茶路 · Tea Path
Táiwān · 台湾
Growing region · Alishan · Dongfang Meiren · Hongyu Cha

Táiwān

台湾 · Táiwān

Every cup is a conversation between the mountain and the cloud

高山烏龍

Taiwan is an island where oolong has reached absolute perfection. High-mountain Alishan at 1500–2500 m is the highest tea terroir in the world. Dongfang Meiren — bitten by a leafhopper, named by Queen Victoria. Hongyu Cha — a unique red tea with mint and cinnamon. Route: Taipei → Alishan clouds → Hakka Beipu → east coast → night markets.

Teas of this area

Алишань Гаошань Улун 阿里山高山乌龙

Highest point: 1500–2500 m. Creamy, floral, orchid. The highest tea terroir in the world. Light roast.

Дунфан Мэйжэнь 东方美人

‘Oriental Beauty’. Leafhopper → muscatel honey. 75% oxidation. Queen Victoria gave the name. Impossible to counterfeit.

Хунъюйча 红玉红茶

‘Red Jade’, cultivar No. 18. Mint, cinnamon, tropical fruits. A unique Taiwanese red tea.

Дунтин Улун 冻顶乌龙

‘Frost Peak’ from Lugu — the progenitor of Taiwanese oolongs.

Баочжун 包种茶

The most delicate Taiwanese oolong. ‘Paper-wrapped’. Minimal oxidation.

Route by days

  1. День 2

    Пинлинь 坪林

    Baozhong oolong

    Baozhong is the most delicate oolong. Minimal oxidation, ‘paper-wrapped’. Mountains near Taipei — easy access.

    Pinglin mountain lodge

  2. День 3

    Наньтоу · Лугу 南投·鹿谷

    Dongding oolong

    Dongding Oolong — ‘Frost Peak’, the progenitor of Taiwanese oolongs. Lugu (鹿谷) — a mountain village, traditional roasting.

    Lugu tea house

  3. Дни 4–5

    Алишань 阿里山

    High-mountain oolong 2500 m

    Alishan (阿里山) — the sacred mountain of the Tsou aborigines, 2216 m. 1500–2500 m — the highest terroir in the world. Creamy, orchid notes. Narrow-gauge railway through the clouds. Sunrise over the sea of clouds — Taiwan’s premier spectacle. Sacred cypresses over 2000 years old — ‘Tree God’. Tasting: Alishan vs Shanlinxi vs Lishan — the three great mountains.

    Mountain lodge — clouds at the window, cypress forest

  4. День 5

    Синьчжу · Бэйпу 新竹·北埔

    Dongfang Meiren

    ‘Oriental Beauty’ — leafhopper → muscatel honey. 75% oxidation — almost a red tea, yet still an oolong. Queen Victoria named it ‘Oriental Beauty’. The Hakka village of Beipu. Impossible to counterfeit: without leafhoppers there is no taste.

    Beipu boutique hotel — amidst tea gardens

  5. День 6

    Тайдун 台东

    Hongyu Cha · Red Jade

    Hongyu Cha — cultivar No. 18. Mint, cinnamon, tropical fruits. Taiwan’s unique red tea. East coast — mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.

    Taitung hotel

  6. День 7

    Тайбэй 台北

    Maokong · 101 · Finale

    Maokong (猫空) tea houses — gondola over the tea gardens. Night markets — the world’s finest street food: xiaolongbao, bubble tea, tofu. Taipei 101. Finale: an overview of all oolongs from Baozhong to Alishan plus Dongfang Meiren.

Planning

Transport
Arrival: Taipei Taoyuan (TPE). High-speed train (高铁) + minibus. ~800 km.
Climate
Subtropical, 20–30°C. Mountains: 10–20°C. Typhoons: July–September. Optimal: March–May, October.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes + trekking gear, camera (Alishan!), budget for tea (Taiwan is pricier).
Buying tea
Alishan: from 800 NT$/liang (37.5 g). Dongfang Meiren: from 1200 NT$. Hongyu Cha: from 600 NT$. Maokong — best value.