Tea Tasting and Traveling in Taiwan - Sipping the Sweetness of Nature
Taiwan is favorably endowed with nature that grows quality tea, with high mountains and hills of various elevations nurture a variety of tea flavors. Such as the sweetness in black tea from Sun Moon Lake, the coal aroma in Tongding Oolong tea from Nantou and the taste of ripened fruits in Oriental Beauty because of tea jassids. From the farm to tea making and roasting, visitors will learn quality local tea in tea gardens and tasting the flavor of Taiwan in the tea soup.
Table of Contents
Hanser - The First Organic Tea Farm in Maokong
“Hanser” is located in Maokong, a renowned scenic spot in Taipei City, with an elevation of 300~400 meters. It is surrounded by mountains and trees, so there are whiffs of tea aroma all the time. The owner Mr. Fuqin ZHANG is local, and his family has grown tea to make a living for generations. After transitioning to be organic, it is not only the first organic tea garden, but also an important eco-friendly place in Maokong area. There is a serene atmosphere in this place.
Farming Experience - Visiting the Organic Tea Garden and Learning Quality Tea
In “Hanser”, visitors can stroll in the big tea garden, watch the verdant scenery of the mountains, and learn how to grow organic tea through the owner’s introduction and experience sharing; therefore, all get to realize how much efforts behind a cup of quality organic tea are made. In addition, there are DIY tea making, tea sealing and tea tasting activities for tourists to have an in-depth understanding of tea industry and leave a deep impression of the tea culture lasting for thousands of years.
Signature Dish - Simple and Scrumptious Vegetarian Meal
Coming to Hanser in Maokong, visitors can’t miss the good chance to taste its tea. Sitting in the outdoor area growing plum, Osmanthus, lotus and rose to taste the local features, Tieguanyin Black tea and Wenshen Paochong tea, visitors are recommended to enjoy the vegetarian meals, including soup dumplings with vegetables, rice in bamboo tubes, steamed dumplings with vegetables prepared by the owner, Mr. Zhang who is a vegetarian for years. All are great for tea pairing. After the meal, it is wonderful to have a cup of Tieguanyin tea with ice cream. The wind in the mountains and the fragrance of flowers make Hanser even more attractive and you will definitely find the trip so worthy.
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Store Information
▶Store: Hanser
▶Service: Guided Tour in the Tea Garden, DIY Tea Sealing and Tea Making
▶Souvenir: Tieguanyin, Tieguanyin Black Tea, Jinxuan, and Paozhong Tea
▶Add: No. 6, Ln.40, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Wenshan District, Taipei City (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-2-2938-4939
Mei-Jia Tea Garden - A Tea Making Family for 10 Generations in Maokong
“Mei-Jia Tea Garden” located in the mountainous area of Mucha is run by a local family with rich tea growing and tea making experiences for generations. Because of its excellent location, it has the overlooking view of the Greater Taipei and the meals served are bountiful with games which draw plenty of gourmets here. To bring visitors an in-depth tea culture understanding, there are also tea plucking, tea making activities for a more rich and fun tour.
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Farming Experience - Relating to the Tea Farmers by Tea Plucking to Tea Packing
Coming to Mei-Jia Tea Garden, visitors can wear bamboo hats, carry tea baskets and pick the fresh leaves that are one-tip-two-leaf in the garden. Then after an introduction of the tea making process, visitors will try making their own tea by tossing, panning, rolling and hot air drying the tea leaves. In the end, they will bring themselves home the tea picked and made on their own. It is a comprehensive one day tour to be a tea farmer and visitors can grasp the essence and spirit of the tea industry from these experiences.
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Signature Dish - Diversified Fragrant Tea Cuisine
The creative tea cuisine in Mei-Jia Tea Garden is not only ingenious but also scrumptious. From the simple noodles with tea oil, fried rice with tea leaves, to the surprising tea oiled Matsusaka pig, tofu with tea fragrance and fried tea leaves, each delicious dish can taste the wonderful fusion of tea leaves and natural ingredients. Get ready to pig out here!
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Store Information
▶Store: Mei-Jia Tea Garden
▶Service: Tea Cuisine, DIY Tea Making and Tea Brewing
▶Souvenir: Tieguanyin, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, and Paozhong Tea
▶Add: No. 19, Ln.38, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Wenshan District, Taipei City (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-2-2939-9138
Hugosum - A Trip for Tea History and Handcraft Heritage
“Hugosum” is in Yuchi Township, Nantou; an inheritance of black tea garden from Japanese and the craftsman’s spirit is passed on. This is a place that witnesses the history and cultural development of black tea industry in Sun Moon Lake. In addition to making more people understand local cultural heritage, Hugosum further promotes the black tea culture of Sun Moon Lake to make its renaissance seen in the world.
