Exploring Taiwan tea culture with a relaxing day trip to Pinglin Tea Museum and Old Street.
Unlike my college days when I craved thrilling, fast-paced adventures, I’ve grown to appreciate more relaxed and leisurely travel as my energy levels have shifted. After all, travel should be about unwinding, right? Constantly rushing through itineraries can be exhausting, so taking time to chill out is actually the ultimate indulgence. That’s why I fell in love with exploring Taiwan’s rich tea culture through a relaxing day trip to Pinglin Tea Museum and Old Street — it’s truly one of the best ways to unwind and connect with local traditions.
Discovering tea history, tasting local oolong, and enjoying the scenic tea mountains near Taipei was the perfect way to slow down. There’s something especially magical about sitting in a quiet tea house, sipping fragrant tea, and having laid-back conversations – it’s pure bliss.
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Table of Contents
The Rich History of Taiwan Tea Culture
Taiwan’s tea culture traces back to the late Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, when immigrants mainly from Fujian and Guangdong’s Chaoshan region brought tea cultivation techniques and drinking customs to the island. Taiwan’s tea ceremony was heavily influenced by Chaoshan Gongfu tea traditions. However, through historical evolution, Taiwanese tea culture gradually developed its own unique characteristics, becoming less rigid than Chinese tea ceremony in terms of teaware usage and brewing details.
Compared to traditional Chinese tea ceremony, Taiwanese tea culture focuses more on the tea leaves themselves – their color, aroma, and flavor – plus the relaxed atmosphere during tea tasting. Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes “harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility” with strict brewing methods and attention to detail. For instance, green tea should be served in glass cups, while oolong tea is best in purple clay teapots.
Taiwan’s tea culture, on the other hand, leans toward everyday practicality, emphasizing a casual and comfortable tea-drinking experience. This lack of rigid rules has actually helped tea culture integrate seamlessly into ordinary people’s daily lives. The bubble tea shops you see everywhere are actually part of Taiwan’s everyday tea culture!
In Taiwan, drinking tea has become an integral part of daily life. From street-corner bubble tea shops to serene tea houses, tea is everywhere. Bubble tea, fruit teas, and other hand-shaken drinks are hugely popular among young people – many grab one daily. But beyond modern bubble tea, Taiwan still preserves traditional Taiwan tea culture. Many people brew high mountain tea, oolong tea, and other varieties at home or in tea houses, chatting while sipping – truly embodying the saying “making friends through tea.” It shows that tea isn’t just a beverage; it’s a lifestyle.
Taiwan Tea Culture Experience in Pinglin
The essence of daily tea culture lies in understanding what makes good tea, how to brew delicious tea, and how to appreciate tea’s qualities – ensuring both the tea maker and drinker can enjoy a great cup and spend pleasant time together.
Modern Taiwanese tea culture blends traditional Gongfu tea brewing methods with contemporary life rhythms, maintaining tea quality standards while making brewing more casual and accessible. Taiwan’s tea ceremony doesn’t get bogged down in elaborate rituals but emphasizes interaction and relaxation among tea friends. Whether chatting with family at home or sharing drinks with friends at a tea house, the brewing process just needs to be smooth and unhurried.
The basic brewing steps include warming the pot, adding tea leaves, brewing, pouring, and tasting. You might be thinking, “Does making tea really need all these steps? Can’t I just pour hot water in?” Well, that would be oversimplifying and lose the whole vibe! Haha, just kidding – though these steps do create atmosphere, they also serve practical purposes. For instance, warming the pot involves rinsing the teapot and cups with boiling water to raise their temperature, so when you pour hot water in, the vessels won’t cool it down, better preserving the tea’s aroma.
Additionally, Taiwanese tea culture emphasizes hospitality etiquette, like avoiding touching cup rims when serving tea and adjusting brewing pace to guests’ needs. These details transform tea drinking into a warm social experience. While the procedures are somewhat particular, the overall process is clear and easy to understand, making it accessible for beginners.
If you want to experience Taiwan tea culture, Pinglin is a fantastic place! If you’re too lazy to plan your own itinerary, consider this Klook package – no need to arrange transportation and activities yourself. This package includes visiting tea gardens, experiencing tea ceremonies, tea tasting, and touring the Pinglin Tea Museum, plus you get a bilingual local tour guide, making the trip both comfortable and fulfilling.
