Phin Ho ‘shan tuyet’ tea – specialty of Ha Giang

Apart from stilt houses and seemingly endless terraced paddy fields, “shan tuyet” tea, a famous specialty of Phin Ho village, is one of the special things visitors cannot forget once setting foot in Tay Con Linh Mountain in the northernmost province of Ha Giang.
Phin Ho ‘shan tuyet’ tea – specialty of Ha Giang
Phin Ho ‘shan tuyet’ tea – specialty of Ha Giang

Phin Ho is a mountainous village in the most remote area of Thong Nguyen commune, next to Tay Con Linh Mountain, which is more than 35 kilometres from the centre of Hoang Su Phu district.

Located at an altitude of 1,500 - 2,000 metres, it boasts a cool climate all year round with an average temperature of 14 - 22 degrees Celsius, much rain, humidity of over 80 percent, and frequent fog, which are favourable for growing herbal and “shan tuyet” tea plants.

Dao ethnic minority people harvest the Phin Ho tea mainly from natural trees, many of which grow on high mountains surrounded with fog, even ice and snow, for hundreds of years, giving them strong vitality. Also thanks to that cool and fresh environment, the “shan tuyet” tea in Hoang Su Phi district, including in Phin Ho, is famous for its pure and delicious taste.

The tea has big leaves that are 3 - 6 centimetres long, buds and young leaves covered with soft fur as white as snow. The Phin Ho “shan tuyet” tea boasts distinctive aroma, a moreish flavour, and green water colour while its sweetness still linger after the drinker takes a sip of the beverage.

The old tea trees that grow at an altitude of over 1,000 metres and constantly produce new leaves and buds are the main source of income for residents in surrounding communes.

VNA