The character “坔” (pronounced similarly to “di” in Mandarin and “lo̍h” in Taiwanese) refers to a sinking, muddy wetland. Caodaizai is also sometimes pronounced Caowazai. This wetland was formed after the 9/21 earthquake and is home to the famous Lazy Forest attraction. This is the highest-elevation tea garden in the ShanLinXi tea system, sitting at close to 1,950 meters.
Lazy Forest Caodaizai Tea Garden, sitting at an altitude of nearly 1,950 meters
The character “坔” (pronounced similarly to “di” in Mandarin and “lo̍h” in Taiwanese) refers to a sinking, muddy wetland. Caodaizai is also sometimes pronounced Caowazai. This wetland was formed after the 9/21 earthquake and is home to the famous Lazy Forest attraction. This is the highest-elevation tea garden in the ShanLinXi tea system, sitting at close to 1,950 meters.
Calling it a tea region is a bit of a stretch since there are only a handful of small-scale tea plots. The plots closest to Lazy Forest are the highest, sitting near 1,950 meters, making them the peak of the ShanLinXi tea system. There are a few other tea gardens nearby; using Xishan Road as a dividing line, the plots above the road sit at 1,700 meters, while those below range between 1,400 and 1,700 meters.
▼ From here, you can catch distant views of the LongFengXia Tea Region and Fanzitian Tea Region. The Liulongtou Tea Region is also nearby.
▼ Reaching altitudes close to 2,000 meters, this is the highest tea garden in the ShanLinXi tea system.
▼ To ensure soil and water conservation, many trees have been planted throughout the tea garden, complete with retaining barriers to prevent erosion and landslides.
▼ This is the entrance to the famous Lazy Forest attraction. Using Xishan Highway as the dividing line, the tea gardens above sit at 1,700 meters, while those below range from 1,400 to 1,700 meters.
Store Manager’s Review: The highest-elevation tea garden in the ShanLinXi tea region, boasting an incredible altitude. The downsides are the small scale of the tea gardens and a lack of the advantages large producers enjoy. Some plots suffer from insufficient sunlight, and teas near tourist spots tend to be quite pricey.
Forgotten Forest Caozhuazi Tea Garden FAQ
How to get to the tea garden?
Head past LongFengXia toward ShanLinXi Forest Recreation Area; it’s about a 10-minute drive. Just use Google Maps to navigate to ShanLinXi Forest Recreation Area, and you’ll spot the roadside tea gardens as you get close.
What kind of tea is grown at Caozhuazi Tea Garden, and when is the harvest?
Spring tea is harvested in late April to early May, winter tea from October to early November, and autumn tea in August. The tea cultivar is Qingxin Oolong.
Why are there trees planted in the tea garden?
It’s required by the government for soil and water conservation. Planting tea here isn’t officially permitted under current regulations, so this is a compromise reached between the government and local farmers.