Thai name: Farang
Season: all year
No one seems to know how the Thais came to call the guava by the same name used for Westerners, but perhaps the fact that the fruit originally came from Spain had something to do with it. In any event, the guava is one of the most popular fruits for snacks, eaten either ripe or when still green dipped in a bit of salt or sugar. In addition to the usual one with white flesh, another variety is bright red when peeled.
Since the 1980s, the sandy beaches on the western coast of the island have been heavily developed into tourist centers, with Patong, Karon and Kata being the most popular ones.