Durian DB

Malaysian durian varieties and clone codes

Malaysia's Department of Agriculture has registered nearly 200 durian clones (~197–199) since 1934, each with a "D" code. The commercially significant clones include:

• Musang King (D197) / 猫山王 (Māo Shān Wáng) — also Mao Shan Wang, Raja Kunyit, MSW. Bittersweet, rich, complex — the premium benchmark. Flesh: Golden-yellow, thick, custardy. Origin: Kelantan / Pahang. Indicative price RM30–80/kg. Most-exported clone to China; name ties to Gua Musang. Identified by a star-shaped base.
• Black Thorn (D200) / 黑刺 (Hēi Cì) — also Ochee (乌枝), Duri Hitam. Intensely creamy, sweet with a bitter edge. Flesh: Deep orange-red, very creamy. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM50–90/kg. Often the priciest clone; named for the thorn-like tip at its base.
• Sultan (D24) / 苏丹王 (Sūdān Wáng) — also XO (ungraded trade variant). Balanced sweet with slight bitter, consistent. Flesh: Pale yellow, firm. Origin: Perak. Indicative price RM25–45/kg. The old-school benchmark before Musang King. XO is a longer-ripened, boozier handling of D24-type fruit.
• Red Prawn (D175) / 红虾 (Hóng Xiā) — also Udang Merah, Ang Heh. Sweet, dense, creamy with mild bitterness. Flesh: Orange-red, dense, very creamy. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM20–40/kg. A Penang favourite; sweeter and less bitter than Musang King. The ONLY clone correctly called Red Prawn.
• Golden Phoenix (D198) / 金凤 (Jīn Fèng) — also Kim Hong. Floral, mild, with a light boozy note; small seeds. Flesh: Pale, soft, watery. Origin: Johor. Indicative price RM15–30/kg. High edible-flesh-to-seed ratio; popular value pick.
• D101 (D101) — also Red flesh, Mas Muar. Mild, sweet, creamy — beginner-friendly, little bitterness. Flesh: Yellow-orange, smooth. Origin: Peninsular Malaysia. Indicative price RM15–30/kg. A common gateway durian. Genuinely separate from D168 — the "DIOI" sign is often misread as "D101".
• Tekka (D160) / 竹脚 (Zhú Jiǎo) — also Bamboo Leg, Buluh, Musang Queen. Smooth, sweet with a touch of bitter. Flesh: Yellow, smooth. Origin: Selangor. Indicative price RM20–40/kg. "Tekka" is the Hokkien reading of 竹脚 (bamboo leg). Also trades as "Musang Queen".
• D13 (D13) / 金包 (Jīn Bāo) — also Golden Bun, Hock Beng. Sweet, soft, fruity with floral/vanilla notes — very low bitterness. Flesh: Bright orange-red, soft. Origin: Johor. Indicative price RM12–28/kg. Ripens late. Often mis-sold as "Red Prawn" but it is a distinct clone (Red Prawn = D175).
• Hajah Hasmah (D168) — also IOI, Mas Muar, Muar Gold. Sweet, creamy, mild — approachable. Flesh: Golden, creamy. Origin: Johor. Indicative price RM18–35/kg. Popularly sold as "IOI". Has no single established Chinese name.
• Dato Nina (D2) — also Dato Nina. Sweet, mildly bitter, aromatic — a heritage clone. Flesh: Yellow, soft. Origin: Melaka. Indicative price RM18–35/kg. One of the oldest registered clones. The Chinese name 梦中情人 ("Dream Lover") is shared/disputed with D103.
• Tuan Mek Hijau (D145) / 青皮 (Qīng Pí) — also Green Skin, Kulit Hijau. Thick, fine-textured, sweet-nutty (slightly dry). Flesh: Creamy yellow. Origin: Pahang. Indicative price RM20–40/kg. Green-husked; a Pahang/Penang favourite.
• Hor Lor (D163) / 葫芦 (Húlu) — also Gourd, Labu. Smooth, creamy, mostly sweet with subtle bitterness. Flesh: Pale-to-gold. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM20–40/kg. Named for its gourd shape; won the 1987 Penang state competition.
• Ang Bak (Khun Poh) (D164) / 红肉 (Hóng Ròu) — also Khun Poh, Isi Merah, Red Flesh. Bittersweet, complex — coffee, caramel, vanilla, citrus notes. Flesh: Deep orange/red. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM30–60/kg. A connoisseur Penang clone; "Khun Poh" is the trade name, "Ang Bak" the registered one.
• Tupai King (D214) / 松鼠王 (Sōng Shǔ Wáng) — also Tupai 226, Squirrel King. Bitter, glutinous, alcoholic-fruity. Flesh: Yellow-gold with a bluish-grey hue. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM40–80/kg. One of the newest premium clones; "226" is part of the official name "Tupai 226".
• Tawa (D162) — also Tawa. Firm, bitter, creamy-sweet. Flesh: Pale milky yellow-white. Origin: Selangor. Indicative price RM18–35/kg. Origin is Banting, Selangor — the "Tawau, Sabah" story is debunked folk etymology.
• Tok Litok (D169) — also Tok Litok. Thick, with slight bitterness. Flesh: Yellow. Origin: Kelantan. Indicative price RM18–35/kg.
• Lipan (—) / 蜈公 (Wú Gōng) — also Centipede. Sweet, creamy — coconut and milk-chocolate notes. Flesh: Milky white with a yellow tinge. Origin: Penang. Indicative price RM25–50/kg. Famous Penang clone that was never formally registered.
• Monthong (D159) / 金枕头 (Jīn Zhěntou) — also Golden Pillow, Mon Thong, Bantal Mas. Mild, sweet, low pungency — the Thai-style durian. Flesh: Pale yellow, thick, firm/dry. Origin: Thai clone (grown in MY). Indicative price RM12–25/kg. Firm and mild; the dominant export clone in Thailand and common in processing.
• Kan Yau (D158) — also Kan Yao, Tangkai Panjang, Long Stem. Thick, creamy, firm, sweet. Flesh: Golden-yellow. Origin: Kedah (Thai-derived). Indicative price RM18–35/kg. A Thai-derived "long stem" variety registered in Malaysia.
• Kampung (kampung) — also Village, seedling durian, durian kampung. Unpredictable — from watery and seedy to surprisingly good. Flesh: Highly variable. Origin: Nationwide. Indicative price RM8–20/kg. No clone code. Sold by the fruit or kg; the cheapest way to eat durian.

