In midsummer, seasonal fruits in Guangdong are ripening, offering some of the province's most authentic sweetness. Behind each variety lies a travel destination worth exploring, making the summer the perfect time for a fruit-themed getaway.
Wampee: Seedless wonder of Yunfu
For Cantonese food lovers, wampee is the go-to summer fruit for relieving heat and quenching thirst.
The best seedless wampee comes from Yunan County in Yunfu, which local authorities describe as the world's exclusive native growing region and largest production base for the variety. The county accounts for three-quarters of global output and is recognized as the home of China's seedless wampee.
The small, teardrop-shaped fruits are plump and uniform, with yellowish-white flesh that is tender, juicy and free of fibrous residue. About 95 percent of the fruits are seedless, so they can be eaten whole.
Peach: "Peach King" of Heyuan
July is the eagle-beak honey peach season in Lianping County in Heyuan. Nestled in the Jiulian Mountains, 88,000 mu (about 5,867 hectares) of peach orchards stretch across the hills, filling the air with a lingering, sweet fragrance.
This year's "Peach King" competition saw a 430-gram eagle-beak peach take the crown, judged on weight, shape and appearance. The Lianping honey peaches rank among Lingnan's top 10 best-known delicacies, and agricultural experts have called them the king of peaches.
With its distinctive beak-like tip, bright color and crisp texture, the Lianping peach has made the county the recognized home of China's eagle-beak honey peaches.
Meanwhile, at the Taohuayuan Mountain Resort in Jiaoling County, Meizhou, another eagle-beak peach harvest is underway. Jiaoling's pristine mountains and fresh air have earned it a national reputation for longevity — and give its peaches unusually pure flavors. The resort, a national AAA scenic area, attracts visitors to stroll through its sprawling peach orchards and pick fresh fruit straight from the branches.
Longan: 2,000-year legacy in Gaozhou
Longan has been grown in Gaozhou, Maoming, for more than 2,000 years. Today it is one of China's main producing regions and the birthplace of the Chuliang variety. Some 330,000 mu of orchards turn the mountains green in midsummer, with golden clusters hanging heavily from the branches. The flesh is translucent white, thick and succulent, with a rich honey-like sweetness.
The Gaozhou Longan Park, named one of Guangdong's top 10 most beautiful longan orchards, offers visitors a stunning summer landscape in the heart of Lingnan.
Golden plum: Honey-sweet harvest of Lechang
While it is sweltering in the Lingnan plains, Jiufeng Mountain in Lechang, Shaoguan, enjoys year-round misty clouds and cooler temperatures. Here, golden plums ripen exceptionally sweet with almost no tartness, their translucent golden skin like finely polished amber.
With average daily temperatures 4–5°C lower than in the city, the cloud-shrouded villages in the mountains and emerald peaks offer a dual feast of scenery and flavor.
Passion fruit: Sweet-tart balance of Suixi
In tropical Suixi, Zhanjiang, long hours of sunshine ripen passion fruits to peak sweetness. Grown at the Guangdong Beibu Gulf Agricultural Tourism Industrial Park, these fruits are plump and juicy, with a layered flavor: upfront sweetness gradually yields to mild tartness, achieving a nearly perfect 9:1 sweet-tart balance.
Pineapple: Coastal sweetness of Huilai
In the Qingkeng Forest Farm of Huilai County in Jieyang, pineapple fields spread across the slopes in vibrant green rows. With abundant year-round sunshine, constant mountain spring irrigation and well-drained sandy soil rich in organic matter, the area produces pineapples with thin rinds, thick flesh and plenty of juice. Huilai pineapples are included in China's national list of famous, high-quality, special and new agricultural products.
From mountains to coast, Guangdong's summer offers a rich tapestry of flavors and scenery. This summer, come and taste the very best of Lingnan's seasonal bounty.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photos | Nanfang Plus, WeChat account gdsgslyj, WeChat account yfrtv1, WeChat account HCHL336688
