Early summer: mangoes and lychees
Mangoes and lychees are the treats of early summer, roughly from May to July. Mangoes grow well in the warm lowlands, and in season you will see them piled high at roadside stalls and in town markets.
Lychees have a short season, and are often sold in bunches still on their twigs. Peel away the red, knobbly skin to reach the sweet, translucent fruit, and mind the large stone in the middle. In the hills, fruit can ripen a little later than on the plains.
Summer: jackfruit
Jackfruit is hard to miss: a huge, spiky green fruit that grows straight from the trunk and larger branches of the tree. It comes into its own in summer. Ripe jackfruit has sweet, fragrant yellow pods, while young, unripe jackfruit is cooked as a vegetable curry.
The fruit is sticky inside, so a little cooking oil on your hands and knife makes it much easier to prepare.
Winter: oranges
In winter, small oranges known as suntala come down from the hills, and bags of them are sold in bazaars and at bus stops. They are easy to peel and make a good snack for a long road journey. Bananas are usually around for much of the year.
Buying and eating fruit
Buy from local markets and stalls, and ask kati ho?, how much is it?, before you choose. Fruit you peel yourself is the simplest choice while travelling, and anything eaten with its skin is best washed in clean water.
At Bulbul Farm Retreat, lychee and jackfruit trees grow on the farm. Ask the hosts what is ripening during your dates, or read about farm-to-table food at Bulbul. For timing your whole trip, see the best time to visit Nepal.