If you’re wondering where tea leaves are harvested, they do not just magically grow in the bushes of a normal house garden. They are cultivated in large areas called plantations and these plantations are strategically located in places that have sufficient sunlight and a climate that is in par with the needs of these plants for them to grow. Introducing below are a few of the famous tea plantations found in different parts of the world.
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Glenburn Tea Estate
In 1859, a Scottish tea manufacturer established the Glenburn Tea Plantation. It was in the late 19th century when the Scottish owners transferred the plantation to the Koltaka-based Prakesh family of India. The family is famous in the tea industry and they gained the title “Chiawala” which originally translates to “tea planters” and they spearheaded the tea planting culture in India. The plantation is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and it provides an overlooking view of River Rungeet and the majestic Kanchenjunga Mountain.
The third and fourth generation of the Prakesh Family led the redevelopment of the plantation by adding a stay-in hotel, bungalows, campsite, and tea tour facilities that will entice tourists to learn and experience the Indian tea culture. The estate has been open to the public for almost a hundred years and till now, they are relevantly growing as a tourist destination and thriving in producing the best tasting Darjeeling and black tea in the world.
Dambatenne Estate
Dambatenne Estate in Sri Lanka is a legacy left by tea tycoon Thomas Lipton. The plantation was established to naturally source out the ingredients used to create Lipton’s Ceylon Tea and distribute these products to Scotland and to the other countries.
Dambatenne Estate is located in the heart of Haputale and it is surrounded by lush fields of greeneries and valleys.
The plantation is under the tutelage of the residents of Hapatule and they oversee the maintenance of the traditional tea making process esteemed by the plantation’s founder Thomas Lipton. At this modern time, the plantation transformed from a mere farm to a tourist establishment. Dambatenne Estate has now a hotel and several factories and tea houses that visitors can explore.
Jingmai Tea Mountain
From the birthplace of tea comes China’s most treasured UNESCO heritage site, the Jingmai Tea Mountain. This highly elevated plantation serves as the habitation of wild forests and ancient trees that were cultivated about 2000 years ago. The plantation has a total harvesting area of 1,870 hectares and it is the best-preserved ancient tree plantation in the world.
The majority of its woody perennial plant is used to create the famous Pu’er tea. Because of the site’s rarity and scarcity, it is strictly monitored and controlled by the Chinese government, making sure that these ancient trees are well protected from any harm. Access to the place is very limited and it is only open to those farmers who are officially working in the area. To sustain the plantation and the production of Pu’er Tea, the place is funded by China’s Eco-Tourism and Fair Trade Support with harmonious reinforcements from the different ethnic tribes of Yunnan province.
Seven Star Tea Plantation
Seven Star Tea Plantation is the only estate in Yangshuo province China that has its own tea house. The tea culture in China is very treasured by its people and its versatility contributed to enriching China’s cultural identity. Owner Annie Zhou and her brother were inspired by how the Chinese treat tea like a companion in their everyday life.
Because of the popularity of the beverage, they were reluctant to open a plantation and cultivate several varieties of tea plants. Today, the plantation is well known as the center of production of yellow tea, green tea, red tea, black tea, oolong tea, and post-fermented tea.
The plantation is over 40 hectares and it is perched in the mountainside which provides a good environment to the cultivation site and each year, the plantation produces at least 40 tons of tea. Seven Star Tea Plantation is also open to the public and they offer tea tours to their visitors in which they show the complete process of making tea – from handpicking, fermentation, and tea tasting.
Nilgiri Tea Plantations, Tamil Nadu
In the region of Tamil Nadu lies the biggest plantation of Nilgiri, a rare variety of black tea that only grows in the southern portion of Western Ghats mountain of India. The plantation has been growing for over a hundred years and it doesn’t adapt to a particular season, plants harvested in this area can grow throughout the year. Its prime products are black and oolong tea. The presence of this tea plantation has been one of the major tea growing areas in India.
The laborers are natives and most of them come from ethnocultural groups and each day they handpick at least 20 to 40 kilograms of tea plants. The site is quite popular with tourists, not only it provides a scenic view of the rolling hills and terraces of the plantation but also, it gives a serene atmosphere to everyone who is visiting the area for relaxation.
