Da Lat dried persimmons: the season, the orchards and how to buy the real thing

What Da Lat dried persimmons are: a Japanese technique in the Central Highlands#

Da Lat dried persimmons are ripe but still-firm persimmons that are peeled, left with their stems on, tied into strings and hung up so that wind and sun dry them slowly. After a few weeks the fruit shrinks, the outside turns a chewy, amber brown and the inside becomes soft and syrupy. Locals call them hồng treo gió, and the name tells you the method: hồng is persimmon, treo is to hang, gió is wind.

Dried persimmons are old news across East Asia. Wikipedia notes that China, where they are called shibing, has made them since at least the Han dynasty, and Korea has its own gotgam. Da Lat follows the Japanese version, hoshigaki, whose signature step is massaging each fruit every day once it starts to dry. That massage is what gives Da Lat dried persimmons their even, jelly-like texture from skin to core.

From charcoal kilns to wind-drying sheds

Before the Japanese method arrived, Da Lat farmers mostly dried persimmons over charcoal. According to Tuoi Tre News (October 29, 2018), experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) came to Da Lat in 2012 and taught the hoshigaki method to more than 100 farming families, with the first products in 2014. The price per fruit went from about VND2,000 to VND10,000, two to four times what charcoal-dried fruit fetched.

The dates vary a little by source. Dan Tri (November 6, 2024, in Vietnamese) reports that fresh persimmons crashed to VND2,000 a kilo in 2010, that many trees were cut down, and that a cooperative in Cau Dat received training in the Japanese method in 2016. So we say “roughly 2012 to 2016, depending on the source.” Either way, the drying trade gave the city’s old persimmon trees a reason to stay standing.

Crunchy, soft, air-dried and flattened: four persimmons you will meet in Da Lat#

At Da Lat Market in autumn you will see at least four kinds of persimmon for sale. The differences come more from how the fruit is handled than from the tree, and knowing them keeps you from paying air-dried prices for something else.

How crunchy persimmons are made

Most of Da Lat’s crunchy persimmons are not a separate variety. Viet Nam News (January 12, 2021) explains that the best fruit is put into plastic bags and tied up for about ten days, after which it can be eaten crisp. CafeF (November 17, 2024, in Vietnamese) adds that farmers pick it while still slightly green and ripen it in nylon bags. Thanh Nien calls the process “steam curing.”

There are also naturally crunchy persimmons you can eat straight off the tree. According to Thanh Nien (August 29, 2022, in Vietnamese), these trees are hard to grow and fairly rare in Da Lat, so the fruit is only around for about a month and costs more. The same report says Da Lat persimmons are crisper than Fuji persimmons, which feel softer and more floury. At the market, the name you will hear for crunchy fruit is Chín Nên.

Which fruit gets hung

Not every persimmon becomes a dried one. Thanh Nien (September 29, 2022, in Vietnamese) reports that producers pick fruit that is just ripe but still firm, peel it carefully and keep the stem to limit bacteria. Square persimmons from late in the season are popular because they have few seeds and look good. In the D’Ran area, Lam Dong Newspaper (December 15, 2025, in Vietnamese) names two traditional varieties: early-ripening Chín Nên and late-ripening Vuông Đồng.

The Da Lat persimmon season, month by month#

There is only one persimmon crop a year, in autumn. Reports give slightly different dates because each area and variety ripens at its own pace, but together they paint a clear picture. Da Lat dried persimmons come a few weeks after the fresh fruit, since drying takes most of a month. People in Da Lat, Tuoi Tre wrote on September 20, 2026, read the season from the trees rather than a calendar.

Drying needs dry weather. VnExpress International (November 29, 2020) reports that the fruit hangs for about three weeks at 25-30°C, and Viet Nam News (October 22, 2023) says the wind-drying happens after the rainy season ends. September and October are still the wettest months in Da Lat, so if you are coming now, read our guide to Da Lat weather in October before you plan your orchard visits.

How Da Lat dried persimmons are made, step by step#

“Wind-hung” sounds like you just hook fruit on a line and wait, but making Da Lat dried persimmons is fiddly, hands-on work. Pieced together from VnExpress (2020), Dan Tri (2021 and 2026) and Tuoi Tre News (2018), a typical workshop goes through these steps.

1. Pick and wash: ripe, still-firm fruit is washed and left to dry.
2. Peel, keep the stem: each fruit is peeled by hand or machine, and the stem is left on so it can be tied. As VnExpress International (2020) put it, workers must be careful to get beautiful persimmons.
3. Firm up the surface: some producers first put the fruit in a kiln at 50-60°C for about three hours (VnExpress, 2020; Dan Tri, 2021). Tuoi Tre News (2018) also describes a brief charcoal drying to firm the skin.
4. Hang in an airy greenhouse: each fruit is clipped or tied separately and hung in spaced strings, out of the rain and away from insects. Some workshops run fans to keep bugs off.
5. Massage: after 7-10 days, workers in gloves start kneading each fruit so the inside softens evenly, “chewy outside but full of syrup inside” (Dan Tri, November 8, 2021, in Vietnamese). Dan Tri (2026) describes the massaging lasting about 25 days.
6. Weed out bad fruit: moldy or bruised persimmons are removed regularly so they do not spoil the string.
7. Take down and pack: once the fruit turns a deep honey brown, it is cut down, stem still on, and boxed.

