The Sweetest Mangoes in the World
Musings from my trip to Guimaras Island, the mango capital of the Philippines
In 2023, I had the opportunity to go to Guimaras Island, the mango capital of the Philippines. We were in Iloilo visiting my dad’s side of the family and had a day to go sightseeing. I was in the midst of working on my cookbook, so I wanted to visit different farms and try as much regional food as possible. One of my cousins mentioned there was a mango festival that same weekend — a perfectly serendipitous moment.
Completely unplanned, my husband and I went. We took the ferry from the city, and as soon as we landed, there were mangoes everywhere. Loud music playing, street dancing, and mango delicacies I had never seen before filled the air. We hopped on a tricycle and did an entire tour of the island after watching the street dance — it took us about 4 hours. By the end of it, I was so full from eating mangoes at every stop, but I can definitely say it was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had.
There is a reason why mangoes are considered the national fruit of the Philippines. Not only is it the sweetest you’ll ever taste, but you can tell how much the Filipino people care about growing them, too. Speaking with different market sellers in broken Hiligaynon/Ilonggo (the regional dialect), they were incredibly excited just talking about how ripe and juicy the mangoes were. They sliced different types of mangoes for me to try (katchamita with bagoong/shrimp paste, carabao, and paho). Despite struggling to understand each other at times, we bonded over our shared love for our favourite fruit.
In 1995, the Guinness Book of World Records named the Philippine mango (or carabao mango) the sweetest in the world. During the American colonial era (1898-1946), they were also referred to as champagne mangoes. Today, there are many different cultivars you can find in North America. But the sweetest of them all, in my opinion, is found in my auntie’s backyard in Igbaras.
Make It Plant-Based! Filipino comes out on May 13th. 🥭