【Traveler’s Journal】Early Summer, the Fourfold Allure of Tea
Last updated 2026-09-25 — Have you ever imagined that tea can have eight hundred different flavors? Did you know that brewing tea boldly in a large bowl can actually bring out its true taste? Tea culture isn’t just about tradition and formality—over time, from tea production to the way we enjoy it, everything has...
Text by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal Hong Zhenlu
Have you ever imagined that tea can have eight hundred different flavors? Did you know that brewing tea boldly in a large bowl can actually bring out its true taste? Tea culture isn’t just about tradition and formality—as times change, everything from tea production to the way we enjoy it continues to evolve. This time, let’s set aside our preconceived notions about tea culture and explore it from a fresh perspective.
Savoring tea is an enjoyment rooted in slowness. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal)
Pure Nature, Hidden Tea Gardens
Xiongkong Tea Garden
Seeking out one of the purest plots of land, they revived a long-abandoned Japanese-era tea garden. Perched atop a mountain, Xiongkong Tea Garden not only boasts expansive views of the tea fields but, on clear days, even offers glimpses of the coastline.
Tea farmers place freshly picked leaves into cloth bags, ready to be transported to the processing center. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal)
Once, the Sanxia area was covered with lush tea gardens, but as the tea industry declined, these gardens were left to overgrow and fade into obscurity. Taiwan Agriculture and Forestry Corporation, with a history spanning a century and heir to its predecessor “Japanese Mitsui Gomei Kaisha,” inherited vast tea fields. Over the past decade, it has gradually transformed organic farming practices in tea gardens in Nantou Yuchi and Miaoli Tongluo. Among its own abandoned plots in Sanxia, the company found a piece of land untouched by graves, temples, or residences—where the water and air are pristine and free from external pollution—and began revitalizing it organically. This tea garden is located atop Xiongkong Mountain.
The manager of the northern branch, Mr. Lin, explained that baked tea leaves curl up during processing. If pesticides were sprayed on the leaves during cultivation, traces would remain no matter how many infusions you brew. For the health of consumers, despite the challenges of organic farming, they are committed to this path.
Xiongkong Tea Garden uses glassware to brew tea, allowing the color of the liquor to be admired. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal)
Vintage Charm at Daliao Tea Culture Museum
Before heading to Xiongkong Tea Garden, you can make a stop at the Daliao Tea Culture Museum along the way. In the past, tea produced in Sanxia could be transported by boat along Zhukeng Creek to Zhuke Creek and Sanxia Creek, flowing downstream all the way to Tamsui. Today, the creek can no longer accommodate boats, and the Daliao Tea Farm by Zhukeng Creek has been converted into a refining facility. The site manager’s residence, built in 1944 next to the farm, briefly served as staff housing before being abandoned for decades. In 2013, the Agriculture and Forestry Corporation restored this dilapidated wooden structure with earthen walls, preserving its original foundation, round windows, layout, and roof tiles, while giving it a new fish-scale siding exterior. It now opens to the public as the “Daliao Tea Culture Museum.”
Daliao Tea Culture Museum retains its original layout intact. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal)
Following the signs and turning into a narrow alley, you’ll soon come across the Daliao Tea Culture Museum. Two towering century-old lychee trees stand in front, and moss-covered roof tiles hint at the age of the house. What is now the main entrance was originally the back courtyard opening, while the original front door has become the entry to the outdoor tea space. Stepping through the completely open doorway, the spacious exhibition area is formed by the former living room and two rooms with sliding doors removed. Adjacent to it are two tea rooms—one with tatami flooring, the other with seating—both formerly used as tea spaces.
The classic Japanese-style tea room within Daliao Tea Culture Museum exudes old-world charm. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler’s Journal)
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