Fun fact: Tea helped spread Buddhism to the world. Wanting to minimize their pain, Buddhist monks used tea centuries ago to survive their long meditation hours. 

Well, it’s about time you experienced such a powerful drink at Choui Fong Tea Plantation in Mae Chan as we did. Yup, these are not just backyard tea but mountains and mountains of tea in Chiang Rai at your disposal. 

To ease your journey, we’ll share the things you shouldn’t forget so you can make the most of the wonderful sights and experience the drink as Buddhist monks did thousands of years ago. Read on. 

Things to Know

Currency: Thai Baht
(Check the current exchange rate)

Language: Thai (Central Thai)

Location: Pa Sang, Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai 57110, Thailand

Operating Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Daily)

Contact Number: +66 53 771 563

Website: http://www.chouifongtea.com/

Admission Cost: Free

Best Time to Visit Choui Fong Tea Plantation

The Choui Fong Tea Plantation in Mae Chan is best to visit from November to February, during the region’s cool and dry season. This provides the optimal weather conditions to explore and admire the tea fields with the utmost comfort.

During this time, you’ll have fun joining the activities within the plantation for the entire day. 

Of course, you can still visit it during the monsoon season since it remains open all year round. You won’t enjoy the sight as much without the sun and the clear skies but hot tea is definitely more enjoyable during a rainy day. 

How to Get to Choui Fong Tea Plantation

Rental Vehicle: No public transport vehicles run to Choui Fong Tea Plantation from Chiang Rai City, so renting a car or motorbike is your best option. 

The city has numerous car rental companies, so you won’t have trouble finding one. You only need to bring your driver’s license and International Driving Permit to rent a car or motorbike. 

From Chiang Rai City, drive north via the Phahonyothin Road and turn left on Route 1130 past Kongla Furniture Shop. Look for a blue sign to Choui Fong Tea Plantation, make a turn there, and look for another sign at the next fork to make your final turn.

Private Taxi: Hiring a private taxi is another great way to get to Choui Fong Tea Plantation from Chiang Rai. There are private taxi companies in the city, but you can also hire public taxi drivers in the street and offer to pay them for the day.

The latter is more budget-friendly since you’re dealing with the driver personally and you get the chance to negotiate the price. Hiring a private taxi is usually more expensive in the long run, but it’s foolproof since you don’t have to worry about getting lost.

Private and Day Tours: Booking a private or full-day tour to Chiang Rai is another alternative way to get to Choui Fong Tea Plantation. These tours are convenient since you get a service that will pick you up at your hotel or wait for you at a meeting place.

However, bear in mind that Choui Fong Tea Plantation is only part of the itinerary of most day tours, so your visit will be limited. That means you can’t only experience a handful of activities inside the plantation.

Instead, you must ask your travel agency if they offer an exclusive private tour of the plantation alone. Tours to the Choui Fong Tea Plantation from Chiang Rai are available through travel agencies like Viator and GetYourGuide.

What to See and Do in Choui Fong Tea Plantation

Explore Choui Fong Tea Plantation’s vast tea fields

Choui Fong Tea Plantation is great for tourists who enjoy relaxed nature walks and casual hikes. It’s a massive plantation, so expect to see a vast tea field where numerous imported tea varieties suitable for Thailand’s environment are grown.

Think Jin Xuan oolong no.12, Ruan Zhi oolong no.17, black tea, green Tea, and Assam green tea. Since the plantation is explored by its workers daily, expect to see well-maintained walking trails winding through the vast tea fields and tea terraces.

That makes it ideal for walking around and checking up on the growing tea plants. Keep in mind that this plantation is over 1 million square meters, so you’ll need a lot of time and energy to explore it to its fullest.

Capture stunning photos of the plantation

If you’re an avid Instagram user who likes taking nature photos, this is the place to go. At first glance, Choui Fong Tea Plantation looks like a sea of lush greeneries which makes it the perfect subject for vibrant nature and landscape photos.

It’s also worth noting that the plantation’s terrace layout gives it an artistic element that looks great in a photograph. Plus, the vibrant color of the tea plants is just stunning to look at, especially when it pops out with the clear blue sky as the backdrop.

That’s why we recommend visiting the plantation during optimal weather conditions. If you plan on including the plantation’s workers in your photos, don’t forget to ask for permission, especially if your goal is to publish them online.

Sample numerous teas at the plantation’s tea-tasting booths

One of the best things about this place is its tea-tasting booths. Though it’s a common practice among the plantations in Thailand, we think it’s definitely more worthwhile when trying high-quality tea from a renowned place like Choui Fong Tea Plantation. 

Tea tasting is free so take advantage of this service to make the most out of your experience here. This gives you the best chance to find which of their tea products best suit your taste and preference.

