The 12 Best Tea Experiences in Taiwan

1.Thousand Island Lake and Pinglin Tea Plantation

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 519 reviews · 5 hours · from $40Our pick

Leave Taipei by air-conditioned vehicle for Shiding’s Thousand Island Lake and Bagua Tea Garden, then continue to Pinglin. You’ll visit the tea museum, walk through tea country, and learn to brew local teas with an instructor. English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Traditional Chinese guides are available, with small-group and private options.

“Sharon was an excellent tour guide and so attentive, she takes some amazing photographs. It was a small group of four of us which made the tour feel very personal, leart so much about how tea is produced and the tea tasting ceremony was a very memorable experience.”

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2.Thousand Island Lake and Pinglin Tea Plantation from Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 172 reviews · from $52

Leave central Taipei by air-conditioned coach for Thousand Island Lake, Feitsui Reservoir, Bagua Tea Garden, and Pinglin. A licensed guide such as Cathy, James, Christina, or Kevin explains Taiwan’s tea culture before a local tea tasting. Expect scenic mountain roads, a small group of up to 20, and some walking.

“Excellent tour with amazing views, delicious tea, and lots of interesting information about Taipei’s tea industry.”

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3.Pinglin Tea Culture and Maokong Guided Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 104 reviews · 9 hours · from $65

Spend nine hours tracing Taipei’s tea country from Maokong to Shiding and Pinglin. Ride the Maokong Gondola, walk tea trails, visit the Pinglin Tea Museum, and learn proper brewing from a tea specialist. Guides such as Kevin, Tony, Chiara, and Jimmy are praised for making the day friendly and informative. Lunch is at your own expense.

“Gordon was excellent. He had great knowledge and lots of facts to share.”

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4.Tea of Taipei: Small-Group Tour with Taipei City Sightseeing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · from $230Top rated

Spend about 8.5 hours exploring Taipei’s tea country with a guide such as Jeff, Summer, Henry, or Tina. Ride the Maokong Gondola, visit tea centers and plantations, stop above Thousand Island Lake, and learn to prepare Taiwanese tea in a traditional ceremony. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, while lunch is on your own.

“The Maokong gondola ride and the tea experience to get an introduction to the various types of tea grown in Taiwan was great. The tea ceremony was a particular highlight given the intricate steps involved in making a cup of tea which I hRead more”

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5.Pinglin Tea Culture & Maokong Day Tour from Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · from $85

Spend about nine hours exploring Taipei’s tea country with a guide such as Tony, Chiara, Kia, or Jackie. Ride the Maokong Gondola, walk tea trails, visit Thousand Island Lake and Pinglin Tea Museum, taste Taiwanese tea, browse Shenkeng Old Street, and finish with Taipei views from Elephant Mountain. Meals are extra.

“If your a tea lover you will definitely love this tour. We traveled with two toddlers 4 and 3. Make sure to bring snacks.”

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6.Maokong Cable Car 1 day Pass

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 28 reviews · 1 day · from $12Best value

Use a one-day Maokong Gondola pass for unlimited rides between Taipei Zoo, South Zoo, and Maokong stations. The 30-minute ride leads to tea plantations, teahouses, an observation deck, and wide Taipei views. Plan a sunset visit, and note that the pass covers the gondola only, not a guide.

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7.Sip & Savor: Maokong Tea & Shenkeng Stinky Tofu Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · from $184

Spend eight hours exploring Taipei’s tea country and tofu capital in a private, air-conditioned vehicle. Ride the Maokong Gondola, taste Tieguanyin and Baozhong tea, visit Zhinan Temple, and wander Shenkeng Old Street. Guides such as Kuan, Tony, Paul, and Leo have earned praise for friendly service, clear English, and careful driving.

“It was a terrific tour that exceeded my expectations. My family and I enjoyed the tour and learned a lot. It was such a fun day! And I can’t say enough about how great Tony, our tour guide was. He was friendly, informative, and you could tell he Read more”

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8.Taiwan Traditional Breakfast & Market & Tea Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 2 hours · from $44

Start at Lanzhou Market for more than 10 Taiwanese breakfast tastings, guided introductions to local food culture, and a walk toward Dihua Street. Finish at a tea house with oolong and cold brew red tea. The English tour lasts two hours, costs $44, and includes enough food for a full meal.

“Really enjoyed this breakfast food tour. Our guide, Leo, was very informative and made this a perfect combination of food and culture and history.”

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9.Taipei Fresh Market Tour and Colorful Bubble Tea Making

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $65

Meet chef Wayne at 9:30 am for a two-hour visit to Taipei’s Dongmen Market, where you’ll taste fruit, herbal tea, and fish balls before making colorful boba from scratch. The class returns to a cooking studio on the fourth floor and is limited to 10 people.

“Wayne gave a great tour and cooking class! We met by the Market and he explained all the different fruits and vegetables. His cooking experience showed as he described the uses for each. As we walked through the market, WaynRead more”

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10.Thousand-Island Lake & Tea Museum Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5 reviews · 5 hours · from $88

Leave Taipei by private car, van, or bus for Thousand Island Lake and Bagua Tea Plantation. You’ll taste Taiwanese tea, visit Pinglin Tea Museum, and stop at a local tea house with an English or Chinese guide. Ben and Alex are named guides, and hotel pickup, parking, tolls, and museum entry are included.

“Really enjoyed the tea tasting and seeing how the leaves were processed. I appreciated the spectacular views of the mountains. The tea museum was very informative, although more English translation would have been useful. Alex, our guide, was very knowledgeable.”

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11.Private 1-Day Tea Experience in Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · from $153

Spend about eight hours exploring Pinglin with a private guide, tea master, and round-trip car from Taipei. Taste local teas, visit a plantation, try tea-based dishes, and hand-pull noodles at Shihding Tsu’s Handmade Noodle Company. Guides have included Eva and Danny, though English ability can vary.

“I'm very interested in Tea and this was for me very good trip. I had only short time so this was only choice for one day, but I can recommend this trip.”

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12.Taiwanese Baking Class with Oolong Tea Tasting in Taipei

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $80

At CookInn Taiwan’s Zhongshan classroom, you’ll spend about 2.5 hours making Taiwanese pineapple and mung bean cakes, with scallion nougat crackers and tea also part of the experience. An instructor gives clear guidance, then serves Taiwan oolong tea and packs your pastries in a souvenir box. The class starts at 2:30 pm and costs $80.

“The class was so well done, the instructor was patient and gave clear instructions. Our final scallion crackers and pineapple cakes were beautifully packaged for us to take home along with our lovely recipes. One of the best “treat yoself” experiences I have had!”

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