Taiwan 2026 — Sun Moon Lake, Bagua Shan and Alishan
A journey to Taiwan with my younger brother and my mother — to tea friends, into the fields, into the mountains, and into the mists of Alishan.
I took this journey together with my younger brother and my mother. Taiwan — across the island, seeing tea friends again, visiting fields, experiencing nature and culture.
## Sun Moon Lake — Water, Mountains, Old Trees
In the central highlands of Taiwan, nestled among forested mountains, lies Sun Moon Lake — the largest lake on the island and one of its quietest places. The combination of water, minerals, and a temperate climate creates the conditions under which great tea trees have thrived for a century.
Here grow the assamica varietals introduced during the Japanese colonial period — today the foundation of our Taiwanese black teas like [Hong Yun Ruby 18](/product/hong-yun-ruby-18) and [Sun Moon Lake Native Cultivar](/product/sun-moon-lake-taiwan-native-cultivar). Anyone who has stood before this lake with a cup of Ruby 18 in hand understands the connection between place and taste in a way no label can convey.
## Bagua Shan — Fields, Friendship, and a Special Harvest
Bagua Shan was the heart of this journey: seeing my friend and tea supplier again. We spent hours together — talking about this year's harvest, which came in smaller in quantity than usual but exceptional in quality. Climate fluctuations are not just a topic in Swiss vineyards.
We tasted our way through a range of teas, peeling back layer after layer of aroma, discussing roast levels — and in the end, bought those teas that not only convinced us, but also fit the VestaTea selection.
What impressed me most was the walk through his fields. The way he bends down, rubs single leaves between his fingers, notices small cracks in the soil, watches insects. Plant by plant, row by row. That devotion is what makes the difference between tea and good tea — and it can't be replaced, can't be scaled, can't be automated.
From precisely this region come our [Bagua Shan Dong Pian](/product/premium-bagua-shan-dong-pian) and [Competition Bagua Shan](/product/competition-bagua-shan).
## Alishan — Highland in the Mist
Alishan lies in central southern Taiwan, with cultivation areas between roughly 1,000 and 2,200 metres in altitude. Volcanic, mineral-rich soil, cool climate, high humidity — and the famous mist that rises almost daily around noon and wraps the mountains in white cotton. These conditions slow the growth of the tea bushes, giving the leaves time to develop deeper, more complex aromas.
Gaoshan teas — literally «high-mountain teas» — are among the most sought-after oolongs in the world. We visited several gardens, each at its own altitude, each with its own microclimate. Some of the farmers have worked their fields for three or four generations.
Between the tea fields: dense cedar forests that form their own world in the mist. These forests are not just scenery — they regulate the microclimate, hold humidity, store warmth. Without them, no Alishan tea as we know it.