Chiang Rai

Thailand

Chiang Rai in northern Thailand's Golden Triangle has emerged as Southeast Asia's most exciting artisanal tea region over the past two decades. Originally planted with Taiwanese oolong cultivars by immigrant farmers, the mountainous terrain above 1,000 meters provides cool nights and misty mornings ideal for producing high-quality oolong and black teas. The Doi Mae Salong and Doi Tung areas are particularly noted, where former opium-growing communities transitioned to tea cultivation with royal patronage. Ancient Camellia sinensis var. assamica trees also grow wild in the northern forests, and several producers have begun crafting Pu-erh-style teas from these wild leaves, creating a nascent but promising Thai aged-tea tradition.