Tag: holidays

Hokkaido Winter Series: SAPPORO – A Winter Paradise City

A few weeks ago, I shared to you how my friend Shane & I enjoyed Hokkaido Winter last February for less than ₱45,000 all in. I showed you how & when we booked our tickets, where we stayed & how much we paid in the hostel, what we ate & what we did. That blog post was basically a summary of the trip cost-wise.

With Shane in front of the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

Today, I will share to you in detail the places we visited in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost major island of Japan. Sapporo is a winter paradise in a city – the city looked so beautiful covered with snow. It felt like we were in a different world! Shane & I stayed 6 nights in The Stay Sapporo, a high-rated hostel in Susukino District. I normally talk about the accommodation in the same blog; but since I just introduced a section here called Hostel Of The Day, I will talk about the hostel in a different post. Watch out for that!

Random street near our hostel 😍

Now back to Sapporo. Getting around the city is easy-breezy. The city has a very easy-to-understand subway system with very few lines in place. We used our IC cards in riding the subway trains. IC cards are contactless cards which can be used in most train lines all over Japan (except bullet trains). These cards are reloadable & can also be used in convenience stores, supermarkets & some shops.

Beautiful morning at Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Sapporo is a very big city. We didn’t have time to explore many places but we managed to visit a few iconic ones. Check out the ‘list’ below!

Susukino District

Susukino is Sapporo’s entertainment district. It is the place to be when you’re looking for shops, restaurants, bars, clubs & pachinko centers. This is the area where Shane & I stayed so we walked around this district several times.

Night snowfall at Susukino!

This is also the place where the famous ramen alley – Ramen Yokocho is located. It is a small lane with a number of ramen restaurants serving Sapporo’s best ramen. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore this alley. I will put this in the list when I fly back to Sapporo!

Normal winter night at Susukino

Access: Susukino Station – Namboku Subway Line

Odori Park

Odori Park covered with snow

Odori Park is Sapporo’s central park. Located in the middle of the city, this 1.5 km long park separates the northern & southern part of Sapporo. This park is also the main site of the Sapporo Snow Festival held every first week of February. We were one week late for the snow festival so the park structures were just being dismantled during our visit. The park was still beautiful & was fully covered with snow.

Why hello there Mr. Snowman! ☃

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower is a TV tower at the same time an observation deck in one end of Odori Park. The observation deck is open for visitors for ¥720 per person. Shane & I didn’t go up the observation deck but we only passed by the TV tower site.

Random stream with the view of Sapporo TV Tower 🗼

Access: Odori Station – Nanboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Sapporo Clock Tower

The iconic Sapporo Clock Tower

Locally known as Tokeidai, the Sapporo Clock Tower is a famous Sapporo wooden landmark which dates back to the early development of the city. The clock tower is now a museum & a ceremony hall. Entrance to the clock tower costs ¥200 per person. We decided not to go inside the clock tower because it was almost closing time when we passed by.

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Hokkaido University Botanic Garden

Around Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Owned by Hokkaido University, this Botanic Garden is in the middle of Sapporo. University students use this garden for research & laboratory purposes. The public also uses this place for recreation. The garden was not open to the public during our visit; at the same time it was covered with snow.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nishi-Juitchome Station – Tozai Subway Line

Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

This red brick office building, locally known as Akarenga, was once the seat of Hokkaido Government. This building now functions as a museum, shop & conference center. Entrance to the building is free of charge.

Inside the Former Hokkaido Government Building

Shane & I were lucky to witness the Mitsui Fudosan × Akarenga Illuminations last February. These illuminations were part of Hokkaido’s 150th Year Anniversary Project showcasing the island’s culture & history.

Witnessed the winter illuminations in the former government building

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo Beer Garden

Yes! Sapporo Beer Garden 🍺

Unlimited lamb for lunch! 😋

Sapporo is the famous because of the world-renowned Sapporo Beer. This beer started brewing in the city since the 19th century. The Sapporo Beer Museum shows the history & evolution of Sapporo beer production in the city. Beside the museum is Sapporo Beer Garden. This place is famous for the unlimited Genghis Khan lamb cooked grilled with fresh vegetables. It also comes with unlimited juice & of course, Sapporo Beer. The meal cost us ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. Quite expensive for a lunch meal; but it was all worth it.

