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Home » Travel Destinations » Vietnam » Thai Nguyen: A Visit to Vietnam’s Tea Region with Footprint Travel
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Thai Nguyen: A Visit to Vietnam’s Tea Region with Footprint Travel

Last updated: March 27, 2018- Written by Jessica Norah 32 Comments

As tea lovers, Ethan and I were excited to visit the Thai Nguyen province with Footprint Travel’s Tea & Bike Tour. Thai Nguyen province is the primary tea growing region of Vietnam and is famous not only for its green tea, but also for its beautiful Nui Coc Lake and mountain scenery. Located about 2 hours from Hanoi, this region is a popular local vacation destination for Vietnamese travelers who want to relax on and around Nui Coc Lake, but has yet to be widely promoted as a tourist destination for Westerners.

Vietnam’s tea region is a great place to add to your Vietnam trip itinerary if you appreciate tea and/or want a break from crowded Hanoi. There is much to do in this scenic province, but we focused our visit specifically on the tea-related attractions. Our private day tour from Hanoi with Footprint Travel included stops at a local tea growing plantation, a bike ride around the Thai Nguyen province, lunch with a local tea growing family, a demonstration of the tea making process, a visit to a tea museum, and about a dozen cups of the local green tea!

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Our Tea and Bike Day Trip with Footprint Travel to Thai Nguyen Province

Basic Information on Footprint Travel

  • Footprint Travel is a small tour company owned by local Vietnamese tour operators that has been in operation for 13 years. We had the pleasure of actually meeting Mr. Song Dang, one of the co-founders of Footprint Travel who is now the Managing Director, during an earlier morning Hanoi City Tour.
  • The company operates tours in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos with a targeted focus and expertise in Vietnam. Most tours are provided as private tours, although a few are group tours. Tours range in duration from a few hours to over 20 days and can be customized as needed in advance.
  • Footprint Travel is committed to responsible and sustainable travel by giving back, hiring members of the local communities, and choosing environmentally friendly vendors when possible.
  • Hanoi Office Location: 30A/12A Ly Nam De Street, Hanoi, Vietnam 
  • Phone Number: +844 3933 2844
  • Website: www.footprintsvietnam.com

A Visit to a Local Tea Farm in Thai Nguyen Province

Our wonderful guide Trung met us at our hotel with the driver and Footprint Travel van around 7:30am and we left Hanoi to head to the Thai Nguyen region. It was great to see Trung again as he had been our guide on an interesting early morning tour of Hanoi earlier that same week. Along the way, Trung  pointed out sites and told us more about the day’s tour and the history of tea growing in Vietnam. Drinking tea in Vietnam, like many Asian countries, has a very long history and is deeply embedded within the Vietnamese culture. While coffee is now a popular drink (particularly among Vietnamese youth) and coffee shops are springing up all over Vietnam, most Vietnamese still drink tea on a daily basis and it remains the most common beverage drank inside homes.

We drove through Thai Nguyen and arrived at a tea farm in the Tan Cuong commune called Tien Yen (Tiến Yên). We were welcomed by the family owners Mr. Đại and Mrs. Vân who run the tea producing establishment and live adjacent to one of the tea fields. This family is one of the most successful tea making families in the Tan Cuong commune of the Thai Nguyen province. After meeting a few members of the family (Mr. Đại lives with his parents, wife, and children) we sat down at a table in the production building and had tea in the traditional Vietnamese manner. Trung operated as a translator for us as the family mostly spoke to us in Vietnamese. It was interesting to learn more about their family and the history of the tea farm. Mr. Đại explained to us that he is helping lead a group of growers in improving production methods and increasing the visibility of Thai Nguyen tea to the international community. 

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

We then went outside to the tea field where a few women were picking tea leaves. We were shown how to tell when tea leaves and buds are ready to be picked and how to tell its quality grade. They allowed us to pick for a few minutes and then we came back inside for more cups of tea. We soon learned that any time you set down an empty cup of tea, it will immediately be filled up again. We also learned how to hold the little tea cups at certain heights compared to other drinkers and when you should cover the cup with your hand to show respect for the other tea drinkers present. Essentially, the younger members and those of less importance hold their tea cups lower and cover their mouth when drinking with elders and those of higher status.