Durian products in Malaysia

• Frozen whole durian (frozen) — Flash-frozen whole fruit or de-husked pods; the main export format and how most overseas buyers get MSW. Where to buy: Supermarkets (Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer), online, export.
• Frozen durian pulp / pods (frozen) — De-seeded pods or pure pulp in vacuum packs — ready to eat thawed or to bake with. Where to buy: Supermarkets, online cold-chain delivery.
• Durian paste / puree (paste) — Smooth sweetened or pure puree for baking, fillings and drinks; the earliest format China approved (2011). Where to buy: Baking suppliers, wholesale.
• Durian mochi (dessert) — Soft glutinous-rice skin with chilled MSW cream filling — a pasar malam and dessert-shop staple. Where to buy: Night markets, dessert cafés, online.
• Durian mille crepe / crepe cake (bakery) — Layered crepe cake with durian cream — Melaka's Nadeje made it famous. Where to buy: Cake boutiques (Nadeje, Lavish), online order.
• Durian cheesecake / cream cake (bakery) — Baked or chilled cakes loaded with durian flesh or cream. Where to buy: Bakeries, online.
• Durian puff / cream puff (dessert) — Choux puff piped with durian cream — sold by the box, often D24 for value. Where to buy: Dessert chains, night markets.
• Durian ice cream / gelato (dessert) — Durian-flavoured soft serve, gelato and tubs; common at malls and dessert bars. Where to buy: Malls, dessert cafés, supermarkets (tubs).
• Durian cendol (dessert) — Classic shaved-ice cendol topped with a scoop of durian flesh — a hawker favourite. Where to buy: Hawker stalls, kopitiam.
• Durian dodol (traditional) — Slow-cooked durian toffee/jam — a chewy traditional sweet, big in Melaka & Negeri Sembilan. Where to buy: Souvenir shops, markets.
• Lempuk durian (traditional) — Compressed durian "fruit-leather" cake; a Kelantan (east-coast) specialty, also made across Sumatra & Kalimantan in Indonesia. Where to buy: Kelantan & east-coast markets, Indonesian sources, online.
• Durian mooncake (bakery) — Snow-skin mooncakes with MSW custard — a Mid-Autumn seasonal blockbuster. Where to buy: Bakeries & hotels (Aug–Sep season).
• Durian coffee / premix (beverage) — Instant durian-flavoured coffee and lattes; novelty premix sachets. Where to buy: Supermarkets, online.
• Freeze-dried durian crisps (snack) — Crunchy freeze-dried MSW chips — shelf-stable, popular as gifts/souvenirs. Where to buy: Souvenir shops, airports, online.
• Durian biscuits / wafer / candy (snack) — Durian-cream wafers, cookies and chews — cheap shelf-stable snacks. Where to buy: Supermarkets, convenience stores.
• Tempoyak (condiment) — Fermented durian paste used as a cooking condiment — sambal tempoyak, gulai tempoyak (strongest in Pahang, Perak and the east-coast states). Where to buy: Wet markets, east-coast stalls, online.

