Tasting Lotus Tea at West Lake in Hanoi

If you're visiting Hanoi, don't miss out on a unique experience: making lotus tea! Lotus tea is one of the best teas in Vietnam and is considered a traditional gift from Hanoi. To gain a local insight, take a trip to Quang An Village in Tay Ho District and see the traditional process of making lotus tea.

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16 June, 2023

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experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 2 — Early every morning in summer, local villagers bring back home lotus flowers which they pick from the West Lake in Tay Ho District.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 3 — A local villager is busy harvesting lotus to meet the growing demand in summer.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 4 — From 4 a.m. local villagers have to get up to pick lotus flowers. The petal peeling also needs to be finished before mid-day to preserve the fragrance of the flowers.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 5 — Locals classify lotuses before making tea.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 6 — Some lotus flowers are for sale, costing from VND10,000 to VND15,000 each flower.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 7 — Artisan Nguyen Thi Dan, her family and workers gather to peel off the petals to get the lotus anther as fast as possible.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 8 — An American tourist joins making lotus tea.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 9 — Nguyen Thi Dan is one of a few artisans well-known for traditional lotus tea making in Quang An Village, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 10 — Ms. Dan and her descendants gather to peel off petals to get the lotus anther for lotus tea making.

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experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 12 — The white lotus anther is an indispensable ingredient of lotus tea.

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experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 14 — US tourist Seth Griffin shares that he is impressed by meticulous process of making lotus tea.

experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 15 — About 1,500 lotus flowers are needed to scent some three kilograms of tea.

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experiencing west lake lotus tea making in hanoi picture 17 — The price of lotus tea is much higher than common tea, about VND 8-10 million per kilogram.