SUN MOON LAKE’S HOHOCHA TEA SHOP
Sun Moon Lake in Nantou boasts an ideal climate for tea farming. Although Assam tea had been farmed in the area since the 1920s, it wasn’t until a catastrophic earthquake prompted investment in the area that the area became popular for tea tourism. Today, at HoHoCha visitors can gain in-depth knowledge of the local tea industry by booking tea tasting experiences (including the famous local tea “Ruby #18”) led by local tea masters.
HoHoCha, meaning “to drink tea” in Mandarin, is a local Sun Moon Lake tea brand created by the entrepreneurial Wang Brothers who returned to the area to help rebuild after the earthquake. Initially clueless about tea farming, their love and passion for their home drove them to learn from local tea farmers, take tea classes, and eventually became certified tea sommeliers. Under their continued efforts, HoHoCha has become a leading force of tea advocacy, and is often the first stop for tea tours in Sun Moon Lake.
The HoHoCha tea house and factory are housed in wooden Japanese-style buildings. Tea tours are offered daily and include a cup of complimentary “Ruby #18” black tea paired with a specially crafted “tea egg”. These locally made tea eggs are braised over four days with the same tea leaves and are limited to each day’s first 500 customers.
Ruby #18, also known around the world as “Red Jade”, is perhaps the most famous tea cultivar developed by the area’s Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES), the government station charged with developing and improving tea farming techniques. The cultivar is a unique blend of Taiwan’s indigenous tea tree and the Burmese large-leaf Assamica variety. Ruby #18, famous for its smoothing and malty taste as a black tea, is the area’s most famous agricultural product.
While in the area, don’t forget to cycle around Sun Moon Lake on one of the world’s most beautiful cycling trails, take in the incredible mountain views, and experience a DIY tea class at Hohocha.
