Meet the American woman on a mission to find Asia’s finest durians

In Southeast Asia, it’s nearly impossible to avoid encountering a durian.

The ‘King of the Fruits,’ which can grow up to a foot long, is easily recognized by its spiky, thorn-covered exterior and its notorious, custard-like flesh. But it's the pungent, often overpowering smell that really makes it unforgettable.

While many Westerners find the fruit’s aroma challenging, American Lindsay Gasik has developed an all-consuming passion for it.

From her home base in Penang, Malaysia, Gasik dedicates her time to finding the best durians across Asia and sharing her discoveries with fellow travelers through detailed guides and resources.

On her blog, ‘Year of the Durian,’ Lindsay Gasik explores the fruit's intricate flavors, shares captivating stories about durian farmers, and hunts for rare and lesser-known varieties.

Gasik also leads durian tours and has authored two guidebooks, including her latest release, ‘The Durian Tourist’s Guide to Penang.’

‘While traveling, I started to notice an obsession with durian, a fascination that surpasses any other fruit… People would come from all over the world just to taste this one fruit,’ says 29-year-old Gasik in an interview with Dinogo Travel.

‘I was curious to discover what all the hype around durian was about.’

The ‘magical fruit’

Originally from a small Oregon town with a population of 14,000, Gasik first became intrigued by durians in 2009 after attending a raw food festival-wedding for raw food experts Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes.

At the event, Gasik overheard guests describing durians as a ‘magical’ fruit that would ‘open her chakras’ and ‘transform her life.’

She eventually tracked down some freeze-dried durian, but it only fueled her curiosity further, leaving her wanting more.

She took the durian to the park, grabbed a bread knife – no YouTube tutorials to guide her back then – and went to work.

‘I thought it was delicious… I never understood the negative reaction to the smell,’ Gasik recalls. ‘To me, it tasted like French vanilla ice cream.’

So, did it open her chakras?

‘I didn’t feel any sort of high,’ she says. ‘But it did change my life. Just look at me now.’

A full year of durians

Gasik’s journey with durians truly began after she graduated from college.

She majored in journalism and Spanish at the University of Oregon, but graduated into the recession and struggled to find work.

With encouragement from her father, Gasik took a break to travel. Over the next few years, she and her then-husband lived in places like the Philippines, Costa Rica, the U.S., and Southeast Asia.

During her travels, Gasik discovered the concept of the elusive ‘durian trail.’

‘The durian trail is the idea that by hopping between countries, you can experience durian season year-round, thanks to the monsoon cycles,’ Gasik explains. ‘In theory, you could stay in durian season all 365 days.’

Since the durian trail was not widely known at the time, Gasik decided to map out the route and document her journey on her blog.

The plan? Visit 12 countries in 12 months, sampling durians wherever she went.

‘It was incredibly challenging to figure out where to go next. It became this pursuit – tracking down where the next season would unfold,’ says Gasik.

‘We knew it was happening somewhere, but there was little information online back then. No Facebook groups, no WhatsApp... I didn’t even own a smartphone when we started,’ Gasik recalls.

That first year lacked a set itinerary, but they managed to visit nine countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.

A valuable resource

Just as they were about to return to the United States for ‘normal’ jobs, their blog began gaining traction, attracting around 10,000 visitors a month.

‘I had only scratched the surface of the durian world,’ says Gasik. ‘I had embraced the obsession, but there were still so many unanswered questions.’

Rather than settling in the United States, Gasik returned to Southeast Asia in 2013 and has been exploring ever since.

‘The areas where durians grow aren’t typical tourist spots, so there’s very little information for Westerners… Where to find the best farms, when to visit, how to avoid bad durians…’ Gasik explains.

‘It became clear that there was an untapped niche online… I felt like I was offering a valuable service to people,’ she says.

Gasik not only shares captivating stories about farmers and vendors, but she also meticulously catalogs different durian varieties with delicious detail.

‘One of the most stunning durians in Penang, Kun Poh, hails from the Sungai Pinang area and still tastes best when harvested there,’ she writes on her blog.

‘It’s a soft, messy durian with a delicate skin that tears easily, spilling its creamy interior. But the slight messiness is worth it, thanks to its vibrant orange hue, delicate wrinkles, and rich, milk-coffee flavor,’ she explains.

Unique and unforgettable

There are thousands of durian varieties found across tropical regions, ranging from Hawaii and Borneo to Costa Rica, Brunei, and beyond.

Out of the 130 or so registered durian varieties in Malaysia, Gasik estimates she has tried at least 65 over the last decade. In Thailand, she’s sampled around 65 of the 234 varieties.

Durians can be identified by their color, texture, aroma, stem length, and the shape of their spikes – some are small, others pyramid-like, thick, or knobby – and, of course, their flavor.

‘Some durians taste like coffee, milk chocolate, white chocolate, coconut cream, whisky, wine…’ Gasik notes.

Some even have a flavor reminiscent of banana rum.

‘Just because you’ve tried one variety of durian doesn’t mean you don’t like them,’ Gasik explains. ‘You just didn’t like that particular variety.’

For her durian tours, Gasik meticulously plans itineraries and partners with local guides who take travelers to the best farms in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, timed perfectly with the harvest season.

‘I’m really focused on introducing people to a variety of durian types, as well as to different farms and regions,’ she says.

It’s like biting into an éclair.

Durians are incredibly diverse, not only in terms of their varieties but also in the cultures that surround them.

‘While traveling, I noticed that there’s a whole culture around eating durian that’s more akin to wine appreciation – it’s a true connoisseurship,’ she reflects.

‘One of my biggest revelations was learning that in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, they harvest durians differently, and each country has its own preferred taste,’ Gasik explains.

In Thailand, people tend to harvest durians a bit earlier to extend their shelf life. This results in durians that are starchy, sweet, and have a more subtle aroma.

‘Durians ripen from the inside out, around the seed,’ Gasik explains. ‘The ideal Thai durian is like an éclair – a firm shell with a buttery interior.’

In Malaysia, however, people allow the durians to fully ripen on the tree before they naturally fall to the ground.

By this point, the pH level drops, the fat content increases, and the sulfuric compounds inside the durian become more pungent as it ripens, she notes.

This method produces a creamier, fattier durian.

When it comes to its smell, durians often get a bad rap. They’ve been likened to everything from ‘rotting meat’ and ‘dirty socks’ to ‘dead babies mixed with strawberries and Camembert,’ as Julia Child once famously said.

But such descriptions are unfair to the durian.

‘The strong sulfuric stench of eggs and onions only emerges in the later stages of ripeness. What most people are smelling on the streets is actually the decaying shells,’ she explains.

‘Fresh durian, in contrast, has a much milder, almost grassy aroma, with a slight gas-like scent.’

It’s a fruit that can change your perspective on life.

For Gasik, durians have truly transformed her life. The fruit has not only introduced her to a whole new world, but it has also shaped her career and passion.

‘If you're in search of adventure, hunting for durian is a fantastic way to find it,’ Gasik says.

Durian doesn’t just take you to off-the-beaten-path locations; it’s also an avenue for meeting fascinating people along the way.

‘It’s like immersing yourself in their culture, which people truly value,’ Gasik says. ‘You find yourself having really meaningful conversations with others.’