Yunding Tea Garden in Longyan
Yunding Tea Garden (龙岩市云顶观光茶园) is located in Xiaochi Town, Xinluo District, Longyan City, Fujian Province. Situated at the southern foot of Meihua Mountain, near the highest peak of Longyan, south of Huanglianyu, it lies at the intersection of Jiangshan, Xiaochi, and Shanghang counties, where the northern stream of Jiulong River originates. This area is part of a national forest park and is easily accessible, being 25 kilometers from Longyan City and 18 kilometers from the junction of Zhangzhou-Longyan Expressway.
Overview
Formerly known as the Xiaochi State-owned Tea Plantation established in 1956, the Yunding Tea Garden underwent significant development in 1999 by the Australian WELL-JOY Group. They invested heavily to integrate natural and cultural environments with large-scale agricultural industrialization, creating Fujian’s first ecological agricultural park combining high-altitude tea research, development, production, training, tourism, sightseeing, and leisure.
The park covers an area of 12,000 mu (approximately 800 hectares), including 1,000 mu dedicated to tea fields and 1,500 mu to bamboo forests, with the rest consisting of mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. The tea fields are lush green, surrounded by majestic mountains, clear waters, ancient trees, and flowing waterfalls. The elevation ranges from 800 to 1815 meters, providing a refreshing and pleasant climate. Yunding Mountain tea is cultivated organically without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, making it free of residues and safe for consumption. The onsite restaurant primarily serves wild vegetables and home-cooked dishes, offering natural foods.
Accommodation includes comfortable villas and standard rooms that can accommodate up to 300 people. The garden is equipped with comprehensive recreational facilities for leisure and vacation purposes, along with large, medium, and small conference centers suitable for academic exchanges, business negotiations, and product launches.
For nature enthusiasts, knowledgeable guides lead tours into the pristine forest areas to view waterfalls, explore the source of the Jiulong River, and enjoy panoramic views from the main peak of Huanglianyu overlooking Longyan City. Lucky visitors might even spot wildlife such as the serow (a national second-level protected animal), macaques, and various birds.
Tourism Safety
In the first seven months of 2009, Yunding Tea Garden received 76,600 visitors, marking a 25% increase compared to the previous year, with tourism revenue reaching 12.58 million yuan, a 10% increase. In addition to daily security measures, emergency plans are activated during holidays and festivals, focusing on personnel, fire safety, and supervision to prevent accidents. Various safety warning signs are strategically placed in areas with potential hazards, reminding visitors to stay on designated paths and avoid dangerous areas to prevent accidents such as falls and injuries.
Overall, the Yunding Tea Garden offers a safe, orderly, and culturally rich tourism experience, having maintained a record of no tourism-related safety incidents in nearly a decade.