That makes tea tasting essential if your goal is to shop for tea products on this plantation. Plus, a dedicated tea lover won’t pass up a chance to sample high-quality tea, especially when it’s free.

Watch how the plantation workers pick tea leaves

Going to Choui Fong Tea Plantation gives you a chance to see the life of Mae Chan’s local farmers. Tea harvesting, in particular, is worth seeing because it’s an essential part of tea production that highlights the skills and knowledge of the tea farmer.

In fact, how, when, and from which part the tea leaf is picked can affect the end product’s taste. That’s why watching the plantation workers handpick tea leaves is a great way to appreciate their dedication and love for tea making.

Just know that harvesting only happens twice every year, so you don’t expect to see farmers hand picking tea leaves every time you visit. It’s done during the spring and summer, so you can plan your visit to coincide with these seasons.

Take part in the plantation’s customary tea ceremony

For the cultured, a visit to Choui Fong Tea Plantation isn’t complete without experiencing their customary tea ceremony. It’s a great way to learn about the art of tea making, so it’s a must-try even if you’re not particularly a tea lover.

In case you didn’t know, a tea ceremony is an elaborate ritual that involves making and serving tea. That means a tea expert will brew a fresh cup of tea for you in a formal setting.

Aside from appreciating tea, you can also learn about tea varieties and the local culture during the ceremony. Be sure to observe proper etiquette, listen carefully, and show gratitude to the person preparing your drink.

Book a guided tour of Choui Fong Tea Plantation

The tea fanatics on our team particularly loved Choui Fong Tea Plantation’s on-site guided tour. This tour is a great way to learn about the plantation’s history and the complete tea production process, so we think it’s definitely a must-try.

There are plenty of things to learn about tea plants including the growing, caring, harvesting, tea processing, and brewing. Aside from that, your tour guide will also teach you about the different tea varieties that they cultivate on the plantation.

That includes how the production process differs between tea varieties or the techniques and practices that affect the end product’s taste. Moreover, you’ll appreciate their tea more once you learn and see how they’re made.

Participate in Choui Fong Tea Plantation’s tea brewing workshop

For a more hands-on experience, we recommend participating in Choui Fong Tea Plantation’s tea brewing workshop. This course goes in-depth into the tea production process, so expect to learn about tea varieties and brewing techniques.

Even if you already love tea, you’ll learn to appreciate it more once you’ve completed your workshop. Plus, this activity will help you make better teas at home which is great if you plan to buy some tea packs from the plantation’s on-site shop.

Of course, the best thing about the brewing workshop is it also involves tea tasting. You learn how to brew tea and get to taste it—what could be better than that?

Snack on pastries and drinks at the Choui Fong Tea Cafe 1

Choui Fong Tea Cafe 1 is the plantation’s first on-site cafe, and it’s worth checking out for its wide selection of baked goods and drinks. It’s an elegant three-building structure resting on a hillside location that offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the plantation.

Since its menu is limited to pastries and tea, it’s the ideal snack spot while enjoying the plantation’s breathtaking scenery. If you like taking architectural photos, by the way, the cafe’s building has received many design awards so it’s definitely worth checking out.

The cafe’s most notable offerings include the green tea roll, Thai tea fudge cake, green tea ice cream, and thousand-layer toast. For your drink, the options are hot tea, iced tea, and tea frappe.

Try the tea-leaf-based dishes served at the Choui Fong Tea Cafe 2

Choui Fong Tea Plantation’s second cafe is the place to go if you’re looking for a decent meal. Its menu is extensive, so expect to see dishes like fried rice, chicken teriyaki rice, Yunnan-style pork noodles, and braised pork legs with green tea mantou.

They also serve numerous appetizers: chicken salad, pork dumplings, chicken nuggets, fried tea leaves, tea leaf salad, chicken wings, shrimp spring rolls, and more. Moreover, the pastries and drinks from Choui Fong Tea Cafe 1 are also available.

It also has a bigger 250-seating capacity which is great for elderly clients, families, and group visitors. This cafe also has a more distinct and harmonic interior design, so expect to see components made with mountain stone, pinewood, steel, and glass.

Browse their selection of high-quality tea products

Choui Fong Tea Plantation is well-known for its selection of high-quality tea products. The plantation’s souvenir shop sells packs and canisters of their signature Jin Xuan oolong no.12, Ruan Zhi oolong no.17, black tea, green tea, and Assam green tea.

Aside from that, they also have flower-infused tea blends like jasmine green tea and osmanthus oolong tea. The osmanthus oolong tea, in particular, is a solid pick. 

The osmanthus flower infusion provides a floral and fruity flavor which makes the tea taste smooth and mellow. They also sell green tea-based skincare products like soaps, hand creams, body lotions, and body wash.