Longjing Tea Village: Where the Famous Dragon Well Tea
Longjing Tea Village: Where the Famous Dragon Well Tea Grows You’ve heard of Dragon Well tea. This is where it comes from. Longjing Village sits in a valley surrounded by terraced tea fields about 20 minutes outside central Hangzhou. In spring, old women in straw hats pick one bud and one leaf at a time — the standard for premium tea. You can wander the fields for free. Walk up the hill behind the village for a view of the entire valley, with West Lake shimmering in the distance. Stop at a farmhouse for a tea tasting. The locals will show you how to “recharge” the leaves with hot water and explain why the first infusion is poured away. Expect to pay 30‑50 RMB for a pot. Buying tea is optional. No one pressures you in most houses. Take bus 27 from the city center or a Didi (about 40 RMB). The winding road up is part of the experience.