The closest tea plantation in the world to the sea

Whether or not you have toured a Hill Country tea factory on your holiday, visiting the Handunugoda Tea Estate in Galle is a special experience. Just a 30-minute drive from Fort Bazaar lies the Handunugoda Tea Estate, perhaps the closest tea plantation in the world to the sea.

However, this is not the only characteristic that makes the Handunugoda Tea Estate special. The estate is known as the ‘Virgin White’ Tea Estate as it produces a white tea that is completely untouched by human hands.

The process of Virgin White tea plucking follows an ancient Chinese ritual where the best tea leaves were cut with gold scissors by virgins wearing soft silky gloves. Handunugoda mimics this tradition, although nowadays the ‘virgin’ concept only applies to the tea, not the tea pluckers! Coincidentally, it is also one of the most expensive teas in the world, fetching over 1500 USD per kilo.

Tours include a wander around the estate, a cup of tea and cake at the estate house, a visit to the tea processing plant and finally a tea tasting session.