Unlimited lamb + unlimited beer = one happy man! 😍

Yes to unlimited Sapporo draft beer! 🍺

Everyone should not miss visiting Sapporo Beer Garden when in Sapporo.

Access: 25 minutes walk from JR Sapporo Station or 10-minute walk from Higashikuyakusho Mae Station Exit 4 – Toho Subway Line or Loop 88 Factory Line Bus

Sapporo Station

Sapporo Station is the city’s main station in downtown. It is where subway, JR lines & bus lines meet. This is probably the starting point of pretty much all destinations when going around Sapporo & nearby cities & towns.

View outside Sapporo Station

I got a super duper good deal in the Gap Store in Sapporo Station. I bought a pair of pants, 2 shirts & 2 baby tops (for my cousin & niece) for only ¥5,000 or for less than ₱2,500 pesos. What a bargain from Gap!

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo District

Busy Sapporo District at night!

The Sapporo District is the city’s central district. Surrounded by shopping malls & commercial establishments, this district is one of the city’s shopping hub. Almost all kinds of luxury & affordable shops are found in this area.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo Ramen Republic

Welcome to Sapporo Ramen Republic 🇯🇵🍜

The Sapporo Ramen Republic is a floor of 8 top Hokkaido ramen restaurants. Located at the 10th floor of ESTA Complex in Sapporo District, this ramen place features Hokkaido ramen specialties – Sapporo Ramen (Miso), Hakodate Ramen (Shio) & Asahikawa Ramen (Shoyu).

Misono’s miso ramen. Yum! 🍜

Shane & I tried Sapporo Ramen in a restaurant called Misono. The ramen had miso broth with some pork & ginger flavor. The ramen cost around ¥800 per bowl.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

Each major Japan city has its own shopping arcade. If Fukuoka has Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade, Nagoya has Osu Shopping Street & Osaka has Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, Sapporo has Tanukikoji Shopping Street. Just like any other shopping street / arcade, this is a row of local shops & restaurants. This arcade is the best place to buy souvenirs.

Shane & I went around this arcade several times. It is also where we bought chocolates & souvenirs for friends & family back home. Tanukikoji Shopping Street has a Don Quijote branch – the best place to buy Japanese goodies tax-free! Make sure your purchase is more than ¥2,500 tax excluded.

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Nijo Market

Yay to fresh seafood!

Nijo Market is Sapporo’s public market famous to both locals & visitors. People flock this market to buy fresh finds such as king crabs, salmon eggs & other fish. Shane & I went here to buy Hokkaido King Crab. A kilogram of medium king crab costs 12,000. We got 3 big crab legs (800 grams) for only ¥10,000. We had it cooked in the restaurant in front of the shop.

More fresh seafood 😍

The king crab was so fresh & sooooo good. It was worth the expensive price! I’m so happy we tried it even if it was a bit pricey. This king crab meal was one of the highlights of my trip – I’ll definitely have this again when I fly back to Sapporo.

Hokkaido King Crab Legs!! 😲🦀

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Other Places We Missed

We missed a few places due to limited time in the city. These places include the Shiroi Koibito Park (Chocolate Factory), Mount Moiwa Ropeway (a small mountain ropeway with a view of the city), Moerenuma Park (a large outdoor park in the outskirts of Sapporo) & Sapporo Historic Village.

These places, plus Ramen Yokocho, will definitely be in our list when we fly back to Sapporo. We don’t know when will that be but I hope it’ll be really soon.

Sapporo is indeed a winter paradise city! The city looked beautiful covered with powder white snow. The temperature may be at its lowest point but it didn’t hinder us from exploring what this city has to offer.

