If there’s one thing I love doing more than anything it’s relaxing with a nice cup of tea and cake! Throw in some great views and good company and I would have no problem in making the experience last the whole day.

It’s one of the reasons I love spending time in Thailand – you just can’t beat its many cafes and quirky hangouts for their atmosphere, choice and taste. Trust me – you haven’t had a real ice coffee if you haven’t tried one in Thailand. Be warned though – there’s no going back!

That’s enough about coffee though; no doubt I’ll be sharing my favourite caffeine finds in Chiang Mai sometime soon.

Tucked away off the main road from Chiang Rai to the Thai/Burmese border town of Mae Sai,  Choui Fong Tea Plantation  was a great little find and a must-stop for any tea lovers visiting Thailand’s northern region. I’ve been told that with the filming of Thai dramas here recently, the plantation is becoming more well known, but certainly on the day I visited there was no sense that it was being overrun by visitors.

Choui Fong markets itself as Chiang Rai’s finest tea since 1977. The plantation is 500-1200 meters above sea level and the climate and soil here provide the perfect conditions to harvest the tea leaves.

I arrived at Choui Fong in the afternoon and the views looking up the terraces were pretty grand. From here you head up to the viewpoint for even better views looking down on the plantation. Then you can take the road down the other side and back up to the tea house where you can enjoy the luscious green views and mountain backdrop as you sip on your tea of choice.

Having sampled some of the hot Oolong and Green Teas on offer, I opted for a cold refreshing lychee tea to accompany my very yummy, berry cream cake. Four drinks and two cakes cost me 400 Baht (approx £8/$12). That’s more than the average cost in Thailand but totally worth it in my opinion.

If like me you want to take a taste of Choui Fong home, you can buy a range of products from the tea house.

Here is their leaflet with info on how to find them: