The Durian

Known as "The King of Fruits" in Southeast Asia, the durian is the icon of Davao City. The durian will either be enjoyed or hated by foreigners. Many have said it has a bad odor, which, gave birth to the saying "Smells like hell, but tastes like heaven". The fruit itself is banned in some establishments because of its odor.

The durian has a brownish greenish color and is covered in thorns. Under its husk is its yellow flesh covered seeds. The creamy flesh around the seeds is the edible enjoyment of the fruit. A lot of products are made from durian, including but not limited to; ice cream, candy, and tarts.

Being the icon of Davao City, the durian can be seen all around. When a tourist first visits Davao, the first image of a durian he will notice is the durian statues outside of the airport. Other durian statues are located in other places, such as Ramon Magsaysay Park. The People's Park of Davao has its own display of the icon; the Durian Dome. If a tourist would like to try the actual taste of the durian, there are many local products in grocery stores made from durian. As for the real thing, the fruit vendor's outside of Ramon Magsaysay Park are known to have the most durians available to buy.