 1900s. These days, it’s just the Dole Plantation on Oahu and Maui Gold.

Are pineapples native to Hawaii?

While Hawaii may be famous for pineapple, they aren’t actually native to Hawaii. In fact, they were brought over from South America.

15 Amazing Hawaiian Fruits to Try

1. Sugarloaf Pineapple

Fresh pineapple on a table

When you think of Hawaii, you probably picture Waikiki Beach, palm trees, surfers, and pineapple. Hawaii used to produce the most pineapples in the world.

While there are 37 varieties of pineapple, my absolute favorite is Sugarloaf Pineapple. It’s grown in Hawaii and it doesn’t usually ship to the Mainland, making it extra special to eat in Hawaii.

It’s the sweetest variety and the fruit inside is more of a white color. It always has low acidity, so I can eat an entire pineapple without it hurting my mouth. It’s one of my favorite fruits in Hawaii.

2. Mango

Mango fruit and mango cubes on the wooden table.

One of my favorite fruits grown in Hawaii is Mango. They are so sweet and juicy and every person in my family can eat at least one by themselves.

I find that the sweetest Mangoes can be found at those little roadside stands. I think it’s because they are homegrown versus commercially produced. But, it might just be the whole experience of picking them out on the side of the road!

There are tons of mango fruit trees in Hawaii. In fact, you can rent Airbnbs that have mango trees for easy access.

Mango tastes good at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator. One of my favorite ways to eat it is sliced up with li hing mui powder on top. So yummy!

You can also find fresh mango as a shave ice topping at the organic shave ice stands.

And if you are looking to make an incredible mango dessert, this mango sticky rice recipe is so tasty!

3. Apple Bananas

Tropical Apple Bananas from a Hawaii Farmers Market

I’m not actually a huge fan of bananas. I find them to be blah and starchy. However, I’m hooked on Apple Bananas!

They are “kid-size” and pack a flavorful punch. You can find them at grocery stores or Farmers Markets and they are just the right size to pack while hiking in Hawaii or driving around the island.

If you’ve done the Road to Hana and tried the amazing banana bread along the way, they are usually made with Apple Bananas. That’s why it tastes SO good!

Plus, apple bananas are one of the few fruits of Hawaii that they don’t ship to the mainland.

Try this Hawaiian Style Banana Bread recipe

4. Lychee

Lychee. Fresh lychees isolated on white

Lychee is definitely one of the most exotic fruits in Hawaii worth trying.

I first tried Lychee when I was a kid visiting Hawaii. We bought a bag of them from the back of someone’s truck. They showed us how to pop the skin with our teeth and peel it to unveil a sweet little fruit. I’ve been hooked ever since!

It was years later that I realized it’s a popular Asian fruit.

It has the consistency of a more muscle-y grape and there’s a big pit on the inside. It’s one of those fruits from Hawaii that is perfect to eat while sipping wine on a lanai overlooking the ocean.

If you can’t find the fresh fruit grown in Hawaii (it’s seasonal), you can also order Lychee green tea with Lychee jelly at bubble tea shops around the world. It’s my favorite combination!

5. Guava

Fresh guava on a wooden table

Another fruit from Hawaii is Guava. It’s a major ingredient in the popular Passion-Orange-Guava (POG) juice.

You can buy guava at Farmers Markets, but you can also pick them yourself. If you are hiking in the mountains in Hawaii, you will probably find Strawberry Guava along the trail.

Guava is a small fruit that can be eaten by itself or used as an ingredient. You can find it in guava jelly, syrup, guava juice, and lots of baked goods.

6. Passion Fruit

Passion fruit ( Passiflora edulis).3 fruits. The fruit is cut in two halves. Isolated on a white background

Passion Fruit (called Lilikoi in Hawaii) is also found in POG juice.

It’s also a small fruit of Hawaii that can be sliced in half and scooped with a spoon to get the fruit. You can eat it by itself, but you can also find it in lots of Hawaiian desserts, syrups, jams, juice, and baked goods.

It’s also a popular ingredient in acai bowls, Hawaiian fruit smoothies, and in shave ice.

One of my favorite things to eat in the morning is toast slathered in Lilikoi butter. OMG is it tasty and it makes for a great Hawaii souvenir to bring home!

7. Mountain Apples

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: Mountain Apples

Contrary to its name, Hawaiian Mountain Apples are quite different than what you’ll find on the Mainland. First, Mountain Apples aren’t round. They look more like a bell.

