Exploring tea in Sri Lanka: immersion in the southern lands.

Tea, a 100% Sri Lankan affair.

Tea plantations in Sri Lanka are ubiquitous, especially in the central part of the island and its highlands.

Everywhere, in the valleys and on the green hills, the roofs of factories turn leaves into tea. However, it is rare to be able to visit them, and when it is possible, it often boils down to an uninteresting group tour.

The surprise is great to see tea growing at low altitude, in the Galle region, very close to the Indian Ocean. The address of a small factory, the Wilehena Tea Factory, was given to us. That was enough to decide to visit it unannounced.

Wilehena Tea Factory, the tea plantation on the shores of the Indian Ocean

The management is surprised by our arrival but welcomes us with great kindness. Through the window of the director’s office, a sign indicates that it is okay for an impromptu visit. A young man slips on his flip-flops and transforms from accountant to guide, taking us for a walk through the plantation.

Exploring the tea fields.

Walking through the fields gives us the feeling of immersing ourselves in a bath of green color, walking through silky ribbons of infinite greens. Around a path, we see the pickers, their heads barely protruding from the rows of bushes.

Their faces are focused on the task, and their shy and silent smiles barely respond to our greetings. Weathered by the sun, their powerful and strong hands pick the young, tender green shoots with a swift yet delicate motion.

To harvest as many leaves as possible, for a modest salary, under crushing heat, the gesture must be precise and quick. The aisles are bustling with an incessant ballet of women who return to the meeting point to dump their harvest and set off again at a leisurely pace into the field.

Delving into the secrets of making tea with such different aromas.

From afar, the noise of the machines can be heard, steam escapes from the walls and chimneys. Sometimes, silhouettes appear at the edges of the docks. What happens inside the factory? Past the foreman’s office, the world of calm and silence gives way to that of withering, rolling, fermenting, drying, and sorting the leaves.

The powerful smells of tea leaves mix with that of hot oil from the equipment. Old-time machines are active all around, continuously fed by women who sort, grease, control, stack, and transport. In this constant din, a tea with subtle southern aromas is produced.

The 3, 3, 3 rule, do you know it ?

Back in the director’s office, a short course is given before finally tasting this famous tea. OP or BOP, in other words, ‘Orange Pekoe’ or ‘Broken Orange Pekoe’ ? 
Honestly, it is hard to remember what was served. But the tea was delicious, even excellent!

Here is a basic rule valid for any tea : follow the 3, 3, 3 rule. 
Boil the water for 3 minutes, 
let it rest for 3 minutes, 
then steep the tea for a maximum of 3 minutes.

The Wilehena Tea Factory is one of those gems, nestled where you least expect it, with passionate people sharing a moment of their lives.