As the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) approaches, residents of Xuan Loc Commune in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam flock to Cu Mong mountain pass to harvest Ma Do tea, a locally grown wild specialty.

Ma Do tea, a rare green tea variety, grows naturally on mountain peaks between 500 and 700 meters above sea level, along the border of Phu Yen and Binh Dinh Provinces, making it a limited resource.

Legend has it that, in the past, King Gia Long, the founding emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), stopped to rest his horse in the Cu Mong Pass area. 

The locals offered him some tea, which he greatly enjoyed. 

In gratitude, the people named this tea “Ma Do” in Sino-Vietnamese, meaning “stopping the horse.”

A man picks Ma Do tea leaves from Cu Mong Peak in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Chung / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Thanh Son, chairman of Xuan Loc Commune People’s Committee, shared that early spring is when Ma Do tea sprouts the most.

Tu Van Muoi, a local from Xuan Loc, shared that his family has spent decades climbing mountains to harvest this wild tea. 

On average, a professional tea picker can gather about one to four kilograms of fresh tea daily, while an amateur might only pick half that amount. 

Every four kilograms of fresh tea yields about one kilogram of dried tea.

Ma Do tea leaves are freshly harvested from Cu Mong Peak in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Chung / Tuoi Tre

“The tea is still dormant now and will be more abundant after Tet,” Muoi said. 

“Since the source is limited, I only collect enough when there’s an order.” 

Due to exclusive availability, the price for dried Ma Do tea is approximately VND3 million (US$119) per kilogram, with interested buyers required to place their orders at least a month in advance.

After the tea is picked, the young buds are carefully selected, torn into small pieces, spread out to dry, then crumpled and rubbed until the buds are crushed. 

The tea is then brewed for three to four hours. 

It’s dried in the sun until it ripens, releasing a fragrant aroma. 

Ma Do tea leaves are dried after being harvested from Cu Mong Peak in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

The entire process of drying, roasting, and packaging is done by hand, a tradition passed down through generations.

What sets Ma Do tea apart is its unique transformation: while the dry leaves are black, they retain this color when brewed, before gradually fading to pink.

The tea has a slightly astringent taste with a sweet aftertaste and a very distinct fragrance.

Tran Thi Loan, also from Xuan Loc, noted that natural Ma Do tea trees are now scarce. 

During the season, many people climb the mountains all day, competing for the harvest.

Tran Thi Loan shows a Ma Do tea sapling planted in her house in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

“I’ve planted some of the wild tea trees from the forest in my garden, but after almost two years, they’re not growing as well as in the mountains,” Loan said.

“The local authorities are collaborating with scientific centers to research and promote Ma Do tea to develop locally unique products,” chairman Son added.  

He acknowledged, however, that conservation is a challenge because the trees grow only in high, remote mountainous areas.

However, there is growing awareness about protecting the trees rather than cutting them down as in the past, as tea pickers are increasingly realizing the economic potential of Ma Do tea.

A Ma Do tea tree is planted in Tran Thi Loan’s house in Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!