Yes, that’s true: black tea, familiar to Europeans, is not as widespread in Thailand. However, there are a few places where you can find good tea. For example, large supermarkets like Big C, Tesco Lotus, and Villa Market carry it. There are also specialty tea shops such as Tea House.

For true tea lovers and those interested in the tea ceremony, there is a Tea Club in Phuket — you can find it on the map by name. They offer a wide selection and even allow you to sample teas before purchasing.

You can also dive a bit deeper into Thailand’s tea culture and discover a whole new world. “Thai tea” is a general term for various types of tea popular in Thailand. It can be black or green, and often includes spices, milk, herbs, or flowers. Here are the main types of Thai tea:

1. Thai Tea (Cha Yen) – Thai milk tea. The most well-known type of Thai tea. It’s based on black tea blended with spices like cardamom, anise, and tamarind, along with sweetened condensed milk. Served over ice. This is the famous “orange tea” often found in Thai restaurants.

2. Thai Green Tea (Cha Khiao) – Thai green milk tea. Made with powdered green tea, sweetened condensed milk, and ice.

3. Thai Herbal Teas. Herbal teas made from local herbs, flowers, and spices are very popular in Thailand. These often don’t contain traditional tea leaves but are brewed similarly. Examples include butterfly pea flower tea (a vivid blue color), chrysanthemum tea, ginger tea, lemongrass tea, and others.

4. Tea with Thai herbs and spices. Sometimes Thai people brew mixtures of herbs, roots, and spices — such as galangal, palm sugar, cinnamon, and more.

5. Oolong from Northern Thailand. In the northern mountainous regions (such as Chiang Rai province), Chinese tea varieties — especially oolong — are grown.

You can find these teas at night markets (check the Night Markets section for one convenient to you). You can also sample local tea varieties in some establishments — look in the Cafes and Restaurants section.