Pinglin

Pinglin grows Baozhong, a lightly oxidised oolong with a floral character that is closer to green tea than most oolongs, and the hills around the town are terraced with it. The town sits in the Feicui reservoir catchment, which restricts development and has kept it small. Over eighty per cent of residents work in tea. A large tea museum, billed as the biggest in the world, covers the plant, the processing and the culture, and shops along the main street let visitors taste before buying.

What's there

• The Baozhong tea - lightly oxidised oolong, the town's speciality.
• The tea museum - processing, history and tea culture in a purpose-built complex.
• The terraces - tea planted across the hills around the town.
• The riverside path - a walk along the Beishi river below the town.

When to go

Spring and winter harvests, around April and November, are the best times to buy. The museum is open year round and closes on some weekdays. Weekends bring day trippers from Taipei.

Practical notes

The museum is large and the labelling is mostly in Mandarin. Tea prices for good grades are high. The town is small and half a day is enough.

Nearby

Shenkeng is northwest, and Yilan is southeast through the tunnel.

Key facts