Teatime in Thailand
Exploring the North’s spectacular – and award-winning-tea plantations
Words: Ron Emmons
Photos: Ron Emmons & Shutterstock
A recent upswing in the global popularity of tea combined with international awards being bestowed on Thai tea producers means that there’s never been a better time to explore the country’s tea plantations and tea houses.
Thailand’s northern provinces are marked by north-south mountain ranges which form part of the foothills of the Himalayas. These provide ideal conditions for tea to grow, namely elevations of around 1,000-2,000 metres; temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius; annual rainfall of 1,500-3,000 millimetres; well-drained, acidic soil and high humidity. So, it is not surprising that the region is home to several tea plantations that produce an astounding variety of teas.
It is believed that the plant Camellia sinensis, from which all types of tea are derived, originated somewhere around the modern border between China’s Yunnan Province and Myanmar, just a short way north of Thailand.
Thailand’s plantations now produce varieties of tea that are responding to modern trends and the demands of tea consumers. So let’s take a look at these trends, then visit a few of the region’s top plantations.
Tea Trends
As the world’s second most popular beverage (after water), tea is a subject that is dear to many, and in Thailand, the number of tea enthusiasts (sometimes referred to as “teaists”) is growing. In recent years, tea drinkers have shown a preference for premium loose-leaf teas because of their superior taste and health benefits. It seems that the days of the simple tea bag or sachet are numbered as curious tea tasters search out loose-leaf teas that span the spectrum of white, yellow, green, black and oolong.
Depending on the variety of tea to be produced, the leaves must be plucked (for some varieties at a particular time of day, such as at dawn, to catch the dew as well), then withered, shaken, bruised, oxidized, heated to fix, rolled, heated to dry, roasted, then in some cases fermented and aged. Subtle differences in the way these steps are carried out can have a big effect on the final taste.
After the process comes the preparation – the fusion of the leaf with water. Tea houses these days are meticulous in their brewing and presentation techniques, taking times to measure carefully the amount of tea leaves and water along with the brewing temperature (lower than the boiling point for many varieties) and time left to stand to produce a perfect cup.
Despite the public’s concern with health, the tea that is consumed most in Thailand is Cha Yen, or iced Thai tea – a bright orange concoction of black tea, food colouring and condensed milk, sometimes with vanilla extract and star anise. While many purists look down on the drink’s sweet taste and unnatural appearance, it’s available in just about any neighbourhood restaurant, market or street food cart.
The quaint British custom of drinking afternoon tea is not exactly a new trend, but the tradition remains very popular in tea houses, luxury hotels and resorts. Yet be warned: while partaking in this activity confers the instant status of tea connoisseur on participants, the cakes, pastries and scones that go with it might undo the health benefits of the tea.
Reflecting the public’s growing interest in tea, there has been a sharp increase in the number of specialist tea shops selling locally sourced teas that highlight regional flavours, whether herbaceous, floral or nutty. Tea is also integrated into local cuisine as a flavouring agent, as a smoking ingredient (to smoke meats or fish), as a garnish, and as an ingredient in baked goods or cocktails.
In Thailand, it already appears on menus in the form of tea-leaf salads, cakes and ice creams, and as tea gastronomy develops, expect to see items like matcha pancakes and Earl Grey muffins on the blackboard at the local tea house.
At the same time, as the public’s awareness of tea is growing, so is that of tea growers and producers. Many of them have abandoned chemical pesticides and fertilisers to focus on organic farming and the sustainability of their plantations. This reflects a move away from monocultural farming to embrace biodiversity. Araksa and Monsoon are good examples of this practice.
Tea Plantations
The Araksa Tea Garden, located about an hour’s drive north of Chiang Mai, is an inspiring place to learn about tea culture. Covering an area of 44 acres of gently rolling hills, Araksa produces many varieties of high-quality organic tea, for which it has won several awards, including the International Tea Academy Award, The Leafies, for its organic Thai tea in 2022.
