Tea Plantation 101 Doi Mae Salong

101 Tea Plantation sits high on Doi Mae Salong in Chiang Rai’s far north, a working oolong estate where you can walk the terraces and taste the tea for free. You sit on a balcony over the fields and sample up to six oolongs with no pressure to buy — the plantation’s tea won first place at the 2004 World Tea Festival. It’s open daily, roughly 08:00 to 17:00, and the misty mountain setting is half the appeal.

The tea and the tasting

The estate grows Chinese-style oolong in the cool mountain air — signature blends run from the light Oolong No. 17 and No. 12 to Osmanthus Oolong and a darker Red Oolong. Staff walk you through the varieties and the growing process, and the free tasting is genuinely relaxed: try what you like, buy only if something wins you over. The terraces themselves, dropping away below the tasting deck, are the photo everyone comes for.

Insider Tip: Go in the morning, when mist still hangs over the terraces and the light is soft. The tasting is free and unhurried — take your time comparing the lighter and darker oolongs before deciding what (if anything) to take home.

Doi Mae Salong and getting there

Doi Mae Salong was settled by former Chinese Nationalist (KMT) soldiers from Yunnan, who brought the tea-growing that now defines the hills — the village food and culture are still distinctly Yunnanese. The plantation is about two hours from Chiang Rai city on winding mountain roads, so come by car or scooter and allow time for the drive. Pair it with the nearby Choui Fong tea plantation for a tea-focused day.

Watch out: The mountain roads are steep and twisting, and weather turns quickly at altitude — bring a light jacket and drive carefully, especially in the wet.

101 Tea Plantation is at 83 Mae Salong Nok, Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang Rai 57110. View on Google Maps.