A Fragrant Tea Mountain Adventure & A Historic Old Street Visit – A Leisurely Day Trip to Longtan

Text & Photography / Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network

 

When visiting Taoyuan, most people would think of the classic architecture and delicious snacks on Daxi Old Street, as well as the elegantly designed Daxi Bridge. However, in Longtan, apart from vast tea plantations perfect for scenic tea tasting and century-old tea factories where you can learn about the tea-making process, there’s also San Pit Old Street, known as “Longtan’s No.1 Street.” It not only features one of the hottest cycling trails for a lush green biking experience but also houses the area’s spiritual hub — Yongfu Temple — and the charming Old House Café nearby, both showcasing cultural depth and local character that rival those of Daxi Old Street.

With an elevation of around 300 meters, Taoyuan County’s Longtan Township sees frequent rainfall, high temperatures, and humidity, coupled with acidic red soil rich in iron — ideal conditions for tea cultivation. As a result, it has become a key northern Taiwanese tea-producing region, growing mainly Qingxin Dajian, the most common tea variety in Taoyuazhujian-Miaoli. Samsui Mingyuan in Longtan, now in its third generation since its establishment in 1931, was the filming site of the Tea King commercial, and the tea produced here is supplied to Tea King for their products. Additionally, during the Mangzhong to Summer Solstice period, tea farmers harvest young buds bitten by tea green leafhoppers, which are then processed into the farm’s most famous Oriental Beauty Tea. According to the tea farmers, the more severely bitten the buds, the more precious they are.

Strolling through the winding tea fields, you can enjoy the fun of tea picking and tasting during harvest season. In the off-season, after admiring the serene mountain tea scenery, you can also sample three types of tea: black tea, Longquan Tea, and Oriental Beauty Tea. The famous Oriental Beauty Tea boasts a sweet aroma with hints of honey, smooth and mellow — a must-try delicacy for any visitor.

Established in the early years of the Republic of China, Fuyuan Tea Factory initially focused on tea cultivation before gradually shifting its business model to purchasing tea from surrounding farmers and reselling to foreign trading companies and merchant groups. By 1949, Fuyuan Tea Factory had officially built its own facility and entered a peak production period, with annual output reaching over one million kilograms at its height.

At the century-old Fuyuan Tea Factory, led by the fifth-generation owner Huang Zhengwei, you’ll get a step-by-step explanation of the entire tea-making procedure, including withering, pan-firing, rolling, drying, and sorting. You can also view the factory’s historic tea processing tools for an in-depth look at tea craftsmanship. Additionally, Fuyuan Tea Factory offers the rare chance to taste “Sour Tangerine Tea.”