Pinglin’s Signature: Pouchong Tea
Pinglin is located in southeastern New Taipei City and serves as an important water source protection area for the Taipei region. The climate here is mild and humid, with average temperatures of 18-22°C, abundant rainfall, and frequent mist – perfect conditions for tea cultivation. As a water source protection area, the local government strictly controls environmental pollution and promotes eco-friendly farming and pesticide-free tea cultivation to ensure clean water quality while maintaining high-quality Pinglin tea. The terrain consists mostly of valleys with high humidity, giving Pinglin’s pouchong tea its fresh aroma and mellow taste, making it one of Taiwan’s renowned premium teas.
Pouchong tea is a lightly fermented tea with long, slightly curved leaves that are emerald green in color, carrying elegant orchid or jasmine fragrance. When brewed, the tea liquor is pale yellow-green, clear and bright, with a mellow and smooth taste that’s virtually without astringency and offers lasting sweetness. Pouchong tea uses the “one bud, two leaves” picking standard, selecting tender buds with two young leaves to make the tea soup fresher and more layered. For brewing, it’s recommended to use a gaiwan or purple clay teapot with water temperature controlled at 85-90°C to preserve its fresh aroma and sweet, smooth taste.
For more varieties, check this out: The Complete Guide to Chinese Tea Culture: How to Brew Perfect Tea & Explore Taiwan’s Best Tea Gardens
Pinglin Tea Museum
The Pinglin Tea Museum is Taiwan’s premier tea museum, showcasing Taiwan tea history, production techniques, and tea drinking culture. The museum combines static exhibitions with interactive experiences, letting visitors deeply understand Pinglin’s pouchong tea and Taiwan’s tea industry development. The museum covers extensive grounds, with architecture blending traditional Fujian-style courtyard design and modern elements, surrounded by tea gardens in a tranquil setting perfect for tea culture enthusiasts to visit and sample teas.
The museum interior is divided into multiple exhibition areas covering different themes, including tea history and culture, tea production techniques, teaware and art, interactive experience zones, and outdoor tea garden areas. Visitors can gain deep insights into Taiwan’s tea culture from multiple angles – tea origins, Taiwan tea development, tea processing procedures, to teaware artistry. The museum provides Chinese and English explanations, with some display boards and guide videos available in English, suitable for international visitors. English-guided tours are occasionally arranged (advance booking recommended).
Beyond permanent exhibitions, the museum hosts seasonal tea exhibitions, tea culture lectures, and hands-on tea-making experiences throughout the year, covering spring tea picking, tea ceremony performances, and Taiwan specialty tea displays, attracting tea culture enthusiasts. The museum houses a tea specialty shop selling premium teas like Pinglin pouchong and Oriental Beauty tea, plus various teaware and souvenirs. Visitors can sample teas on-site and purchase authentic Pinglin tea as gifts.
The Pinglin Tea Museum is an excellent place to understand Taiwan’s tea culture – whether you’re a tea enthusiast or casual visitor, you’ll feel the rich tea culture atmosphere here.
Official Website
Address: 232001, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Pinglin District
Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00, Saturday-Sunday 09:00-17:30
Admission: NTD80
Pinglin Old Street
Pinglin originally served as a necessary stop on the route from Taipei to Yilan, making it extremely prosperous as a transit point for travelers. However, after the Hsuehshan Tunnel opened, this area was no longer a mandatory stop, causing tourist numbers to plummet to just 30-40% of original levels – quite sad really.
But for travelers who dislike crowds, this is actually an amazing spot. Pinglin has now transformed itself, mainly attracting visitors with leisurely tea mountain slow tourism. The environment here is peaceful, built along the Beishi River(北势溪), where you can feel the thick rural atmosphere. Though Pinglin Old Street isn’t long, it still retains the charm of an early tea village, and you can still see traces of its former prosperity.
Along the way, you’ll see Fujian-style stone buildings and wooden old houses. Both sides of the old street are lined with tea culture-themed shops like tea stores, specialty snack stalls, and handicraft shops. The most representative item here is Pinglin pouchong tea – various tea shops offer fresh brewing for tasting, letting visitors sample different flavored quality teas. Additionally, you can find specialty dishes incorporating tea, like tea eggs, tea oil noodles, tea-flavored tofu, and tea oil chicken – both distinctive and delicious.
