If you know anything about me, you know I have been a green tea enthusiast for years now. It is the first thing I drink when I arrive to work, and the thing I crave most on rainy day. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered the Boseong Green Tea Plantation is within driving distance of Daegu, South Korea. Although it rained for the entire afternoon, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
In case you find yourself in a similar predicament to me, I have prepared a list of do’s and don’ts for your next visit to the Boseong Green Tea Plantation.
DO wear comfortable shoes
You will want to wear comfortable shoes as you make your way through the Boseong Green Tea Plantation. As you will notice, there are rows and rows of hedges leading up large hills. This is what makes the plantation so photogenic. That being said, to get the best views, you will have to do a bit of climbing. Additionally, the plantation is pretty large and includes its own bamboo forest. Of course, I saw plenty of women in heels seemingly doing just fine, so to each their own. As always, just a suggestion!
DON’T be discouraged if it rains
When I imagined myself frolicking through lush green tea fields, I pictured a blue background, clear air, and crisp imagery. My reality was the complete opposite. I arrived on a very grey, humid, rainy weekend. The plans had already been made, however, so there wasn’t much else to do but make the most. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon strolling the misty pathways, eating green tea ice cream, and admiring the towering bamboo stalks. It felt mysterious and forbidden. Don’t let a little bit of rain deter you from witnessing the plantation.
DO rent a car to get to Boseong
Gena and I rented a car from AVIS in Daegu and drove it all over the southern part of the country. It was such an adventure and gave us a completely different perspective about traveling in South Korea. Driving to the Boseong Green Tea Plantation is the most convenient form of arriving. You can use your Naver App {read more here}, but most cars come equipped with English GPS. Directions via public transport are anything but simple and include multiple buses and a taxi ride. You can read more about this option here.
DON’T miss the bamboo forest
That’s right. Nestled on the outskirts of the green tea fields, you’ll find a small bamboo forest. I can’t compare this bamboo forest to any other at this stage, but it impressed me nonetheless. It was indeed small, but I had no idea how massively tall bamboo grows to be. There are two ways to get to the forest: the quick way or the scene route. We didn’t know any better so upon leaving the plantation we looked at a map that pointed us in the direction of 대나무. We did eventually get to it, but it’s more easily accessible near the ticket booth when you first enter the plantation.
DO try the ice cream
It’s amazing — that is all.
DON’T forget your SD card
When we got to the first stop on our road trip, I whipped out my camera to get some shots of Boriam Temple. Unfortunately, I received the dreaded error message: ‘No Memory Card Inserted’ and immediately became depressed. Luckily, I have learned from years of traveling that shit happens. Something as insignificant as a forgotten memory card shouldn’t stop you from fully enjoying a trip. And so I carried on. We had Gena’s iPhone 1,000,000,000 or whatever it is, and my GoPro. Just a friendly reminder to always prepare your equipment before embarking on a trip.
DO attend the traditional tea ceremony
This is something we did not partake in, but that I now regret. Some of my friends recently went to the Boseong tea fields and did attend the traditional tea ceremony and it looked incredible. You get the entire experience from picking the tea leaves to brewing the tea yourself. I would highly recommend checking it out when you visit.
DON’T miss the gift shop
…because this is unlike any normal gift shop. You will find all green tea flavored everything. From cookies to noodles, there is something unique for everyone. Plus, take some of the tea home with you at a decent price. I can vouch for the fact that it has a distinct flavor unlike the packaged green tea I am used to purchasing.