Tregothnan Tea Estate
Tea is a customary beverage in the eyes of the British. Though Britain is not an ideal place to grow tea plants because of its temperate climate, it was made possible by the Tregothnan Tea Estate to harvest and cultivate a tea plantation. It is the first tea garden built in the area of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The land covers at least 150 acres of cultivated land with only suitable tea plants that are placed in the area to acclimate Britain’s rainy weather.
Even though the plantation is only a small scale production house, it is still a fresh step for the owners and it gives an opportunity to British tea manufacturers to import ingredients that are cultivated from their own soil. Aside from tea, Tregothnan Tea Estate has also been producing herbal jams for treatment and food consumption. The estate has evolved from a tea plantation to a tea garden accumulating a lot of visitors to experience a one of a kind British tea experience.
Singha Park in Chiang Rai
Singha Park provides solace to nature aficionados. The site is enormous, enveloping a tea plantation, farmland, lake, camping ground, zoo, and adventure facilities. A getaway for relaxation and doing fun outdoor activities, Singha Park is also distinguished as one of Chiang Rai’s beautiful backdrops of colorful fields and habitation places.
Before it became Singha Park, the place is known as Boon Rawd Farm, a plantation that produces Singha Beer. Thailand’s advocacy to promote sustainable tourism is what made the owners redevelop the area into a family-friendly feature and since then, the plantation further shifted to being a source of Barley and later on used this plantation as a house production of Barley tea. Aside from that, the Barley cultivated in this area is also utilized in making malted drinks, dairy, and healthy foods.
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farm
The slang “Obubu” is derived from the term “tea” from the Kyoto dialect. The tea farm is home to the creation of the famous Matcha and Japanese green tea. Group and individual tours for tourists and locals are arranged to visit the luscious tea fields in the area. The tea tours provide educational knowledge to amateurs and tea-enthusiasts to appreciate more the traditional Japanese method in cultivating and fermenting tea plants.
After the tour, tourists can create their own tea and buy themselves a tea set as their souvenir. Furthermore, tourists also have the option to buy brand tea boxes and packages manufactured by the farm and they can choose their own tea goods within this range of flavors of roasted tea, green tea, oolong tea, tisane, black tea, and cooking powders.
Charleston Tea Garden
American tea brand Bigelow Tea Company built the Charleston Tea Garden in South Carolina, U.S.A. Its history dates back in the mid-18th century when the first batch of the tea plant Camellia Sinensis was delivered to the United States from China.
Dr. Charles Shepard established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation to accommodate the plants and over the years, the plantation expanded into a land that grows Camellia Sinensis and other variants of fruits and vegetables. In 2003, Bigelow bought the land and transformed the area as their main source of ingredients and products. With this, the company is recognized as a true Ämerican Classic and the only brand name to have all of its tea plants localized and cultivated in American soil.
Dagomys Tea Plantation
Sochi is the only region in Russia that produces tea. Fortunately, its northwestern tropical weather is perfect to maintain the Dagomys Tea Plantation. The place is an avenue to learn more about Russia’s unique tea culture.
They feature lectures about the composition and preservation of tea fields and some of the oddities of Russia’s tea history. There’s also a tea party conducted inside a Russian Country log home called Izba wherein tourists can enjoy the special performances showcased by ethnic groups from the area.
Besides that, tourists can also relish the party by drinking tea in the Russian traditional way and accompany their beverage with tasty delectables such as pastries, bread, locally baked pies, and nuts. And aside from the food, they can also fancy the mountainous view of the place and feel its tranquil environment with their cup of tea.
Tea plantations are formed to further lodge different types of tea plants. They are established around the world as a means of natural source and other entrepreneurial practices.
Because of the spike of sustainable tourism, the majority of these plantations are transformed into tourist destinations and tea house facilities to accommodate those people who are curious to learn more about the culture of drinking tea and how these herbal succulents are fertilized to create the best-tasting tea.