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
tea leaves

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

We then headed out for the bike tour (described later), and upon returning a large lunch feast was awaiting us in the kitchen area located apart from the house. The feast was prepared by Mr. Đại’s wife and included mango salad, chicken, vegetables, seafood, rice, and a few other dishes. It was cooked for us as guests and would not be a typical everyday meal of the family, but one served during special occasions. We both politely took a sip of the strong rice wine but turned down actually drinking full cups as it was very strong and Ethan doesn’t drink alcohol. Similar to the tea, as soon as we finished something more food was laid on our plate and we had to start refusing at some point as we were both going to burst from eating so much. Trung explained that this was a sign of respect to keep offering guests more food as a host.

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
our fresh lunch feast!

After lunch, we moved back into the production building and had a few more cups of tea and some sesame treats. We then learned about the steps to making and processing tea and were able to actually witness and take part in most of them. We learned about the many levels of tea drying, shaping, heating, blending, and packaging. While Vietnamese green tea is the most common type of tea drank by Vietnamese, it is relatively unknown outside of mainland Asia although efforts are being made to raise awareness of this type of tea. While several regions within Vietnam produce tea, the tea from the Thai Nguyen province (specifically from Tan Cuong commune) is the most well-known and is regarded as having the finest quality. Outside of mainland Asia, tea is also currently exported to Algeria, France, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Pakistan, and Taiwan. Before we left, we were given a large package of the Tien Yen green tea from the family to take home as a gift and souvenir of our visit.

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
freshly picked tea leaves
Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
machines used to shape the tea leaves

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
dried green tea leaves
Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
Souvenir of our visit

Biking Tour of Thai Nguyen Province

After meeting the family and doing a bit of tea picking, we headed out for the biking part of the tour. The biking route winds along the tea growing region passing numerous tea farms, traditional villages, and a section of Nui Coc Lake.

The biking route is easy to intermediate in difficulty so doable for most people. But I realized before we started that there was little chance of me being able to bike the full route as I almost never bike at home. Trung and Mr. Đại quickly improvised and I was offered the alternative options to either go by bike with the driver available to pick me up at any point or go by motorbike behind Mr. Đại. Not wanting to repeat the failed biking experience on Cat Ba Island earlier this week and not wanting to make extra work for the driver, I decided to hop on the back of the motorbike with Mr. Đại. This ended up being very nice for me as I was able to take photos and better concentrate on the views, although Ethan really enjoyed being able to bike the full route.

Some of the highlights was seeing the tea fields, stopping to buy a drink from an elderly local couple who were clearly very fascinated to see Western foreigners, visiting a giant local church, and taking in the scenery around the mountains and lakes. Ethan got a good workout and he was very hungry for lunch when we returned about 2 hours later. 

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
local church that is way too big for its community size!

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
Nui Coc Lake

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Visit to the Thai Nguyen Tea Cultural Space

After we said goodbye to our hosts, we headed to the Thai Nguyen Tea Cultural Space. The Tea Cultural Space is a tea museum located near Thai Nguyen city. This large museum and cultural space is dedicated to Vietnamese tea and was opened in 2011 after the first annual International Tea Festival was held in the region.

Earlier in the day, during the bike tour we had seen the area where the annual International Tea Festival takes place each November. The museum complex is divided into three main sections: the welcome area, the display space, and the space for tea culture and products. The museum illustrates the history of tea in Thai Nguyen as well as the tea making stages consisting of planting, collecting and processing. The museum section currently displays over 500 objects, mostly tea pots.

In the separate tea cultural space, you can sit and have tea in the traditional Vietnamese manner. You can also see people picking tea leaves in the fields behind the museum and visit the very large outdoor mosaic teapot fountain. This teapot provides for a great photo opportunity and is the largest ceramic teapot in Vietnam.

This relatively new museum is still expanding and adding display items and does not currently charge an admission fee to visitors as one of its primary goals is to better educate people about Vietnamese tea. It was a quick but interesting 30 minute visit and the museum staff were very friendly. You can also purchase teas from the region here at the Tea Cultural Space.

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi
Thai Nguyen Tea Cultural Space

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Overall Impression of Tea and Bike Tour

We really enjoyed our day trip to Thai Nguyen and would highly recommend the Tea & Bike Tour from Footprint Travel for those who enjoy tea and are looking for a unique cultural experience outside of Hanoi. Highlights for us included meeting the tea growing family, seeing the countryside, and learning more about the tea process. We also thoroughly enjoyed our time with our guide Trung who is not only very friendly but super competent and full of information. We’d love to return to the region to take part in the International Tea Festival and to spend some time at pretty Nui Coc Lake.

Thai Nguyen tea region Vietnam Footprint Travel tea tour from Hanoi

Would you be interested in doing the Tea & Bike tour if you were in Hanoi? Have you visited Thai Nguyen or another tea growing region in Asia? If you have comments or questions about our tour, please let us know!

**Disclaimer: We were provided a complimentary tour to write this review; however, this article contains only our own honest thoughts and opinions. We did not receive any financial compensation for the writing of this post, do not work for Footprint Travel, and receive no commission for any sales of these tours.**

 

 

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There are 32 comments on this post

Please scroll to the end to leave a comment

  1. Lenka Post author

    May 31, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Hello, I have a question if is possible to visit tea farm without travel agency. Thanks a lot!!

    Reply
    • Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

      June 3, 2017 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Lenka, I am not sure as it is private family house and farm. They have a relationship with the guides of Footprint Travel and the guides help show you around and introduce you to the family – they also help translate as many of the family members (as well as the folks along the cycle routes and at the museum) don’t speak much English. So unless you speak Vietnamese, you are probably best to book the tour! Best, Jessica

      Reply
  2. Long Post author

    November 4, 2015 at 11:54 pm

    Yes, seeing people collecting tea leaves is always a kind of zen in my mind. This post reminds me the time I was in Dalat (about 1200km from your visit), hundreds of tea collectors quietly collect leaves at a vast plantation of tea. That was unforgeable!

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      November 5, 2015 at 3:32 am

      Yes, I have a great love of tea and it was really nice to visit this most celebrated tea region of Vietnam and meet some of the local growers. We did not get to Dalat during our trip, but it is definitely a town I’d like to visit on a future trip to Vietnam!

      Reply
  3. Jeff McNeill Post author

    January 31, 2015 at 6:27 pm

    A free trip for blogging about it. It’s really hard to find travel experiences from travelers, rather than those who are earning a living from travel blogging. There is a difference, after all.

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      February 7, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      Actually I do not earn a living from traveling blogging and did not get paid for the experience, but we did get this specific tour for free. If you travel a lot, I think you’ll find that the best sources for travel info often comes from those who travel professionally.

      Reply
  4. Tina Post author

    August 13, 2014 at 11:12 pm

    Very interesting place indeed. Love your pictures…

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 14, 2014 at 1:10 pm

      Thanks Tina for stopping by!

      Reply
  5. Carla Post author

    July 27, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    Learning about what the tea leaves should look like seems really interesting to me. I don’t like tea but the whole process of looking and picking the right tea could be relaxing. Of course, if I wasn’t required to do it as a living like the ladies.

    There is no way I’d be able to do a bike tour either. The motor scooter sounds just right.

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 3:11 pm

      I think you’d have to like green tea to do this tour as we drank at least 10 cups each of it (although the cups are tiny) throughout the day! But yes, the motorbike was so wonderful and I am so glad I didn’t try to bike it.

      Reply
  6. Ashley @ A Southern Gypsy Post author

    July 24, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    I love tea so I would love to do this tour! We are headed to Vietnam later this year so may have to keep it in mind 🙂

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 3:10 pm

      If you love tea and local cultural experiences, I think you’ll really enjoy this tour. It is an area of Vietnam that is fairly unknown by Western travelers and the tour is quite interesting.

      Reply
  7. Adelina // Pack Me To Post author

    July 24, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    I drink a lot of tea. A couple cups a day easily, but no coffee for me. This looks so fascinating. I would love to see how tea is grown and processed in person.

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 3:09 pm

      We are tea lovers as well, but we drink both. Way too much caffeine probably!

