Mid-Altitude Tea Regions of Li Shan

Li Shan (known as Li Mountain or Pear Mountain) tea areas located Taichung Heping, Nantou Renai and Hualien Xiulin, altitude higher than 1,600 meters. Compared with the rare tea species from more than 2,300 meters altitude, medium-high altitude teas of Li Shan are very popular in the market both in terms of yield and price. Even though these tea areas are located at medium-high altitudes, they still belong to Li Shan high mountain tea with the alpine flavor and characteristics.

The medium-high altitude tea areas of Li Shan we introduce include New Kayo Tribe, Song Mao (Tabuk) Tribe, Tien Fu Farm, Huan Shan (Sqoyaw) Tribe, Diaoqiaotou, Malipa Tribe, Tsuei Luan, Cui Feng and Wu Ling. In addition, the most representative of them is undoubtedly Tsuei Luan, Cui Feng and Wu Ling.

New Kayo Tribe

It is an aboriginal tribe of the Atayal at an altitude of about 2,000-2,100 meters and sitting on high mountains with rich natural resources and abundant water. Plant a lot of alpine honey apples and pears, so that New Kayo tea has a charming natural fruit aroma.

Song Mao (Tabuk) Tribe

The altitude is about 2,000 meters. It is an aboriginal tribe of the Atayal and named after the dense pine trees around the tribe. The biggest feature here is the beautiful scenery and warm residents, followed by fruits and Li Shan tea.

Tien Fu Farm

The most inaccessible tea area in Taiwan, at an altitude of about 1,700-2,100 meters. There is no direct road and need to change to a cable car in halfway to get there. In addition, the Tien Fu tea area is located in the windy place made the tea have more elegant flavor.

Huan Shan (Sqoyaw) Tribe

The most beautiful tribe in Li Shan, at an altitude of about 1,600-1,800 meters and is mainly composed of Atayal. Huan Shan tribe is a valley basin surrounded by mountains hence the name "Huan Shan(環山)". On the right side of tribe is the upper reaches of Dajia River, and further down is the famous Wu Ling Farm. In addition to producing high-mountain pears, there are also delicious high-mountain tea.

Diaoqiaotou

At an altitude of 1,950 meters, it is surrounded by alpine virgin forests and named after a suspension bridge in this area. Although it is only a 10-minute drive from the Maliba Tribe, the road condition is poor and landslides often interrupt the road. Diaoqiaotou can be regarded as the top 3 in the most difficult-to-reach tea area in Taiwan. The annual average temperature of Diaoqiaotou is about 17 degrees and the soil is fertile, which conditions made the tea sweet and smooth.

Malipa Tribe

An ancient Atayal tribe, located at an altitude of 1,600 meters, is one of the tribes with the most preserved traditional culture. Malipa is only a small tea area, not well-known, but most of the tea trees here are new groves and located on the top of the mountain, so that the quality has always been stable.

Cui Feng

Cui Feng tea area is at altitude 1,800-2,100 meters. The soil belongs to the yellow soil type, slightly acidic and loose, which is very suitable for the growth of tea trees. Since located at high latitudes, the characteristics of high mountain tea are obvious, such as thick leaves, green and fresh color, sweet aftertaste, elegant aroma, and resistant to brewing.

Tsuei Luan

Tsuei Luan tea area is at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, which in the back mountain of Li Shan and is also one of the important tea areas in Li Shan. Although the transportation is inconvenient and there are almost no tourists, Tsuei Luan tea is still very popular because of its soft leaves, thick mesophyll, and high pectin content with a supple fragrance that is quite unique amongst all Taiwan oolong tea.

Wu Ling

Wu Ling Farm is a public enterprise operated by the Veterans Affairs Council (R.O.C.). Located in a long and narrow valley surrounded by Snow Mountains at altitude about 1,800-2,000 meters. Coupled with several streams running through it, it has become the most rare and unique ecological resource. It is not only a well-known tourist destination, but also produces high-quality Wu Ling oolong tea.

The Wu Ling Farm irrigated with stream water from the source of Mt. Taoshan Mountain and Snow Mountains. It is nourished by clean and pollution-free air and water mist. The temperature difference between day and night is large, and snowfall and frost often occur in autumn and winter. Hence, the tea leaves grow slowly, and the tea leaves are thick and plump which made the taste is sweet and very popular in the tea industry.

Wu Ling Farm Tour

Wu Ling Farm has different styles and beautiful scenery in four seasons, and is most famous for the beauty of cherry blossoms in early spring and maple blossoms in autumn. Attractions in the park include Wu Ling Tea House, tea garden trails, suspension bridges, historical relic’s museum, bird watching and hiking trails, waterfalls and lakes views, camping area, the Taiwanese salmon Ecological Center to visit, even includes one of the mountaineering entrances of Shei-pa National Park. Evening events are also popular, like concerts and stargazing. Although there is a hotel in the park for tourists to stay in, but they are often in short supply and booked out quickly, which shows its popularity.

Most of the high-altitude Li Shan tea areas have inconvenient transportation or poor road conditions. Wu Ling Farm is one of the few alpine farms with well-planned Li Shan tea areas that are suitable for tourists to visit.