If you want genuine da hong pao tea, be prepared to pay up before you tip a cup back.
We like a good cup of tea as much as anyone, but China's da hong pao is for true (and truly wealthy) brew aficionados only. As one of the priciest teas in the world, it costs more than 30 times its weight in gold, reports the BBC. How much is that, you ask? A full pot of da hong pao (which translates to "big red robe") can cost more than $10,000, with just one gram going for roughly $1,400.
The expensive strain of oolong tea can be found in Wuyishan in southern China, also known as the country's tea capital, which is about a two-and-a-half hour flight from Beijing, or a 90-minute flight from Shanghai. But cheaper versions are also available; travel into town, and you can find da hong pao for around $100 a kilogram. It's still far from what you'd pay for some Earl Grey at your local coffee shop, but it won't cost more than your entire trip to China, either.
Why the price difference? True da hong pao, a rock tea grown in the mountains, comes from the same "mother trees" that have been used to make the tea for generations, and there aren't many left. If you want to drink tea made from one of the original trees, you'll pay. The market is so exclusive, in fact, that there are brokers who help connect rich tea collectors to sellers.
If you want to experience China's tea culture, you can easily do so in Wuyishan—but know that the area still doesn't get many tourists, so you'll want to plan your visit in advance. When you're not sipping, be sure to take advantage of local activities like bamboo rafting and hiking.