Sipping a great cup of tea is the perfect way to begin or end any day. Tea is now one of the most popular drinks in the world – even more popular than coffee – and various species of the tea plant are grown in regions all over the world.

What if you could take an exotic vacation to a destination where your favorite teas are grown or made? It doesn’t matter if you like white tea, black tea, green tea, red tea, or any other type of tea. We can find a spectacular vacation spot where you can not only explore the locality but enjoy tea straight from its point of origin at the same time.

7. Sri Lanka

Head to the hills of Sri Lanka if you want to catch a glimpse of the beautiful mountain atmosphere where some of the best Ceylon tea in the world is grown. Visitors to the area may be able to rent tea bungalows on old planter’s estates and if you’re lucky you may even find a place to stay on a working tea plantation. Think “Gone with the Wind” only with tea plants in Sri Lanka. The hillside and surrounding areas are incredibly beautiful – a spectacular destination for quiet nature lovers.

6. Paris, France

In Paris you may not find a plethora of tea gardens but you’ll find some of the most exclusive tea rooms in the country. Make sure you visit Mariage Freres while you’re in town. Founded in the mid 1800’s, it is the oldest tea importer in the country. In this and any of the other tea houses you’ll have the opportunity to taste some of the best white, green, and black teas in the world.

5. India

The tea trade has been a popular tourist attraction in India for the past few years and it is steadily growing. Indian teas are particularly popular in Western countries. One of the most popular is Assam, now known as Darljeeling – an afternoon tea that in India is known as a breakfast tea. A myriad of black tea varieties are grown in India each year. Visitors to the southern part of India will enjoy estate tours that give glimpses of not only the plantations but some of the area’s ancient cities as well.

4. Charleston, South Carolina

Believe it or not, most of the tea sold in the United States is imported from other countries. That is, unless you get tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation in South Carolina. Owned and managed by the popular Bigelow Tea company, the grounds on Wadmalaw Island are open to tourists year round.

3. Japan

Japan is one of the largest sources of green tea in the world. The Matcha Tea Factory, located in the Nishio Aichi Prefecture, is an incredibly famous factory. If you visit you’ll have the honor of seeing row upon row of immaculately cared for tea plants in carefully plotted gardens. Watch carefully and you’ll see the “tea gathers” picking tea leaves off of the plants. They complete this task 100% by hand.

2. Bolivia

You may have heard of the coca tea plant (aka, the plant from which cocaine is derived) but, believe it or not, there are plenty of legal teas coming out of Bolivia as well. The high altitude at which Bolivian teas are grown gives them an incredibly distinct flavor. Most of the tea gardens are located at altitudes between 4,000 and 7,000 feet. One of the most popular tea estates is the Chai Mate Tea Garden just outside of La Paz. If you head towards Bolivia you absolutely must add a cup of fresh tea to your breakfast or dinner menu.

1. China

Lung Ching, aka Dragon’s Well, is perceived to be one of the absolute best green tea varieties in the world. Grown in the Zhejiang province of China, the tea has a very light yet sometimes spicy flavor and is a standard base for most blends. Located within the Zhejiang province is the resort town of Hangzhou – a great destination for travelers who want to kick back and relax in a pampered environment. If you visit in the spring you may even catch part of the annual tea festival.

Tea tourism is a relatively new travel phenomena but if you’re a true tea lover you’ll really enjoy seeing some of the exotic places where your favorite teas are made. Don’t forget to bring some home for the rest of us!