This is the only plantation in the north that offers organised tea tours, during which visitors learn how to pick the right leaves, watch them being dried and rolled at the roasting station, then taste a few of the garden’s speciality teas. Lunch is available in the stylish restaurant and workshops in tasting, blending, sensory and pairing are conducted by resident tea master Khun Raju from Darjeeling.
Unlike many tea plantations, where other plant life is uprooted to make way for the tea, Araksa has retained many shade trees and other local plants. As Khun Raju says, this helps retain moisture for the tea bushes, since the plantation’s where other plant life is uprooted to make way for the tea, Araksa has retained many shade trees and other local plants. As Khun Raju says, this helps retain moisture for the tea bushes, since the plantation’s elevation of 520 metres is slightly lower than ideal, so the site sometimes receives insufficient rain. He went on to explain how a biodiverse landscape provides natural pest and disease control, improves soil fertility, enhances resilience to extreme weather events and promotes greater genetic diversity.
Tours of Araksa Tea Garden are managed by Asian Oasis, who also run the nearby Lisu Lodge, a convenient spot to stay overnight. The well-equipped lodge, situated on the fringe of a Lisu village, is a community-based tourism project run by local Lisu people to offer guests immersive, curated experiences such as village walks and forest bathing as well as the tea garden tour.
The steep and narrow access road to Wang Put Tan in Mae Salong passes giant lions and enormous teapots, hinting at the spectacular views that await visitors at the plantation’s shop and café on a ridge above the tea fields. Like other Mae Salong plantations, Wang Put Tan has made its name and won awards for its oolong teas, especially its Garnet Oolong, which won the Grand Gold Prize in the World Green Tea Contest in 2023.
The town’s connection with oolong tea dates to the mid-20th century, when forces of the Kuomintang were driven out of China by the Communists. They eventually settled in Mae Salong and brought with them their tea culture, which has flourished and placed the town high on the must-see lists of Thais from all over the country.
Visitors are welcome to taste a few of Wang Put Tan’s tea varieties as well as purchase tea products and teaware, though the props set up for selfies and Instagram shots, such as a picture frame, carp pond, campfire and a signpost to other Thai destinations, are a clear distraction.
The sweeping, panoramic views of the surrounding hills, the houses along Mae Salong’s main street and the Princess Mother Pagoda perched high above the town are best appreciated (when not shrouded in mist) from five recently built bungalows at the plantation, and for anyone dreaming of waking up surrounded by tea bushes, this is an ideal spot.
Just a few kilometres east of the Wang Put Tan plantation along Highway 1130, 101 Tea Plantation is one of the longest-standing plantations in the country, operating since 1995 and covering an area of around 400 acres. Beginning with plants sourced from Taiwan and pioneering terrace tea farming in Mae Salong, the company has continued to produce only oolong teas, with the No.12 and 17 varieties winning prestigious awards. Recently their oolong matcha tea has enjoyed great popularity, perhaps on the back of a current Thai craze for Japanese matcha.
The company no longer produces certified organic tea, though they do use natural fertilisers in all their tea cultivation practices and support the local community by employing hilltribe people. Visitors can taste their products and wander along the carefully crafted rows of tea bushes, appreciating the magical fusion of human work with nature.
Without doubt, the most popular tea garden in Thailand is the Choui Fong plantation, located east of the 101 plantation on the way to Mae Chan, as it sees a constant stream of visitors arriving and leaving, often with bags full of Choui Fong produce. This popularity is due partly to the plantation’s easy access and proximity to other attractions in the North, making it easy to include on a day tour.
However, the location of the plantation’s café, surrounded by gently sloping hills of tea bushes, as well as the extensive menu and high quality of food available, must have something to do with this popularity, as few visitors wander far from this base.
Items on the menu include deep-fried tea leaves with spicy dip, green tea buns, Thai tea fudge cake and green tea-layered croissants, while all dishes come with a sprig of “two leaves and a bud” from the top of a tea bush.
This futuristic café has won several awards for its architecture and can accommodate large groups in its open-sided, split-level spaces.
The plantation’s shop offers a tasting of various products, such as the Jinxuan Oolong and Ruanzhi Oolong teas, both award winners at the World Tea Contest held by the World Tea Association in Japan in 2009. Visitors can also buy loose-leaf teas, tea sachets, cakes, cookies, bags and T-shirts as souvenirs.
