As the coffee harvest season begins, Pu’er City in Yunnan Province, known as China’s coffee capital, comes alive with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. With its growing coffee farms, cultural exhibitions, and specialty cafés, the city has become a hotspot for both coffee enthusiasts and tourists.

According to China’s “Central Document No. 1” for 2025, released in late February, the country aims to enhance the integration of rural culture and tourism, launching pilot projects to revitalize rural areas through cultural industries.

Pu’er: Leading Coffee Production in China

Located along the Tropic of Cancer, a key coffee-growing belt, Pu’er is China’s top coffee-producing region, with a harvest of 58,000 tons of raw coffee beans in the 2023-2024 season. The city is actively expanding its coffee industry by blending it with tourism and cultural experiences, helping shape China’s growing coffee market.

Elephant Coffee Farm: A Unique Experience in Nature

Amid Pu’er’s lush green hills, “Elephant Coffee Farm” stands out as a remarkable attraction, offering visitors the rare opportunity to enjoy their coffee while watching wild Asian elephants roam freely in their natural habitat.

Huang Da Xiang, an investor and coffee lover, describes the experience:
“It’s amazing to sit here with a cup of coffee and see elephants foraging on the hillside. It’s truly unforgettable.”

The farm also provides interactive activities such as coffee picking, learning about the roasting process, making handcrafted coffee products, and even crafting coffee soap, offering visitors a deeper dive into coffee culture.

Coffee Tourism & Events: A New Dimension for Pu’er’s Coffee Industry

Pu’er is home to over 20 high-end coffee farms, including five officially recognized provincial-level coffee farms, where coffee culture is intertwined with tourism to create immersive visitor experiences. The city also hosts coffee-themed exhibitions and events, showcasing both local and national coffee brands while providing a platform for coffee enthusiasts worldwide to connect.

Tourist Zhang Xuan Yu attended a coffee exhibition held alongside an international coffee brewing competition in Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa Autonomous County.
“I got to taste different coffee flavors and meet coffee lovers from around the world. It was a fantastic educational experience,” he said.

The Rise of Coffee Tourism in Pu’er

During the 2025 Spring Festival holiday (January 28 – February 4), Pu’er welcomed 3.25 million tourists, marking a 13.71% year-on-year increase. The city’s tourism revenue also surged by 13.21%, reaching 3.44 billion yuan (approximately USD 480 million).

According to Zhang Qi Ying, Deputy Director of the City’s Culture and Tourism Office,
“The integration of coffee and tourism has become a defining feature of Pu’er’s tourism industry, making it an essential destination for coffee enthusiasts and experience-seekers alike.”

Pu’er: The Ultimate Destination for Coffee Lovers

As China’s coffee industry continues to evolve, Pu’er solidifies its status as a premier hub for coffee innovation and tourism, offering visitors an extraordinary blend of premium coffee, breathtaking nature, and rich cultural heritage.