Farming Experience - Craftsman Culture and In-Depth Tea Tour
Visitors can be a one day tea farmer in Hugosum, following the owner in the tea garden and get a feeling of the black tea through touching and rolling the tea leaves. The historical context brings the tea more sense of culture.
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Signature Dish - Feast on Black Tea, Slow Living in Yuchi
The restaurant on the second floor of Hugosum serves tasty desserts with black tea, such as fluffy black-tea muffin with fruits, sweet little black tea cake in the shape of a cat’s paw as well as “Gustation Lab”, the black tea combo with various tea aromas. There is also the picturesque view in Yuchi to enjoy along with the black tea feast.
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Store Information
▶Store: Hugosum
▶Service: Guided Tour in the Tea Garden, DIY Tea Rolling and Afternoon Tea
▶Souvenir: Black Tea from Sun Moon Lake
▶Add: No. 5, Ln. Xiangcha, Xincheng Village, Yuchi Township, Nantou County (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-4-9289-7238
YUYUPAS - A Coffee and Tea Garden with Brilliant Zou Culture
“YUYUPAS” is at the elevation of 1300 meters in Alishan Township, a cultural site themed Zou Tribe. And YUYUPAS in Zou language means “prosperity, safety and health”. The whole area is 3 hectares large covering tea gardens, coffee gardens and the natural scenery with bountiful flowers, foliage and rich ecology. With the icons and images of Zou people, its scenery is delightfully fine.
Farming Experience - A Door to Zou Culture
“YUYUPAS” has not only bountiful flowers and foliage but also the tea gardens, coffee gardens as well as Zou’s traditional architecture such as Hamo Cultural and Historical House, Maodanuo Theater, traditional houses, the House of the Princess, Hall of Giant Trees, and the Greatest Treasure of the Mountain. Following the docent’s guidance and introduction, visitors get a feel of the hospitality of people in Mt. Ali as well as the scenery of the tribe.
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Signature Dish - The Tastes of Zou Flavors
Tea lovers can enjoy the high mountain tea prepared by local girls in “YUYUPAS”. Besides, don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the unique flavored meals such as camellia oil chicken and black-tea pig knuckle to this trip to YUYUPAS complete.
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▶Store: YUYUPAS
▶Service: Featured Tribal Dishes, Experiential Tribal Tour
▶Souvenir: Coffee and Tea
▶Add: No. 127-2, 4th Neighborhood, Leye Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-5-256-2788
Xingyuan Tea Farm - A Highlight for Yilan Tea
Xingyuan Tea Farm is not large but it is a very representative tea farm in Yilan. Besides the abundant rainfall sufficient moisture, altogether with the production area under the elevation of 500m make the tea tender and fragrant. The tea farm utilizes the language expertise and innovative capacity to make itself international. Currently the tea farm is totally pesticide and herbicide free so the natural environment is full of eco-diversity and the teas produced here are free of food safety issues.
Farming Experience - First Hand Tea Knowledge Taught by Young Agricultural Ambassador
Coming to Xingyuan, visitors can stroll in the tea garden, appreciate the delightful mountainous view and learn characteristics of different teas from the introduction given by the tea garden owner. There are also DIY activities such as green tea ice cream, a pillow including a pillowcase of handmade silk screen printing and dried tea leaves as the filling, so tourists will have a broader experience of how tea can be applied in our daily life.
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Signature Dish - Tea Application that Activates Our Sensations
Xingyuan Tea Farm works with others- “Tea Flavored Ox-Tongue Cake” by bringing tea to a traditional flavor, the ox-tongue cake, a local signature dessert in Yilan ; using their own tea as the ingredient for “Honey Black Tea Popsicle”, a collaboration with “Ice Spring”, a renowned Popsicle business; working with Taiwanese Chocolate manufacturer to make the “Tea Flavored Chocolate”. The local teas are fully utilized in various applications which become must try when visitors come by.
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Store Information
▶Store: Xingyuan Tea Farm
▶Service: DIY Green Tea Ice Cream, DIY Pillow with Silk Screen Printing, and Tea Evaluation
▶Souvenir: Tea, Tea Flavored Ox-Tongue Cakes, Tea Flavored Chocolate
▶Add: No. 115, Zhongcheng Rd., Zhongshan Village, Dongshan Township, Yilan County (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-3-958-8947
HyangYeu Organic Farm - A Natural Tea Garden Values The Land
HyangYeu Organic Farm was awarded champion of Yilan Tea for 6 years in a row, with great expertise in tea making, be it tea plucking, fresh leaf airing, fermentation, panning, rolling and drying. Meanwhile, they bring local shaddock flowers and tea together so the tea leaves absorb the floral fragrance. The tea soup smells so good and its taste promotes saliva. HyangYeu Organic Farm is also the first propeller of organic agricultural practices in Zhongshan Leisure Farm area, and tea cultivated here tastes uniquely refreshing.