Beautiful winter morning in Sapporo 😍

Have you been to Sapporo during winter? How was your experience? Do you think I should also go there during summer, spring or fall? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Watch out for my next post about Otaru, Hokkaido’s harbor city & the detailed review of The Stay Sapporo. Thank you for reading & have a nice day.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hokkaido Winter Series: The Ultimate Japan Winter Experience Without Breaking The Bank (7 Days For Less than ₱45,000 all-in)

Hi, it’s me again. If you’ve followed my blog in the past, I’ve published posts about travelling to Japan on tight budget. In 2015, my friends & I went to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka for 9 days & spent only ₱40,000 (all in – including airfare) each. In 2016, I went on a solo journey across 7 cities over 13 days for less than ₱50,000. I went to Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama last November for less than ₱35,000 over 7 days (including a flight change). Since coming to Japan in 2015, I’ve considered it as my next favorite country to the Philippines.

With my travel buddy, Shane, in Sapporo Teine!

I post blogs like those to prove that travelling to an expensive country like Japan can also be affordable. 3 months ago, my friend Shane & I went to Hokkaido, Japan for 7 days & spent less ₱45,000 (all in – including flights). Pretty cheap, eh? Yes! This leads me to introducing the next series of blogs in this website – the Hokkaido Winter Series. We’ve also experienced a lot & had many ‘firsts’ in this Hokkaido trip. I can’t wait to share our trip with you.

Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow!

Japan winter season may be over this year but it’s never too late to look back how we made this trip very affordable. We started planning around June 2017 & we’re happy everything went smooth as planned. Let me share to you how we planned this trip & how it didn’t shock our bank accounts.

I was very happy that everything’s covered with snow!

February 2018 Exchange Rate: 1 Japanese Yen = 0.49 Philippine Pesos

Plane Tickets

There are no direct flights that connect Manila & Sapporo at the moment. The easiest & fastest way to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo is via Tokyo. Shane & I were lucky to buy a Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare return ticket to Tokyo for only ₱2,225.76 each. We added prepaid baggage for both flights – ₱690 each for 15 kgs & ₱970 each for 20 kgs. The round-trip ticket to Japan, including baggage, cost us ₱3,885.76 each. Our ticket was so cheap considering each flight takes 4 to 5 hours.

Our piso-fare ticket to Tokyo.. Thank you Cebu Pacific Air!

We bought another return ticket – this time from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo. There are only 2 low-cost airlines flying between these two airports – Jetstar Japan & Vanilla Air. Shane & I went for Jetstar Japan – of course the cheaper option. The return domestic tickets cost us ₱6,151.89 each including 15 kgs baggage. Yes, domestic airline tickets in Japan are expensive. In fact, the 2 x 1 hour 45 minutes-flight to & from Sapporo was way expensive than our 2 x 4-hour flights to & from Tokyo.

Overall, the return tickets from Manila to Sapporo, with layovers in Tokyo, cost us ₱10,037.65 each. Getting all tickets for that amount is so affordable – definitely a bargain!

Our ticket from Tokyo to Sapporo. Domestic tickets in Japan are expensive!

Wondering how I get super cheap tickets like these? I actually wrote two posts about scoring the most affordable airline tickets. Check these posts (part 1 & part 2) out!

Also, the Philippine government requires all Filipino tourists going out of the country to pay ₱1,620 pesos for the travel tax. I don’t know what the tax is for & where they use it; but yeah, everyone’s required to pay before getting your boarding pass.

The Jetstar Airbus 320 sharklet plane we used to Sapporo

Hot news! Philippine Airlines revealed to Inquirer last month that they are looking to mount a direct flight from Manila to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo later this year. There are no details when the flight will start & what the flight times are but I hope this pushes through.

Tourist Visa

Filipinos need a tourist visa when visiting Japan. In 2016, the Japan Embassy in the Philippines granted me a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa until October 2021. Shane also had a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa. We didn’t apply for a tourist visa for this trip; we used our existing visa.

A clear winter morning in Sapporo

Interested to know how I got my 5-year multiple entry tourist visa to Japan? Check out these 4 easy tips on how you can get a Japan tourist visa. The article includes tips for easier application.