The loss in weight is huge. The Dat Lang Cau Dat cooperative told Dan Tri (November 2024) that 6 kg of fresh fruit makes 1 kg of finished product, while Viet Nam News (January 2021) puts it at 7-8 kg. That is the main reason Da Lat dried persimmons cost several times more than fresh ones.

One honest caveat: “wind-dried” does not always mean no heat at all. As step 3 shows, many workshops use a short kiln or charcoal stage first. What the reports stress is that the main drying comes from natural wind and sun, and that no preservatives are used (VnExpress, 2020).

Where to see persimmon orchards and drying sheds: 9 sourced spots#

This list only includes places named by VnExpress, Tuoi Tre or Lam Dong Newspaper. Addresses use the ward names in force since July 1, 2025, when Da Lat’s numbered wards were merged: Xuan Huong - Da Lat ward, for example, covers the old Wards 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10 (Dan Viet, in Vietnamese). Where our information is older, we give the year and flag it for checking.

If you want to watch the drying itself, Lễ Vân is the name that comes up most. VnExpress (2023) says its drying workshop is open to visitors, and the owner told Viet Nam News (October 22, 2023) that they would produce wind-hanging persimmons using the Japanese technology “at the appropriate time.” Rừng Nhiệt Đới offers hands-on sessions making crunchy persimmons and hanging fruit to dry (Lam Dong Newspaper, October 15, 2025, in Vietnamese).

Túi Mơ To café, in the Sao Nam area (old Ward 11), also made VnExpress’s 2023 list of places to pick ripe persimmons, and VietNamNet (2020) described it as sitting in a persimmon garden. It is close to Cheo Veooo, so we cover it in our Cheo Veooo café guide rather than repeat it here.

Da Lat dried persimmon and fresh persimmon prices in 2026 (and earlier years)#

The price of Da Lat dried persimmons depends on the variety, the size of the fruit, the time of year and where you buy. The table lines up the price points reported over the years, so you can see the general range instead of trusting a single number.

According to Dan Tri (September 24, 2026, in Vietnamese), Da Lat producers are selling early-season air-dried persimmons to Ho Chi Minh City wholesalers at VND210,000-250,000 a kilo, depending on grade. That is a wholesale price, so expect to pay more in a shop. The report cites Lam Dong’s crop protection office: the province has more than 1,600 hectares of persimmons and harvests more than 19,000 tonnes a year, mainly around D’Ran, Hiep Thanh, Xuan Truong, Cam Ly and Langbiang.

How we read these numbers: if a pack labeled as Da Lat dried persimmons sells retail for less than the early-season wholesale price above, ask where it comes from. It is not proof of a fake, since it could be end-of-season stock, small fruit or second grade, but it is worth a question.

How to tell Da Lat dried persimmons from imports sold as local#

Imported dried persimmons passed off as Da Lat produce are not a new problem. VnExpress (November 2, 2018, in Vietnamese) found Chinese dried persimmons wholesaling at VND60,000-70,000 a kilo and retailing at VND80,000-200,000, often advertised as coming from Da Lat. Those prices are old, but the checks below still work.

• Shape: Japanese-style dried persimmons made in Da Lat are usually whole fruit with the stem on. A Da Lat hoshigaki maker told Tuoi Tre News (2018) that a good one is the one with a stem. The fruit VnExpress (2018) described as Chinese was flat, large and covered in white powder.
• White powder: do not rely on it alone. Wikipedia explains that the white bloom on dried persimmons is natural sugar that crystallizes as the fruit loses water, so genuine fruit can develop it too.
• Texture: the real thing is lightly chewy outside, soft inside, with a glossy, syrupy center (CafeF, November 2024). If you can, ask the seller to cut one open.
• Label and maker: look for a producer name, address and production date. Air-dried persimmons are one of Da Lat’s signature products under OCOP, Vietnam’s “One Commune One Product” rating program (Lam Dong Newspaper, May 9, 2024, in Vietnamese). An OCOP label naming the producer is a plus, though plenty of good small makers do not have one.
• Price: compare it with the 2026 early-season wholesale price above.

Where to buy dried persimmons in Da Lat#

There is no single right answer to where to buy Da Lat dried persimmons. We are not sponsored by any producer, so instead of shop names we have grouped the options by channel, with the upside and downside of each.

