Journal / Guides · Tea & Long Coc

Tea Picking near Hanoi: Make Your Own Tea in Phu Tho

Spend a day with local tea makers and go from a fresh shoot on the hill to a cup you made yourself.

Most visitors to Vietnam drink tea every day without ever seeing where it comes from. At Ngoc Dong Eco Village, in the tea country of Phu Tho, you can spend a day with local tea makers and go from a fresh shoot on the hill to a cup you made yourself. WHY PHU THO FOR TEA Phu Tho is one of the oldest tea regions in northern Vietnam. Around Thanh Son the hills are covered in neat rows of tea, and many families still process their leaves by hand. Ngoc Dong sits right in this landscape, a few hours' drive from Hanoi.

WHAT YOU DO DURING THE DAY 1. Pick. Go up the hill with a tea maker and learn which shoots to take: usually the bud and the two youngest leaves. 2. Wither. Spread the leaves on round bamboo trays and let them soften in the air. 3. Fix or ferment. Depending on the batch, the leaves are heated in a pan to keep them green, or left to oxidise for a darker tea. 4. Roll and dry. Roll the leaves by hand to shape them, then dry them over the fire. 5. Compare. Taste several batches side by side and notice how temperature and timing change the colour, aroma and taste. 6. Take it home. Brew a cup from your own batch, then pack the rest as a gift.

GOOD TO KNOW - The experience runs for one day. Start time depends on the tea batch and season. - It suits couples, families with older children and small groups. - Price and guiding language are confirmed when you book. Lunch in the stilt house can be added. - Wear comfortable shoes and a hat. The hill can be sunny. STAY THE NIGHT Many guests turn the tea day into a short break: tea picking in the morning, the pool in the afternoon, dinner in the stilt house. BOOK Send your date, the number of people and your preferred language by WhatsApp on +84 965 163 291. We confirm the program and price before you book.