After taking the Maokong Gondola in Muzha up to the last station there are some wonderful teahouses up on the top with a variety of local tea flavors grown in the nearby Muzha tea farms and offering great views of the city on a clear day.
The Taiwan government introduces:
Maokong is located in the southwest of Getou Mountain in Wenshan District of Taipei outskirts. It is facing the shield of more than 500 meters high. It is said that tea farmers from southern China came her to open teahouses. […] Maokong has developed its unique sightseeing and tea tasting industry because students of nearby Chengchi University frequently hold activities here and the students’ nightlife brings about prosperity in the region.
The tea farms here are famous for Bochon tea and Taiguan Ing. There are many teahouses with diversified styles. They are good places to visit no matter during day or night. In the daytime, there are tea trees and hills forming green scenery. Many citizens visit the place by taking the mountain tracks. After dusk, Maokong is like an enchanting, mysterious lady. Colorful light bulbs are lit in front of every building. Visitors taste tea, chat with each other and admire the nightfall. Sometimes groups of young people have parties and the laughter brings a touch of vigor to Maokong.
The tea farms (open for sightseeing) are scattered around Lane 34, 38, 40 of Zhinan Road, Sec. 3, and the former half of Zhinan Road, Sec. 3. Most tea farms provide tea tasting or meals. Recently, the sightseeing industry blooms here. Many residents develop other means of livelihood other than tea farming. For example, they raise mountain chickens or provide country cuisine. Visitors coming here may also want to try the delicious dishes.
Wikitravel adds:
Tea tasting
There are numerous tea gardens in the Maokong (貓空; cat’s hollows) and Muzha Tea Plantations (木柵觀光茶園) area, most of which are concentrated in Zhinan Road, Sec 3. Local Oolong tea specialties include Muzha Tieguanyin (木柵鐵觀音) and Wenshan Baozhong (文山包種茶).
Many tea makers have tasting rooms for sampling the latest teas, or will do so by appointment. Taipei Tea Promotion Center (台北市茶研發推廣中心) at 8-2, Lane 40, Zhinan Road, Sec. 3 (free admission; tel: 2939-1473) offers introduction to tea picking, processing, brewing and free taste testing.
Drink
- Yao Yue Teahouse (邀月茶坊), 6, Lane 40, Zhinan Road, Sec 3, 2939-2025, . Offers creative tea cuisine with restful views over the surrounding countryside. Open 24 Hours.
- Yuan Xu Yuan Teahouse (緣續緣茶坊), 16-2, Lane 38, Zhinan Road, Sec 3, 2936-7089. Offers spectacular views of Taipei on a clear day. Specialties include Osmanthus Tieguanyin Tea (桂花鐵觀音) and tea cuisine.
- Xing Hua Lin Teahouse (杏花林茶坊), 30, Lane 45, Laoquan Street, 2936-9367. Estimated best time for apricot blossom viewing – February to March. The best time for viewing varies according to the weather conditions.
This is the one I went to on my last visit…
It looks nice inside, with a Chinese decorated pond you have to cross to come inside by stepping on narrow stones.
The teahouse has private rooms with transparent floors where fish swim underneath.
The layout is pretty tea-standard and a local lady with perform and explain the whole tea preparation ceremony for you and leave you to enjoy 3 hours of tea chillout while looking down at Taipei from above.
Food’s not bad either…
Details :
Address : 台北市中正區汀洲路三段257號
Phone number : 0223696367, 0223640336
More on Muzha, Maokong and tea? Check out the following from the blogosphere:
I’m in Taipei for over a month, looking into seeing the zoo and the two major stops on the gondola (the temple and the tea farms). Great info here! Thank you. 🙂