Farming Experience - Walking into Tea Garden and Stirring Your Own Tea
Coming to HyangYeu, visitors can make tea, taste tea, enjoy the beautiful scenery of tea garden as well as tea plucking and tea stirring. Besides, the tea garden owner with some 30 years of experiences gives you the introduction of the ecology in the tea garden. There is also DIY green tea flavored dragon's beard candy to bring your childhood memories back and for you to experience the fun in the garden.
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Store Information
▶Store: Xingyuan Tea Farm
▶Service: DIY Green Tea Ice Cream, DIY Pillow with Silk Screen Printing, and Tea Evaluation
▶Souvenir: Tea, Tea Flavored Ox-Tongue Cakes, Tea Flavored Chocolate
▶Add: No. 173, Zhongcheng Rd., Zhongshan Village, Dongshan Township, Yilan County (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-3-958-7959
Jiafang Organic Tea Garden - A Refreshing Trip with Great Views and Multiple Experiences
Jiafang Organic Tea Garden is in Chulu Leisure Agricultural Area. The owner insists on using organic fertilizer and hires farmhands to catch bugs and weed the land to improve the resistance of tea trees against pests. Its tea is thick with ripened fruity aroma, and the taste is sweet and smooth. The vibrant tea leaves can make multiple brews; therefore, the tea is popular upon its launch in Luye Township, Taitung County in 2018. It can be stored for a long time without quality issues, and it is also a top material for cold brewing.
Farming Experience - Strolling in the Verdant Tea Garden, Plucking Organic Tea
Jiafang Organic Tea Garden turned the large organic tea farm of 4.85 hectares into an experiential area and designed a series of events so that when visitors walk into the beautiful tea garden, they will get to know the ecology of tea trees as well as pluck tea leaves before moving to the tea factory for tea tasting paired with the tea flavored egg rolls, a thorough “tea farm to tea table” cultural experience.
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Signature Dish - Homemade Tea Drinks and Snacks for a Diversified Tea Charm
“Jiafang” is innovative and strives to create all sorts of tea drinks and dishes every year to make the tourists enjoy their trip. For example, the batter for the tasty egg rolls is made with red oolong tea, flour, egg white and cream; the freshly plucked tea leaves are blended into the green tea juice, together with plums and honey, it is a glass of tasty, quenching and healthy drink. Moreover, the garden’s featured experiential events include DIY iced green tea cake and green tea marshmallow biscuits.
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Store Information
▶Store: Jiafang Organic Tea Farm
▶Service: Guided Tour in the Tea Farm and DIY Organic Tea
▶Souvenir: Red Oolong, Honey Black Tea, High Mountain Tea, Green Tea for Cold Brewing
▶Add: Ranch No. 72-4, Mingfeng Village, Beinan Township, Taitung County (For Navigation)
▶TEL: +886-89-227-660
Linwang Tea Factory - Starting from Scratch, A 5-Star Tea Factory
Owner Lin changed his career in his middle age, with the goal of 〞Growing Quality Healthy Tea”, he embarked on his tea journey in Longtian, Luye Township in Taitung. Through continuous improvement and technological advancement, he has made it to grow quality tea. The tea farm is covered with juniper wood chips to avoid pests, and that brings a slight aroma of the juniper to its tea soup, the feature of Linwang Tea Factory.
Farming Experience - Quality Tea with Fruity Aroma
Linwang Tea Factory brought seemingly irrelevant fruit and tea together and invented “38 Fruity Tea”. The local fruits such as lemon and pomelo are emptied and the pulps are replaced with the tea leaves. They become fruit tea with unique flavors after sun drying. The name “38 Fruity Tea” comes from the average air and sun drying time for lemon and pomelo flavors, 3 months and 8 months, respectively.
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Store Information
▶Store: Linwang Tea Factory
▶Service: Guided Tour in the Tea Garden, DIY Tea Making
▶Souvenir: Red Oolong Tea and Jhinhsuan Tea (TTES No.12)
▶Add: No. 55, Naner Rd., Longtian Village, Luye Township, Tatung County (For Navigation)
▶Tel: +886-89-550-699