• At an orchard or workshop: some gardens in news reports sell packaged dried persimmons, such as Thái Long (VnExpress, 2023). You see how the fruit is hung and can ask when it came down.
• Da Lat Market: the dried fruit and candied fruit section has everything in one place and is handy for buying in bulk. Our guide to places to visit in Da Lat covers the market itself.
• Specialty shops with labels and OCOP stamps: easier to return, with receipts and gift packaging.
• Online, after your trip: convenient but hard to check, so choose sellers that name the producer.

If you are still planning the wider trip, budgets, routes and general shopping tips are in our Da Lat travel tips. This guide sticks to persimmons.

Storing, eating and gifting Da Lat dried persimmons#

Storage

According to Thanh Nien (September 29, 2022, in Vietnamese), Da Lat dried persimmons keep for 3-4 months in the fridge, and the freezer is best of all. VnExpress International (2020) adds that you can freeze them and eat them without thawing. Because no preservatives are used, we suggest moving an opened pack into an airtight box to keep out moisture.

Crunchy persimmons are fresh fruit, so they behave very differently. We could not find a reliable source giving a shelf life in days, so our advice is simply to buy what you can eat in a few days, keep them cool and pack them where they will not get bruised.

How to eat them

• Whole, with hot tea, the pairing VietNamNet (September 28, 2023) calls unforgettable in Da Lat’s cool fall weather.
• Straight from the freezer, when the center turns chewy, almost like candy.
• Sliced thin on a plate for guests, stems left on so they look their best.

As a gift

Dried persimmons are light and keep far longer than fresh fruit. Saigoneer (June 3, 2024) makes the point well: dried fruit is an easy souvenir, unlike Da Lat strawberries that arrive in Saigon squashed. If you are flying, keep the box in your carry-on so it does not get crushed, and check your home country’s rules on bringing in food before you pack it. For other things to eat in the city, see the Da Lat specialties section of our main guide.

Orchard etiquette: visiting someone’s garden#

Most persimmon orchards are family gardens, not tourist attractions. Tuoi Tre News (November 14, 2025) describes owners who welcome visitors, sell fresh fruit and demonstrate wind-drying, and Tuoi Tre (September 20, 2026, in Vietnamese) reminds visitors to ask before walking in. Some drying workshops limit access because of hygiene rules, which makes sense: Da Lat dried persimmons are food, and the sheds are where they are made.

• Ask the owner before you step in, even if the gate is open.
• At orchard cafés, a drink is your ticket in; do not just take photos and leave.
• Pick only when invited or when picking is part of what you paid for. A garden owner quoted by VnExpress (2023) advised choosing orange-gold fruit and leaving young fruit and big branches alone.
• Never touch persimmons hanging in a workshop, and stay out of the drying area unless asked in.
• Take your peel and plastic bags out with you.
• Ask before flying a drone, and read the drone rules in our travel tips first.

A half-day persimmon route in Da Lat#

These two routes use the sourced places above and are grouped by direction to cut down on backtracking. The times are our suggestions, not measured travel times.

Route A: a morning to the south (Khe Sanh Street, Prenn Pass, Mimosa Pass)

1. Around 8 a.m.: Lễ Vân or Thái Long garden on Khe Sanh Street; walk the orchard and ask whether the workshop is open.
2. Around 9:30 a.m.: Rừng Nhiệt Đới café (Alley 63, Prenn Pass) under the persimmon trees; ask about the crunchy persimmon session.
3. Or swap in Bao Tiền Một Mớ Bình Yên on Mimosa Pass if you want the picking package with 5 kg of fruit to take away.
4. Around 11:30 a.m.: back to Da Lat Market to buy Da Lat dried persimmons as gifts and have lunch.

Prenn Pass has been under a landslide emergency since the night of September 22, 2026. Check the road section of our Da Lat travel tips before heading this way; we do not repeat the details here.

Route B: an afternoon to the east (Hung Vuong Street), ending at sunset

1. Around 1:30 p.m.: Persimmon Cafe (96 Hung Vuong), an old orchard; the ticket includes a drink.
2. Around 3 p.m.: Nhà của Thông (Alley 108 Hung Vuong) or Túi Mơ To, for persimmon trees above the valley.
3. Around 4:30 p.m.: on to Cheo Veooo café on the same road to grab a sunset seat.

For something further out, Tom’s persimmon garden (17 km) and the Tram Hanh and Cau Dat area (30-40 km) make a half-day trip of their own and pair well with the Cau Dat tea hills in our places to visit in Da Lat. For the big picture, from month-by-month weather to getting around, start with our Da Lat travel guide.

The bottom line: when to go for persimmons#

If we had to pick one window, it would be late October to early November: the orchards look their best, the drying sheds are in full swing and the rain is easing. Come in September and you will get the first crunchy persimmons, but the new batch of Da Lat dried persimmons needs a few more weeks on the string. Whenever you go, buy from a labeled source, ask for the production date and behave like a guest in someone’s garden, because that is exactly what you are.