      Reply
  8. Christa Thompson Post author

    July 24, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    Very nice and very informative. Great Post. Vibrant photos. I especially liked the pictures taken in the Tea museum. Thank You-

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 2:53 pm

      Glad you enjoyed the post Christa!

      Reply
  9. Meredith Post author

    July 22, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    This sounds like a great cultural immersion! The opportunity to spend time with the locals and have a more local experience sounds really great. As someone who enjoys tea but knows so little about it, I would imagine this tour would be really educational – and fun!

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 2:51 pm

      Meredith I think you’d enjoy this tour as well!

      Reply
  10. Rebekah Post author

    July 22, 2014 at 6:33 am

    Its looks somewhat similar to a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. I enjoy it but honestly still prefer a cup of coffee to go in the AM…. I can’t get over how lovely Vietnam seems

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 2:47 pm

      Many of the Vietnamese customs are based on the Chinese with some differences. I love both tea and coffee and we had a bit of both throughout our time in Vietnam as coffee drinking and cafe culture is certainly becoming more popular in Vietnam’s larger cities. Vietnam has some really beautiful spots!

      Reply
  11. Seana Turner Post author

    July 21, 2014 at 8:42 am

    Wow, that is so interesting. I had no idea there was “tea etiquette”… it would never occur to me to hold my cup at a certain height or cover my tea. The tea really looks so beautiful. And those tiny cups – so fun! This looks like a very fun and fascinating experience.

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      August 4, 2014 at 2:43 pm

      Yes, it was quite interesting to learn all the information about the history of tea in Vietnam and “tea etiquette”. We love tea so this was a great experience for us!

      Reply
  12. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer Post author

    July 21, 2014 at 7:17 am

    Picking the tea leaves looked like a great experience! Happy WTI!

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      July 21, 2014 at 8:34 am

      It was interesting to learn about the tea process, although I have to say I don’t think Ethan and I were very good at picking the leaves as it takes some practice to be good at picking the right leaves, knowing their grade, and being able to do this quickly. It was amazing how fast the women in the field were picking the tea leaves!

      Reply
  13. Agness Post author

    July 21, 2014 at 7:11 am

    I experienced different teas and coffees across the world and I know how it feels like when you are warmly welcomed by locals and treated with a cup of their favourite drink! 🙂

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      July 21, 2014 at 8:31 am

      It was a great experience having tea with the family and learning about the process of producing tea in Vietnam.

      Reply
  14. AwesomelyOZ Post author

    July 20, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    That is a very awesome and unique experience 🙂 I would love to get a tea set from there, the ones you photographed are very beautiful. Do you know if their tea is available in the US or online? I guess I can also check their link 😛 Sounds like a very pleasant time and they look like a very wonderful family! Have a great one Jessica! -Iva

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      July 21, 2014 at 8:30 am

      The specific teapots pictured are not for sell (although you can buy similar ones), but the tea is for sale. The problem is that very little is imported to the United States currently and I don’t think the tea farm or museum have websites yet, but you may be able to find Vietnamese green tea from the region online or locally from a speciality Asian food market if you have one nearby. Or a good reason to plan a trip to Vietnam:)

      Reply
  15. Katie Post author

    July 20, 2014 at 1:54 pm

    It sounds like a very unique tour, and I love tea so I’d be all about learning how it’s grown and dried. Spending some time with the family seems great too. I love finding tour operators who focus on responsible and sustainable travel, so if I’m ever in Hanoi I’ll be looking into Footprint Travel!

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      July 21, 2014 at 8:25 am

      We highly recommend Footprint Travel as we had two great tour experiences with them and have had good communication with the company both before and after the tours.

      Reply
  16. Corinne Post author

    July 20, 2014 at 10:37 am

    Jessica, Wow! What a full day. I love tea, tea plantations, tea ceremony, the history…all of it, so I know I would lap this tour up!
    Thanks for linking up with Weekend Travel Inspiration once again. I can’t wait to hear your Africa stories next!

    Reply
    • travelcats Post author

      July 21, 2014 at 8:24 am

      Sounds like you would really enjoy this tour! We’ll be getting some Africa posts up soon. We head to Mt. Kilimanjaro hopefully tomorrow–been delayed by a fever but feeling better.

      Reply

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