Handunugoda White Tea Plantation

The Lonely Planet has high praise for the Handunugoda Tea Plantation, and so I was happy to make the detour uphill. I was a little skeptical about how good a tea plantation could be at low altitude this close to a coastline, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they produced award winning tea. Arriving at the plantation, we joined a multigenerational Japanese family for a walking tour of the grounds.

The plantation's main claim to fame is their production of white tea based on an ancient Chinese technique. In the past, this tea was reserved for emperors only. The leaves had to be harvested by virgins using gold scissors and gold collection bowls. The leaves must not touch human hands at all while being processed. The Handunugoda Tea Plantation utilized this same collection process for white tea, sans virgins. Apparently, they collect only around 25 grams a day because they painstakingly identify only the best leaves. Apart from white tea, the plantation also produces 40 different varieties of tea. They also grow coffee, cinnamon, rubber, and pepper.

After our introduction to the tea plants, we went to the front porch of the plantation founder's home where we were served oolong tea and chocolate cake. Along the way, we encountered a troop of monkeys. At the house, we were serenaded by a peacock perched in a nearby tree.

After the tea and cake, we were shown the processing facility, which includes some equipment that was more than a century old. Our final stop was the gift shop where we could taste the 40 varieties of tea produced in the plantation. The white virgin tea was among the best I tried. Jeff tried all 40 teas; I tried about a third of them. There was subtle pressure to purchase tea, but it wasn't bad overall.

This was a very pleasant and educational experience. The tour used to be free, but they now charge $2 to cover their rising costs.Read more