LET’S CUT to the chase: You either love it or you treat it like an exploding grenade. There is no middle ground, and for those of us who lean toward the former, a pilgrimage to the source is essential. Our recent trip to Belviz Farm in Wangan, Calinan wasn’t just a farm tour; it was rekindling of an old love whom I haven’t seen-or tasted-for quiet sometime. Wait, that didn’t sound quite right. Anyway..
Hosted by passionate agripreneurs, Emmanuel “Nel” and Mary Grace “Eyeth” Belviz, the 30-hectare tropical paradise is less a farm and more a thriving dominion dedicated to the King of Fruit. The air itself hums with the promise of creamy, potent deliciousness. Our mission was a meticulous, multi-tiered tasting that unveiled the durian’s full personality spectrum. The key? Starting slow and easy.
Eyeth wisely ease us into the experience with the Namam variety, which, by the way originated in their farm. This is the durian for the hesitant, the perfect “beginner’s” bite. It boasts a less pungent aroma and a lovely, balanced taste—the equivalent of a warm-up stretch before a marathon. I, of course, dove in with gusto.
From Nanam, the procession began, each variety a step up the flavor ladder: Kob, Arancillo, and Duyaya (another Belviz signature). These were, for me, the mid-card champions, showcasing the complexity of textures and developing sweetness. With Puyat and D-24, the fruit gets serious. Richer, butterier, and definitely demanding your full attention.
Then, the grand finale. The famous (or infamous, depending on your palate’s constitution) original: the Native variety. It’s potent, it’s bitter, it’s intense, and it’s undeniably the quintessential Davao durian experience.
As a self-proclaimed durian lover, I happily devoured each variety, enjoying the subtle differences that only a farm-to-mouth tasting can truly reveal. It was a masterclass in fruit science, proving that saying you like “durian” is like saying you like “wine”—you need to know your variety, so they say.
But the farm tour wasn’t all sitting and savoring. We also got a dose of adrenaline with a quick, hilarious, and surprisingly challenging try at durian catching. This fun simulation demonstrated the critical art of harvesting, especially for those highly prized export fruits. (For the record, the durians you find in local stands are often tree-dropped—the ones nature deemed perfectly ripe—giving them a unique, local flavor profile). Watching the pros handle the falling fruit with such casual skill made us appreciate just how much work goes into that creamy spoonful.
Our durian farm trip was truly a profound learning experience about the royalty of the fruit world. It’s not just a fruit; it’s a culture, a science, and a fierce declaration of flavor unique to this region. And the best part? At the end of our immersion, we received a certificate declaring us a Certified Durian Lover.
If you want to move beyond the spikes and truly understand why this fruit commands such veneration, book your tour with Belviz Farm. Just be prepared to leave with a full stomach, a new appreciation for this tropical gem, plus a prestigious new title to flaunt.
