Can I only buy it in season?
The guide gives its timing as: Harvest listed as May–September. The harvest period can vary with the growing area and the variety. The calendar does not guarantee that it is on sale on any particular date.
Longkong
Longkong · ลองกอง
Meet longkong, small brownish fruit that hang in bunches. Peel the thin skin and the translucent flesh comes out in segments. Although the name is similar to longan, the shape and the way it eats are different. If you see the two fruits side by side at a market, you could buy a few of each and compare.
When is the best time to eat it?
Harvest listed as May–September
Harvest period varies by growing area
Tan Yong Mat longkong: harvest period listed as August–September
Use the main season, or the harvest period for regional fruit, as a guide. Actual availability can vary with the growing area, the variety and the weather.
What does it taste like?
You can taste both sweetness and sharpness in the translucent flesh. Do not bite the stone in a segment that has one; take it out.
Why this fruit is well known in Thailand
There is fun in peeling small fruit from the bunch one at a time. Thung Yong Mat longkong from Narathiwat in the south is known as a regional GI fruit, so it is good to learn about it together with where it grows.
Good to know before you buy
- Thai name
- ลองกอง
- Harvest period
- Harvest listed as May–September
- Regional fruit
- Tan Yong Mat longkong: harvest period listed as August–September
- How it is sold
- Longan and longkong are different fruits. If you order by looking at the name and the shape of the bunch together, it is easier to get the fruit you want.
How to prepare and eat it
- Pick one fruit to eat from the bunch.
- Peel the skin and eat the flesh.
- The stone can taste bitter, so take out any you can see and eat slowly.
A guide to prices
Bangkok retail prices · 14 October 2026
These are prices by variety and grade, surveyed by Thailand’s Department of Internal Trade. They do not apply to every stall on the street.
| Fruit and variety | Price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Longkong | 40–50 baht | 1 kg |
Keep the price of a bag or tub of cut fruit separate from the per-kilo price of whole fruit. Bananas are priced per bunch in this survey.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare a per-kilo price with the price of a tub?
Longan and longkong are different fruits. If you order by looking at the name and the shape of the bunch together, it is easier to get the fruit you want.
Keep exploring
Official sources and references
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.