Enjoy a three-day tour of Taiwan's tea farms to learn the traditions, tastes, and cultivation techniques of Taiwanese tea. You'll be immersed in the most beautiful tea plantations, tasting fine oolong and Oriental Beauty tea varieties.

Itinerary:

Day 1 – Taipei City

• Fly into Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei. By the time you’ve transferred to your hotel in the capital, we’ll have finalized a plan for the rest of the day that matches your interests and energy levels.
  
  
• Depending on time available, this may include a thorough look at Dadaocheng, one of the oldest and most interesting parts of Taipei. Some of the tea businesses here have been operating for more than 150 years; the tea trade paid for many of the ornate baroque-revival buildings on Dihua Street. We’ll experience a tea ceremony, led by a local tea master and featuring a selection of Taiwan's finest teas. Alternatively, we may take the Maokong Gondola up to the tea plantations in the southwestern part of the capital, and have dinner - with some excellent local tea, of course - at our favorite restaurant, watching the lights of Taipei flicker in the distance.

Day 2 – Hsinchu and Miaoli

• After a morning visit to one of Taipei’s famous tea sellers, today we’ll be driving southwest for about an hour and a half, into the Hakka heartlands of Hsinchu and Miaoli. This is where Taiwan’s oriental beauty tea is grown, and we’ll be looking at the scenic township of Emei. At Fuxing Tea Demonstration Centre we’ll try local green, oolong and oriental beauty teas, and take a look at the pre-World War II tea-processing equipment preserved inside.
  
  
• Dinner will include Hakka delicacies. In the past, many Hakka dishes were regarded as oily and salty; in line with the modern preference for healthy fare, innovative chefs have updated the cuisine, while retaining its characteristic pork and pickle flavors.