Sun Moon Lake Antique Assam Tea Farm

Combined with mild temperatures, the Yuchi Township of Nantou boasts a perfect place for tea trees to thrive. Assam tea was first introduced to Taiwan during the Japanese Colonial Era, and the Yuchi Township produced some of the best black tea at the time. The quality was so highly approved that over 7,000 tons of black tea were exported. The Yuchi Township was therefore recognized as the “hometown of black tea.” However, in the 1970s, labor costs started to soar and the cheap tea leaves from India and Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) further weakened the Taiwanese tea industry. In order to survive, many tea farmers started to grow cash crops such as betel nuts.

In 2003, Sun Moon Lake Antique Assam Tea Farm went into sharp decline and had to be shut down for good. However, five employees decided to stay and have been striving to restore the glory of the tea farm ever since then. With their everlasting efforts, the traditional tea factory has been successfully turned into a tourism factory filled with educational and cultural values, allowing visitors to travel down the time tunnel and back in time to revisit the heyday of Sun Moon Lake Antique Assam Tea Farm.

The admission is free, but for large groups of over 30 people, guided tours are available by reservation at the price of TWD50 per person.