Accommodations

We stayed in 2 hostels for this trip. It was my friend Shane’s first time in a hostel so I made sure we stay in the nice ones. Our 5-night stay in The Stay Sapporo Hostel cost us ₱6,354.54 each, that includes a ₱500 off from Traveloka. The rate includes 5 nights in a 7-bed dormitory room with access to hostel’s common areas. I’ll talk more about the hostel when I post the more detail post or itinerary of this Sapporo trip.

Booked our Sapporo hostel via Traveloka

We stayed for a night in Tokyo before our flight back to Manila. We stayed in my favorite hostel in Tokyo, Oak Hostel Zen. We paid ₱644.09 each via Agoda for a night stay in an 8-bed mixed dormitory room. I don’t need to talk about Oak Hostel Zen because I already wrote reviews about this hostel in my past Tokyo trips. I’ve been to Tokyo 3 times & I’ve stayed with this hostel in all my trips.

Booked our Tokyo stay with Agoda

Shane & I paid ₱6,998.63 each for the 6 nights we spent in Japan. Accommodation in this country is very expensive so getting a bed for around ₱1,160+ average per night is already a good deal!

READ! I wrote about our experience in The Stay Sapporo. Check out this article.

Pocket Wi-Fi

One of Sapporo’s iconic building – the Old Hokkaido Government Building

As mentioned in my previous Japan blogs, a pocket Wi-Fi is a necessity when travelling around Japan. Not only does it help you upload photos in various social media platforms & communicate with your loved ones back home, it also helps you navigate your walks & direct which trains / lines to take. Shane & I got our device from Klook. The 7-day pocket Wi-Fi device rental cost us ₱1,887.36 – that’s 943.68 each.The device we got is a 4G LTE capable one & it has unlimited data allocation.

Ski Day Trip

Sapporo Teine Ski Resort

This Sapporo trip was our first winter trip & a winter trip will never be complete without skiing. Shane & I don’t know how to ski so we took Sapporo Teine‘s First Time Ski Experience Group Lesson. The whole day lesson cost us ¥14,000 (or ₱6,860) each. The rate includes ski equipment & outfit rental, instructors & gondola fees, a 1 hour 30 minute basic ski lesson in the morning & a 1 hour 30 minute downhill ski practice in the afternoon.

Photo with our ski instructors

The ski resort’s rate is expensive but their rate is actually the cheapest we saw in Sapporo. It was our first time to go skiing so we decided to invest for the experience. The ski experience was worth it. It was one of the highlights of our trip!

I wrote a separate article about our Ski Day Trip to Sapporo Teine Resort. Check out the article here.

Sapporo Beer Garden Lunch

Sapporo Beer Garden – my liver is happy!

Apart from our first winter & ski experience, Shane & I also had our first unlimited Genghis Khan lamb experience in one of the restaurants in Sapporo Beer Garden. This shredded mutton barbecue is a famous local dish in Hokkaido. The buffet includes unlimited vegetables, juices & of course, Sapporo beer.

Yes to unlimited lamb in Sapporo Beer Garden!

Another yes to unlimited Sapporo beer!

The meal cost ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. It was an expensive meal but you don’t get to have unlimited mutton everyday, right?

Hokkaido King Crab

Hokkaido King Crab legs on display in Nijo Market

Hokkaido is known for its king crabs & fresh seafood. A visit to Japan’s northern most main island will never be complete without trying the king crab. On our 3rd day, Shane & I went to Nijo Market in Sapporo to have brunch. We came across a stall where the man offered us a free taste of the fresh king crab. A kilogram of the large king crab legs costs ¥13,000. We bought 800 grams for ¥10,000 (close to ₱5,000) & the man gave us ¥400 discount. Yes, king crabs are that expensive! We had the crab legs cooked & we went to a nearby restaurant to eat it.

800 grams of king crab legs for brunch.. So good!

Another expensive meal but it was so good! Shane & I were super full up to the point we didn’t eat the entire day. We rarely have king crabs here in the Philippines so it was worth the try!

We tried the Hokkaido king grab when we walked around Sapporo on our first days in the city. Find out where else we went & what we did around the city by checking this link.

