Fascinating yourself in the lovely land…Choui Fong Tea Plantation
Chiang Rai is not famous from the popular sightseeing like Wat Rong Khun, Ban Dam, and Doi Tung only. This northern region also the home of the tea plantation along the mountain range, as well. Exactly, this hilly landscape with the heart-taking scenery of the greenish tea plantation spread over the hill distantly underneath the clear blue sky attracts many tourists to impress and wish to visit this place over and over. Consequently, many tea plantations in Chiang Rai become the wish-list destination for one who makes the trip to Chiang Rai. Additionally, traveling to the tea plantation is not limited by season as the Siamese Sakura or the Wild Himalayan Cherry that specific the time to make a trip just only between January and February.
Specifically, the tea plantation mostly is the terrace farming style over the hill creating in the beautiful landscape that can refresh up the beholder with the remote perspective of the vast greenish land. And a remarkable tea plantation that considered to be top in mind among the tourist to visit in Chiang Rai definitely is “Choui Fong Tea Plantation.”
About Choui Fong Tea Plantation
“Choui Fong Tea Plantation,” an original tea plantation over the 1,000 rais or approximately 1.6 sq.km of the land. The location is more than 1,200 meters above the sea level surrounded by the lovely nature and mountain range. Located in the area of Mae Chan district in Chiang Rai province, Choui Fong Tea Plantation besides the famous tourist attraction that offers the wonderful scenery for the visitors to chillax, the site is good with the café serving lots of delicious tea, drinks, and homemade bakery to fill up your tummy, too.
With its outstanding landscape, Choui Fong Tea Plantation is the horseshoe-shaped curve of the mountain with the lake in the middle of the property. Also, the location is not too far from other famous attractions since it is on the same direction to go to Doi Tung and Mae Sai Borderline. Just only 4 km from the main road of Paholyothin Road, undoubtedly Choui Fong Plantation is a must check-in sightseeing for the travelers to stop by for a cup of tea and relax with the lovely atmosphere of this farm.
Taste high-quality tea:
Choui Fong Tea Plantation is in Mae Chan district where is recognized the best place to cultivate the tea of Choui Fong Tea Company Limited which is the most prominent tea manufacturer in Chiang Rai for more than four decades. Obviously, any tea lover who would like to taste the high-quality tea must not miss visiting this place. And another favorite activity for the tourist definitely is taking the pictures of the lovely scenery of the terrace tea farming. Plus, as if you arrive at the place in the morning you would spot the scene of the farmers are picking up the tea leaves, too.
Take beautiful photos:
Choui Fong Tea Plantation, actually are 2 sites open to the public. However, the one that is more popular among the tourists situated in Mae Chan district before arriving at Ban Terd Thai village which is the second plantation of the owner. About several years of operation, Choui Fong Tea Plantation lining over the vast land with the beautiful landscape with the rolling mountain as the boundary by nature. The tea plants are cultivated all along the hillside offering the perfect photo opportunity for the visitors to snap and fascinate with the lovely circumstance of the place.
Enjoy delicious food and drinks:
Apart from the beautiful panorama, this tea plantation also provides the visitors with the lovely café serving an array of delicious food, beverages, and desserts. The popular menus, for example, Spicy Tuna Salad, Yunnan Spaghetti, Soft Tea Chinese Steam Bun (Tea Man Tou), Iced Green Tea, Iced Tea, Green Tea Cake, and Chocolate Cake. The café is another magnet that appeals to lots of people to visit Choui Fong Tea Plantation more with its extraordinary architecture of the building that is not in contrast to the natural landscape. So, chilling at the tea café here is some kind of favorite activity for most of the tourists who visit the place.
Another one good thing of the location of this Choui Fong Tea Plantation is it’s convenient to travel to the site with the nice pavement all along the way to the farm.
Touch with the tea plantation atmosphere:
As mentioned above, there is another location of Choui Fong Tea Plantation which is the original one as the tea farm over the 500 rais or approximately 0.8 sq.km of the land. The area is within the mountain with more than 1,200 meters high from the sea level. Not less in its beauty, this plantation of Choui Fong Tea features the lovely scenery of the distant tea plantation along the curvy mountain ridge that stepping down orderly resulting in the notable beautiful vista.
However, the road to go to this site of Choui Fong Tea Plantation is quite curvy, steep, and narrow but it is okay for all kinds of vehicles to access. Moreover, this tea plantation has no restaurant like the new one, just only providing a pleasant moment and landscape for the visitors to enjoy. Nonetheless, its stunning environment lures lots of local drama and film producers to choose the place as the location for production, though.
Before being the famous Choui Fong Tea Plantation
With the gracious kindness of the King Bhumiphol or Rama IX that initiated to promote the agricultural occupation of the local residents in Chiang Rai. So, Tawee Wanasphitaksakul originated to cultivate the tea and founded Choui Fong Tea Factory in 1979 within the area of Phaya Prai Village, Mae Kham sub-district, Mae Chan district in Chiang Rai province. The tea plantation was under the support of the Royal Project and also the association to support the victims from the Republic of China. For the past three decades, Choui Fong Tea Company Limited with the mission to develop the property for tea plantation with the proper climate and environment has progressed in its business continuously.
Choui Fong in 1979
From the first start, Tawee had expanded his business and also invited other locals in Phaya Prai Village and neighboring area to join in the project to cultivate the high-quality tea in order to get the productivity to supply Choui Fong Tea Factory. By then, the cooperation led to the expansion of the tea plantation to 300 rais of the land at that time. Moreover, the company got the support from the association in Taiwan provided 360 units of a young plant of Oo Long Tea which is one of the finest tea species to propagate the breed together with the proficient consultant. For this reason, Choui Fong Tea Company Limited became the prototype for the highland agricultural farming in the region and more participants to join the project of the company continually. As a result, the life of the people who’s the member of the development project of Choui Fong Tea Company Limited is better than previously.
