Longjing tea villages at a glance
Longjing means Dragon Well. The name belongs to a green tea grown on plantations in the hills around Hangzhou, and to the village where that tea has its roots. For a visit you have three practical options: walk the village of Longjing, join a tea activity in Meijiawu, or learn the background at the China National Tea Museum.
Tea is picked by hand in spring, so timing matters. In Meijiawu, visitors can try picking, roasting and tasting. These are tourist activities with their own rules, not free access to every field. If you want a guide and a driver for the day, compare Hangzhou tours that include tea villages.
Our picks: Longjing tea
Our take: the tea farm visit includes transport and a tea ceremony. The Meijiawu tasting is shorter, and the day trip from Shanghai ends in the tea village.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Hangzhou private day trip with tea village
- Return bullet train
- 35-minute West Lake boat
- Lunch
Bullet train, a boat on the lake, Lingyin and lunch at a tea farm or restaurant, then Meijiawu tea village.
Check availability →Longjing tea farm: picking and tea ceremony
- Pick-up and return in Hangzhou
- Tea picking and wok roasting
- Tea ceremony and tasting
Pick and wok-roast tea, then a Song-style tea ritual and tasting, with transport from Hangzhou.
Check availability →
Meijiawu Longjing tea picking and tasting
- English-speaking tea instructors
- Tea tasting
- Tea tin to take home
Two hours in the tea village with English-speaking tea instructors; you get there on your own.
Check availability →Hangzhou tours with tea villages
Day trips and tours around West Lake and the tea hills, with live prices and availability.
Where to go for Longjing tea
Three stops, three different reasons to visit.
| Stop | What you do | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Longjing village | Walk among plantations in the hills and see the setting of Dragon Well tea | No fixed price or admission rule for fields, so treat it as a walk, not a tour |
| Meijiawu | Picking, roasting and tasting as tourist activities | No standard price, and no right to pick in someone else's field |
| China National Tea Museum | Exhibitions on tea, two locations | Free entry, closed one day a week |
For most visitors who want to see how Longjing is made, Meijiawu is the better stop. The museum suits a shorter visit or a first look at the background before you go to the hills.
Meijiawu: picking, roasting, tasting
Meijiawu is a tea village with its own Longjing production. The activities on offer follow the tea year: picking in the fields, roasting the leaves and sitting down to taste the result. What a session includes, and what it costs, depends on the host. Ask before you sit down.
Two questions save trouble. Is the tasting free, or does it come with a request to buy? And is picking possible on the day you visit, or only in the main season? A tea farm decides this for itself.
When is the spring harvest?
The best-known tea is picked early.
Before Qingming
Pre-Qingming tea is tea picked before the Qingming festival. In 2026, picking was under way by 23 March. The start date changes from year to year, so do not plan around a fixed day.
The Qingming holiday
The 2026 public holiday ran from 4 to 6 April. That is a holiday period, not the whole picking season. Expect busier roads and villages on those days.
Best time to visit →Outside spring
Picking activities depend on the season. Ask your host what is on offer in the month you visit.
Weather by month →China National Tea Museum
The museum has two locations: Shuangfeng at 88 Longjing Road, and the Longjing campus at 268 Wengjiashan. The two sites opened in April 1991 and May 2015. Entry is free. A tasting or a workshop is a different matter and may cost extra.
Hours are 09:00–16:30, with one closing day a week. The closing day is Monday or Tuesday, so check the day before you go. Ask the museum whether you need a reservation for your date.
Practical tips for the tea hills
Small things that help on the day.
Prices
There is no fixed price per gram of tea, per tasting or per picking hour. Agree the price before you order, and ask what is included.
Getting there
Bus times to Longjing and Meijiawu change, so check the route in a maps app on the day. A taxi or a booked tour is simpler if you are short on time.
How to reach West Lake →Where to sleep
Longjing and Maojiabu lie in the western tea and water landscape, a different base from the east shore. Quiet is not guaranteed, and the trip to the lake depends on the hotel's address.
Where to stay →Tea in the kitchen
Longjing also goes into food. Shrimp cooked with the tea is a classic Hangzhou dish and not vegetarian.
Hangzhou food →Fields and fences
Plantations are working farms. Stay on paths, do not pick leaves for yourself and ask before you photograph people at work.
Plan the rest of your trip
Pair the tea hills with other stops.
Longjing tea village: frequently asked questions
What is Longjing tea?
Longjing, or Dragon Well, is a green tea from the hills around Hangzhou. The name also belongs to a village in the tea area.
When is the Longjing picking season?
Spring. The tea picked before the Qingming festival is the best known. In 2026, picking was under way by 23 March. The start differs by year, so check shortly before you travel.
Can I pick tea myself?
In Meijiawu, picking, roasting and tasting are offered as tourist activities. You cannot pick in any field you like. Book the activity with a host and ask what it costs.
Is the China National Tea Museum free?
Entry is free. Tastings and workshops are not the same as entry, so ask about them separately. The closing day is Monday or Tuesday, so check before you go.
Can I visit the tea villages on a tour?
Yes. A tour or a private driver removes the bus question. Check what the tour includes, such as a tasting, and whether it ends with a sales visit.
Is this an official website?
No. This is an independent travel guide. It has no link to the West Lake Scenic Area, the city of Hangzhou, the tea museum or any tea farm.