Onsen Day

Outside Hoheikyo Onsen – a perfect winter day to be in an onsen

Japan’s Hokkaido is an onsen paradise; the island has many onsens or natural hot springs. In fact, there are a few onsens which are accessible from Sapporo. Shane & I went to Jozankei, the nearest onsen town in Sapporo. We specifically went to Hoheikyo Onsen, a natural hot spring which has an open air spring bath setting & a famous Indian restaurant.

The onsen day package was worth it!

The round-trip bus ride & onsen entrance fee cost us ¥1,800 each (around ₱880). This deal was a steal because the onsen fee itself (if not availed with package) was already ¥1,000 & the bus fare per way was ¥640.

ICYMI, I posted a separate blog about out onsen day. Check out this link to know more about our winter onsen experience.

Daily Expenses

I always set a daily budget for each day I am in Japan. This helps me plan out my expenses day by day. In previous Japan blogs, I’ve set daily budgets ranging from ¥2,500 to ¥3,500 per day. This amount covers all meals, transportation expenses & museum tickets or entrance fees if needed. Sapporo is a bit more expensive than the previous cities I’ve been to so I placed a daily budget of ¥3,500 per day. This trip had the same daily allowance with my 2016 Japan trip. The difference these 2 trips had was I travelled alone in 2016 (so more expenses) & I was with Shane in this Sapporo trip (we shared in some expenses like food, snacks, etc).

Otaru Canal at night

I was in Japan for 7 days to my total ‘daily expenses’ budget was ¥24,500 yen; that’s ₱12,005 in Philippine pesos.

Did you know? We took a half day trip to Otaru, one of Hokkaido’s famous port city. What else can you see & do there aside from visiting the Otaru Canal? Click here to know more.

Summary

That’s about it. Let’s have a look how much I spent for this entire trip.

All in all, I spent ₱43,911.93 for a 7-day winter trip in Hokkaido, Japan. Expensive? No. Cheap for a first timer? Y-E-S! This trip was for the books!

Early mornings in Sapporo be like..

Have you been to Hokkaido? Shane & I are planning to go back soon & we’re looking for more places to visit. Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Check out the individual posts featuring Sapporo, Otaru, Sapporo Teine & Hoheikyo Onsen! Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

High School Squad Weekend: 48 Hours In HONG KONG

¡Hola! I know I’ve been quiet the past few weeks – I’ve been very busy with work & personal life. There’s so much going on around me & I barely have time to write & catch-up. I still owe you everything about my Sapporo trip last February but that’s coming really soon. For now, I will share to you some details about recent trip to Hong Kong.

Touchdown Hong Kong International Airport!

Last March, my high school friends & I went to Hong Kong for the weekend. You heard it right, just for 48 hours! We left Manila Friday afternoon & went back Sunday night. Yes, it was that quick but we managed to visit many places. I’ve been to Hong Kong in 2013 with my office friends so I made sure that I went to new places this time.

Plane Ticket

Last September 2017, Citibank Philippines offered promotional Cebu Pacific Air fares to Hong Kong. Flights from Manila cost as low as ₱1,299 (not including booking fee) per person. Cheap, eh? My high school friends & I took advantage of this promotion; we booked tickets for 10 people. Yes, cheap fares were overflowing that time.

My return ticket to Hong Kong; bought it for only ₱3,710.60

We got our round-trip ticket for ₱3,710.60 (including airport taxes & booking fee) each. A normal return ticket to Hong Kong will cost you around ₱5,000 – ₱8,000; we still got it for an affordable price!

Curios how I get access to or how do I get informed of these promotional fares? You might want to like my Facebook Page for alerts & updates on upcoming & current seat sales. I also wrote how I manage to book super tickets to various local & international destinations. Check the post here.

ACCOMMODATION

Looking for a decent & affordable place to stay in Hong Kong is quite hard. It got harder because we were a group of 10 people. Hotel & services apartment rates in Hong Kong are very expensive. A room in a decent hotel can cost around ₱5,000 per night for 2 people. There are a lot of guesthouses & inns but most of they aren’t that cozy.