Where to buy real durian in Malaysia

• SS2 Durian Stalls — stall in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Specialties: Musang King, D24, Black Thorn, Red Prawn. The Klang Valley's most famous roadside durian stretch — pick, weigh and eat on the spot.
• Donald Durian — stall in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Specialties: Musang King, Black Thorn. Long-running SS2 stall known for graded premium clones.
• Bao Sheng Durian Farm — orchard in Balik Pulau, Penang. Specialties: Musang King, Red Prawn, Black Thorn, Lipan. Hilltop orchard offering on-farm all-you-can-eat sessions of old-tree Penang durians.
• Ah Teik Durian Stall — stall in Balik Pulau, Penang. Specialties: Red Prawn, Musang King, Green Skin. Roadside Balik Pulau institution for hill-grown Penang varieties.
• Raub Musang King Orchards — orchard in Raub, Pahang. Specialties: Musang King. Malaysia's Musang King heartland and a major source of the China export trade.
• Bentong Durian Stalls — stall in Bentong, Pahang. Specialties: Musang King, D24. Popular day-trip durian stop on the KL–Pahang route, near Bentong town.
• Durian Kaki — stall in Kota Damansara, Selangor. Specialties: Musang King, Black Thorn, D24. Well-known Klang Valley stall/delivery for graded premium fruit.
• Pasar Borong Seri Kembangan — market in Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Specialties: Mixed clones, Kampung. The Klang Valley's main fruit wholesale hub where many stalls source — cheapest by volume.
• TTDI Durian Stalls — stall in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Specialties: Musang King, D24, Red Prawn. Convenient in-city KL stalls, busy through the mid-year season.
• Segamat Durian Orchards — orchard in Segamat, Johor. Specialties: Musang King, Black Thorn, D24. Major Johor production zone; Johor is now Malaysia's top producer by volume.
• KL Durian Buffets (seasonal) — buffet in Klang Valley, Selangor. Specialties: Musang King, Black Thorn, D24. Seasonal all-you-can-eat sessions sampling multiple clones for a fixed price.
• Balik Pulau Durian Buffets — buffet in Balik Pulau, Penang. Specialties: Red Prawn, Hor Lor, Musang King, Black Thorn. On-orchard buffets overlooking the hills — the classic Penang durian experience.

Durian exports

Malaysia is a premium net EXPORTER — Musang King dominates shipments and China is the dominant buyer (RM887m of the RM1.14b record total in 2022). On the IMPORT side, Malaysia brings in cheaper Thai durian (mainly Monthong/D159) for processing and budget retail, since Thailand is the world's largest exporter by volume. Total durian exports were around RM1.14 billion in 2022, with China the dominant market and Musang King (D197) the leading export clone.

Frequently asked questions