In summary, our awards go to: Araksa for learning about tea culture; Wang Put Tan for the best views; 101 for sensually shaped hillsides; and Choui Fong for advancing tea gastronomy.
Just a few kilometres east of the Wang Put Tan plantation along Highway 1130, 101 Tea Plantation is one of the longest-standing plantations in the country, operating since 1995 and covering an area of around 400 acres. Beginning with plants sourced from Taiwan and pioneering terrace tea farming in Mae Salong, the company has continued to produce only oolong teas, with the No.12 and 17 varieties winning prestigious awards. Recently their oolong matcha tea has enjoyed great popularity, perhaps on the back of a current Thai craze for Japanese matcha.
The company no longer produces certified organic tea, though they do use natural fertilisers in all their tea cultivation practices and support the local community by employing hilltribe people. Visitors can taste their products and wander along the carefully crafted rows of tea bushes, appreciating the magical fusion of human work with nature.
Without doubt, the most popular tea garden in Thailand is the Choui Fong plantation, located east of the 101 plantation on the way to Mae Chan, as it sees a constant stream of visitors arriving and leaving, often with bags full of Choui Fong produce. This popularity is due partly to the plantation’s easy access and proximity to other attractions in the North, making it easy to include on a day tour.
However, the location of the plantation’s café, surrounded by gently sloping hills of tea bushes, as well as the extensive menu and high quality of food available, must have something to do with this popularity, as few visitors wander far from this base.
Items on the menu include deep-fried tea leaves with spicy dip, green tea buns, Thai tea fudge cake and green tea-layered croissants, while all dishes come with a sprig of “two leaves and a bud” from the top of a tea bush.
This futuristic café has won several awards for its architecture and can accommodate large groups in its open-sided, split-level spaces.
The plantation’s shop offers a tasting of various products, such as the Jinxuan Oolong and Ruanzhi Oolong teas, both award winners at the World Tea Contest held by the World Tea Association in Japan in 2009. Visitors can also buy loose-leaf teas, tea sachets, cakes, cookies, bags and T-shirts as souvenirs.
In summary, our awards go to: Araksa for learning about tea culture; Wang Put Tan for the best views; 101 for sensually shaped hillsides; and Choui Fong for advancing tea gastronomy.
Tea Houses
Why do we consume coffee in coffee shop or cafés, but drink tea in tea houses or tea rooms? Whatever the reason or the different naming of the venues, these three tea rooms offer a cool and cosy ambiance in which to savour a memorable cup of tea.
Raming Tea House: Sitting in a lush garden, it’s difficult to believe that we are in the heart of Chiang Mai, as the century-old house and greenery absorb all the traffic noise. This leaves visitors free to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea, sipping one of Raming’s many delicious varieties, such as the robust organic black or subtle white peony. Raming has been producing tea since the 1940s in their estate in the hills near Chiang Dao.
Monsoon Tea House: Monsoon serves over 100 varieties of “forest-friendly tea” at its riverside location in Chiang Mai’s Wat Ket district, as well as a range of Northern Thai dishes like Gaeng Hang Lay – pork curry with ginger. The stacked bookshelves and maps on the wall create a homey environment in which to sip a glass of Forest Golden Tips or Dhara Artisanal Green, while the Bangkok or Chiang Mai blends on sale in the shop make a great souvenir. Monsoon has other outlets, on One Nimman in Chiang Mai and in Bangkok, and can also arrange tea tasting and workshops.
Sawanbondin Tea House: The name of this place translates to “Heaven on Earth”, which is exactly how it must appear to tea aficionados arriving for the first time. The well-lit room is nestled in the backstreets of Chiang Rai and surrounded by a lush garden. The young and capable staff can recommend and prepare a pot of award-winning tea, such as the Single Origin Mae Ai First Flush Black Tea, which won the Highly Commended Award at the Leafies International Tea Awards in the UK in 2024. They also serve some tempting cakes and ice creams and run a homestay in this quiet corner of North Thailand.