These Hawaiian fruits are super juicy and sweet and they taste like roses. Like an ordinary apple, you can just bite into the fruit or you can slice up to snack on.

You can also cook with them. The easiest thing to make is applesauce. Just blend the cooked apples with fresh ginger, cinnamon, and lemon juice and you’re all set!

8. Coconut

Coconut sliced in half

Technically this is a nut, but many consider Coconut meat to be a fruit, which is why I’m including it in this list.

It’s a pretty versatile fruit. You can drink the Coconut water and scrape out the coconut meat to eat fresh. Or you can squeeze the meat to make Coconut milk. You can also find dried Coconut at most grocery stores and Farmers Markets.

Coconut is also a main ingredient for the Hawaiian dessert Haupia, which is found at almost every luau in Hawaii.

Take a look at more coconut desserts worth trying!

9. Papaya

Hawaiian papapya fruit

Another one of my favorite Hawaiian fruits is Papaya. You can eat it on its own, but I like to squeeze lime juice on top to really bring out the flavor.

The Hawaii papaya variety is more pear-shaped than the Mexican ones you can usually find on the Mainland. The fruit inside can be golden yellow or a bright reddish-orange.

It also makes the perfect after-dinner treat, as Papayas are rich in protein-digesting enzymes that help with digestion.

10. Rambutan

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: Fresh rambutan on wooden table background

This is definitely one of the more exotic-looking Hawaiian fruits! I mean, it’s got a hairy red and green shell! That’s why it’s my pick for the most Instagrammable fruit!

This Asian fruit is available in Hawaii during February and March and you can find it at local Farmers Markets. It kind of tastes like Lychee, but a bit more tart.

To eat it, just slice open the skin with a knife and get the meat out. We like to eat them as an afternoon snack.

11. Persimmon

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: Persimmons on a wooden table

Persimmons are another Asian fruit that made its way to Hawaii. Hawaii has the perfect climate for them to grow in and they are such a sweet treat!

You just need to peel and cut them to eat. We use either a peeler or a knife to get the skin off and then slice them like we would an apple.

The texture is kind of like a firm peach, but it’s got a unique flavor. They are super delicious!

12. Longan

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: a tropical fruit called longan or dragon eye fruit

I actually only tried this fruit a few years ago when my Mother-in-Law was super excited to find it in Hawaii. She grew up eating them in Hong Kong and they called them “Dragon Eyes.”

It tastes a lot like Lychee (maybe a little tarter), but the skin is much smoother and isn’t prickly. You still eat them the same. Peel off the skin and eat the fruit. The seed is smaller than Lychee.

13. Kumquat

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: closeup of some kumquat fruits in a white ceramic bowl

So, the trick about eating kumquats is that you have to pop the entire thing in your mouth. The first time I tried it, I peeled them and only ate the super sour fruit inside. It turns out, the sweetness is just in the skin.

Now, we snack on them as a sweet and sour treat.

But, you can also find dried versions at some grocery stores and at the Aloha Swap Meet.

14. Breadfruit

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: Fresh breadfruit isolated on a white background.

When you think of tropical Hawaiian fruit, Breadfruit definitely isn’t what comes to mind. As its name implies, this is much more of a starchy fruit.

Breadfruit (called Ulu in Hawaii) was brought to Hawaii by Polynesian voyagers. It was a staple in Hawaiian cuisine for a while, but it’s not as popular as it used to be.

Honestly, it’s not something you’ll probably want to snack on, but I think it’s important to try it.

If you don’t want to buy a whole one, you can get a sample at the Polynesian Cultural Center. You can also find Breadfruit hummus at Farmers Markets and select grocery stores.

15. Star Fruit

15 Hawaiian Fruits to Try featured by top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids: Star fruit on wood background .

While you can find Star Fruit in other parts of the world, I think it’s more fun to eat in Hawaii! That’s where I tried it for the first time and it’s so yummy!

It’s called Star Fruit because when you slice it, you’ll get star-shaped slices. Because of its cute shape, you can find them on top of salads or used as a garnish.

But, you can also just eat it on its own. It’s up to you if you want to remove the skin. The whole fruit has a tart and sweet taste.

Hawaii Fruits Wrap Up

Now you know what fruit grows in Hawaii, you’ll have to go there to try them all! There are so many tasty Hawaiian fruits and vegetables.

And if you’re planning a trip to the islands, be sure to taste these best fruits in Hawaii!

Looking for tropical fruit recipes? Find out how to make Mango Mousse Cake, Pineapple Tarts, and Pineapple Ice Cream!