Choui Fong in 2005
With success from the business and over 30 years of experience encouraged Tawee Wanasphitaksakul to enlarge the area of the tea cultivation. As well as created the new plant to process the tea leaves in 2005 over 400 rais of the property at the location in Doi Mae Salong in Pa Sang and Si Kham sub-district in Mae Chan district with the financial support from Kbank. Additionally, he promoted the tea plantation as the new place of the eco-tourism destination in Chiang Rai. From that time on, Choui Fong Tea Company Limited becomes one of the remarkable manufacturers and distributors of the most exceptional tea product to the global market.
Choui Fong until today
Until the time that Shanya Wanasphitaksakul, the second generation of Choui Fong Tea Plantation began to refresh the plantation site as the dream attraction among the traveler who comes to Chiang Rai. And also set up its standalone shop to distribute the products of Choui Fong Tea brand and even in-house café to provide good quality of dessert and drinks made from high-quality tea of the company. Finally, Choui Fong Tea Cafe is more than a place for any visitors to check-in and enjoy the delicious food and drink because one more thing to be thrilled is the idea to design the building is so fantastic and harmonize to the natural environment, indeed.
Indulge in the taste of most excellent tea and the lovely view of the tea plantation at Choui Fong Tea Café
Another highlight of Choui Fong Tea Plantation apart from the beautiful landscape of the terrace tea farming is the tea café at Choui Fong Tea Plantation. The outstanding architectural building where the nice café nestled inside serves an array of tasty beverages and dessert created from tea. Surrounding with the endless greenish tea plantation, unsurprisingly many of the tourists who come to this place would fall in love with this place effortlessly. Try to imagine the moment that you lingeringly nibble a cup of fine tea and homemade green tea cake with the lovely scenery mingled the fragrant aroma of the tea plants is such a fantastic moment, isn’t it?
Choui Fong Tea-Cafe’ is an opened air structure with the spacious rooftop patio which is perfect viewpoint to witness the vast space of the tea plantation in 360 degrees of vista. Otherwise, taking steps to go down to the terrace where you will delight with the view and sweet treat. More than that, there is a tea shop inside the building that the visitors can select many tea products and gifts included ‘Choui Fong Powdered Green Tea,’ too. Plus, the tea sampling counter provides the sample of many types of tea for you to taste that you also can enjoy the tea making demonstration by the staff, as well.
About the things served at Choui Fong Tea Café, the famous one is “Iced Green Tea” the signature menu that is not too sweet, and you can taste some bitter of the tea leaf. And the bakery menu here is also must-not-miss to try; Green Tea Cake, Coconut Cake, Green Tea Roll, Green Tea Cheesecake, and Green Tea Banoffee, for instance.
Extend your wonderful trip with the Choui Fong Tea Café 2
Apparently, the tea café at Choui Fong Tea Plantation became the must-visit landmark that anyone who takes the journey to Chiang Rai would check-in after it first debuts not too long. Thence, the owner of the famous tea plantation does not pause the progress of the business and already planned to expand its service by creating the new café “Choui Fong Tea Café 2” which is built over the hill on the right of the original one. The new café can be seen from the previous location and as the extended part of the original office of the tea plantation.
Another notable design of the architecture and landscaping, Tea Café 2 is created to be harmonized to the natural circumstance and lots of photogenic corners that you would not enough to take the picture. About the food, Tea Café 2 serves the similar menu of food and beverage as the Tea Café 1, nonetheless, some additional selections of main course providing at this café. For example, Crispy Tea Leaf, Spaghetti with Northern Style Sausage, and Stake that are perfect for the luncheon.
Operating Time of Choui Fong Tea Plantation
Choui Fong Tea Plantation operates between 8.30am – 5.30pm every day. And the place welcomes the visitors in all seasons without any charge of the entrance.
How to go to Choui Fong Tea Plantation
The journey to Choui Fong Tea Plantation and Café is convenient and optional for the visitors.
By Car:
Travel to Choui Fong Tea Plantation and Café, Mae Chan Base
The tea plantation at Mae Chan district in Chiang Rai is before reach Mae Fa Luang district. From the main road route Chiang Rai – Mae Sai, drives until meeting Pa Sang Junction to go to Doi Tung and Mae Salong. Then, drives follow the sign to go to Choui Fong Tea Plantation (same direction to Phu Chai Sai).
Travel to Choui Fong Tea Plantation, Mae Fa Luang Base
From the junction to go to Mae Salong at Pa Sang to I-gor Trisection (Checking Point), then, makes the right turn to Terd Thai Village. From Terd Thai Village, keeps heading to Phaya Prai Village in about 10 km and will meet the trisection. So, take the left fork and drives more 2 km to meet Phaya Prai Lao Jo Village and choose the right turn and keep driving along the pavement. The way is quite narrow and steep, so please be careful with your driving. After 100 meters you will see the military operation base and keep driving for 100 meters until you reach the tea plantation.
By Public Transportation:
Chiang Rai – Ban Pa Sang
From the city town of Chiang Rai, get the bus route Chiang Rai – Mae Sai and get off at Ban Pa Sang. Then, transit to the pick-up truck service;
Ban Pa Sang – Terd Thai
Takes the blue pick-up truck service route Pa Sang – Terd Thai at the Pa Sang Station. The service is available during 8.00am – 5.00pm. However, the tourist may need to charter the service since there is no any bus service on the way to go to both sites of the tea plantation.
