Maliandao Tea Street

Maliandao is Beijing's tea district: hundreds of shops stacked in towers, each offering tastings of Longjing, Tieguanyin, puer, and the oolongs of the year. The staff are used to foreign buyers and will walk you through the difference between a 100-yuan and a 1,000-yuan leaf.

Buy with your mouth, not your ears - taste first, then negotiate. Most shops wrap and ship internationally.