Table of Contents
Whether or not you can stand its delectably strong (or horrifyingly pungent) smell, there is no denying how popular the durian has become in recent years.
Once a delicacy known mostly to people within Southeast Asia, it is now a hot commodity among consumers, especially in China.
Thus, it only makes sense that during this surge of popularity, the Kuala Lumpur Durian Experience Centre (KLDEX) has thrown open its doors to the public.
Touted as Malaysia’s and the world’s first-ever experience centre dedicated to the King of Fruit, this new attraction is bound to turn heads and leave foodies drooling.
Located a short distance from the Petronas Twin Towers, the 20,000 sqft space includes a museum, a theatre and eateries that all unsurprisingly revolve all around durian.
Durians for the durian lover
If you are a durian lover, there is no denying that you will probably find yourself right at home when walking through the front door.
The smell of durian is unmistakable from the outside and it only gets stronger as you close in on the source.
The ground floor of KLDEX is its retail space and here, you can find high-quality durians waiting to be enjoyed.
Visitors are welcome to purchase and feast on trays of durian, prepared by staff who will cut open the thorny fruit and serve its flesh on a tray.
Afterwards, you can sit at one of the many tables available to enjoy the sweet custardy flesh, either by yourself or with loved ones.
There are also stalls that serve durian-inspired snacks for you to check out.
In one stall, you can find durian-flavoured egg tarts and in another, the all-classic durian cendol.
Give it some time and Malaysian foodies should be dropping by here by the dozen.
At the back of the ground floor is the gift shop, where durian-inspired souvenirs and giftboxes are available for sale.
Fancy a box of durian chocolate? Or durian perfume? Many of the wares here are crafted by talented local artists, so they are definitely worth perusing.
History of durian
The first floor of KLDEX houses the aforementioned museum and theatre, as well as a collage of over 1,500 photos featuring people enjoying durian.
A full walkthrough of the museum should take about half an hour, though an hour might be needed if you take your time reading every last scrap of information.
As to be expected, the museum tells the story of the cultivation of durian in Malaysia.
Did you know that Chinese and European explorers actually made mention of the durian in their writings?
One must wonder what they would think of the durian craze in this day and age.
A part of the museum is a recreated durian orchard, which delves into the birth of the popular Musang King durian.
Apparently, it was originally known as Raja Kunyit and it was developed by a farmer from Tanah Merak, Kelantan.
The latter half of the museum is the photography zone, where visitors can pose in sets based on scenes from yesteryear such as kopitiams and fruit stalls.
After exiting the museum, make sure to stop by the theatre, where 10-minute shows centred around durian are held four times a day.
Looking to the future
One noticeable thing about KLDEX is the availability of Mandarin throughout the centre, most visible in the museum.
This is a deliberate move, said KLDEX co-founder Edison Ang, as one of the goals of the centre is to draw Chinese attention to Malaysian durians.
According to the South China Morning Post, in 2024 alone, China spent nearly US$7 billion (RM28.5 billion) on the King of Fruits.
Yet, only a small number, about 3%, of durians imported by China are actually from Malaysia, with most coming from Thailand and Vietnam instead.
With the recent influx of Chinese tourists, it is thus hoped that some may eventually bring the good word of local Malaysian durians back home.
“It is a fact that is undeniable: For every 10 durians produced worldwide, nine will be consumed in China.
“That’s why we are so keen to promote Malaysian durians to China,” he said, adding that selling durians to China will boost Malaysia’s economy exponentially.
Plus, Malaysia has a secret up its sleeve. As Ang put it: “We have the best durian in the world!”
KLDEX is open the public daily from 10.30am onwards, with tickets ranging from RM31 to RM68.
READ MORE:
8 fascinating places in Bentong
Monkeys, mud people and a day of silence: 8 unusual festivals in Asia worth discovering
8 quirky national fruits, animals worldwide