Restaurant Recommendations
Happy Kitchen (幸福小厨)
This restaurant is located in a century-old house, specializing in tea-infused cuisine combined with traditional Taiwanese rural home cooking. The tea oil noodles are a must-try recommendation. The characteristic of traditional Taiwanese rural home cooking is using locally grown vegetables, poultry, and seafood from farming families, simply prepared to preserve the fresh, original flavors of ingredients without pursuing complex seasonings or refined presentation, showcasing pure rustic flavors.
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Address: No. 84, Pinglin St, Pinglin District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 232
Dezhi Tea Garden (德治茶园)
The tea cakes here are made with local pouchong tea, tasting different from tea cakes in other Taiwan regions – very characteristic of Pinglin, don’t miss them! Tea cake is a traditional Taiwanese rice snack made primarily with rice batter, adding tea leaves or tea powder for flavor enhancement, then steamed into chewy textured pastries. They usually carry subtle tea fragrance and combine with different fillings like red beans, peanuts, or preserved radish, suitable for both sweet and savory tastes. Tea cake preparation is similar to Hakka rice cakes, with soft, chewy exterior texture like mochi, perfect as snacks or breakfast. The tea cakes here blend the fresh aroma of pouchong tea into the soft, chewy texture – absolutely delicious!
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Address: No. 235, Section 8, Beiyi Road, Pinglin District, New Taipei City
Dr.andphar.mise (良醫藥師本舖)
This tea room has relatively modern, stylish cafe-style decoration while incorporating healthy eating concepts. Naturally, the food here also features tea-infused cuisine. Besides that, they offer many specialty healthy drinks – if you don’t want to eat but just want to drink tea and chat, this is a great choice.
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Address: No. 37-1, Shuiliu Foot, Pinglin District, New Taipei City
Just Pinglin (坪感觉)
Pinglin Feeling provides comprehensive services. Besides delicious creative tea foods, they have a local small-scale agricultural products section where you can buy local farm products. Their business concept is connecting Pinglin’s humanities, industry, and nature – suitable for visitors interested in local culture.
Offcial Website | Facebook
Address: No. 12, Pinglin St, Pinglin District, New Taipei City
Pinglin Tea Picking Experience
Many tea gardens in Pinglin offer visitors tea picking and tea making experiences for those wanting hands-on experience. Here are some tea gardens offering tea picking experiences – but all require advance booking!
Meet in Tea (茶里相逢)
Official Website
Address: No. 262, Section 8, Beiyi Road, Pinglin District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Green Light Farm (绿光农园)
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Address: No. 53, Fish Pond, Pinglin District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 232
Just Pinglin (坪感觉)
Offcial Website | Facebook
Address: No. 12, Pinglin St, Pinglin District, New Taipei City
Summary
Pinglin is perfect for visitors wanting to experience tea culture and enjoy a peaceful, slow-paced lifestyle. I recommend starting with the Tea Culture Museum, then heading to Pinglin Old Street to taste tea-flavored specialty foods. If you have extra time, you can also walk or bike along the Beishi Creek bike path, enjoying the beautiful mountain, water, and tea garden scenery. There’s a shared bike (YouBike) station near the museum where you can rent bikes.
The Klook package includes a local tour guide who’ll lead us through tea garden visits, tea ceremony experiences, tea tasting, and Pinglin Tea Museum tours – perfect for travelers who want the flexibility of independent travel while having local guidance.
This package also includes tea garden visits, tea ceremony experiences, tea tasting, Pinglin Tea Museum tours, and bilingual local tour guides. The difference is this is a half-day tour without the Maokong portion.
Final Tips
Pouchong tea has considerable caffeine content, so don’t drink it before bedtime, especially if you’re prone to insomnia. Pouchong tea’s caffeine content is lower than black tea and raw Pu-erh but higher than white tea and green tea. Also, short brewing times (10-30 seconds) release less caffeine. High-temperature, long steeping releases more caffeine, making stronger tea. If you’re sensitive to insomnia, use short brewing methods when drinking.