Our small & basic double room at Shinny Inn, Hong Kong

My friends & I got lucky for booking our stay (via Booking.com) with Shinny Inn. It is a small inn in the 8th Floor of Alhambra Building along Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. We booked really early so we got the double room at HK$ 360 per night – that’s HK$ 180 per person / night. What a bargain! We booked 5 rooms in the property.

Had Tsingtao again after so long! Bought this while having dinner in a restaurant near Shinny Inn

The air-conditioned rooms were small (this is normal in Hong Kong) & basic. Each room has a private shower & ensuite, a small table & a cable television. Space is limited but it was alright. We were out most of the time anyway; we only need a place to sleep & prepare. Jeki (the owner) provided each room a free local sim card with a few credits & mobile internet. Our stay comes with free coffee & tea in the morning.

View from Shinny Inn’s balcony

They also allowed us to leave our bags after check out. Overall, I recommend staying at Shinny Inn. The place is affordable for such an expensive destination. The rooms are small & basic – again you just need a place to sleep!

48 Hours In Hong Kong? Challenge Accepted! Places Visited –>

As mentioned above, I’ve been to Hong Kong in 2013 so I decided to skip some places to visited like Hong Kong Disneyland & Ocean Park Hong Kong. Majority of the group went to Hong Kong Disneyland during our second day; but my friend, Echo, & I decided to go our own way.

Central Hong Kong

Central is Hong Kong’s business & retail district. You can find everything here – affordable & luxury brand stores, restaurants, businesses, etc. I’ve been to this area way back in 2013; but I missed visiting the famous Graham St mural. The mural shows rows of townhouses & apartment buildings beside each other, depicting the current Hong Kong situation.

Graham St mural 

Echo & I also tried the mid-levels escalator in Jubilee St. This 800-meter escalator is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the word. We went there for the experience – it only works one way per few minutes plus you will see people at every end waiting for the escalator to go the other way.

Tried the mid-levels escalator in Jubilee St

Access: Central MTR Station

Peak Tram & Sky Terrace 428

Converted our Klook vouchers into tickets!

I’ve been to the Peak Tram & Sky Terrace 428 in 2013 but Echo asked if I can go there again & go with him. I had no choice but to say yes. We got our Peak Tram Fast-Track Combo Tickets from Klook for US$8.9 or around ₱460. The ticket included an express entry to The Peak Tram & a ticket to Sky Terrace to 428. Ticket redemption was easy & the express entry to the tram saved us a lot of time (instead of lining up in the regular queue).

Inside the Peak Tram on the way to Victoria Peak

Dropped by the Trick Eye Museum before heading up to Sky Terrace 428

The tram ride to Victoria Peak took us a little over 7 minutes. We skipped the Madame Tussaud’s & the Art of Chocolate Museum & we headed to the free Trick Eye Museum. We took some photos & then we finally went up to Sky Terrace 428. The weather was cloudy, windy & cold. We were not able to see the skyline in its glory. We stayed for a few hours but the weather didn’t improve. We had no choice but to leave.

The best view of skyline from Sky Terrace 428 – it was cloudy that day!

Access: Central MTR Station | Klook Ticket Redemption Area – Exit K

Hong Kong’s Monster Building

Quarry Bay’s Monster Building became popular on Instagram. Since then, Hong Kong visitors make their way to Quarry Bay area to see the building for themselves, also to get nice photos for their Instagram accounts.

Hong Kong’s Monster Building from the ground

This area is composed of 5 buildings, namely Montane Mansion, Oceanic Mansion, Yik Cheong Building, Yik Fat Building & Fook Cheong Building, which form a gigantic E-shaped complex. Echo & I went to this complex to see the buildings in person & to take photos. There’s another famous & colorful complex named Choi Hung Estate but we didn’t have enough time to go & visit.

Another one!

Access: Quarry Bay MTR Station – Exit A + Walk along King’s Road to Tai Koo

Nan Lian Garden

Nan Lian Garden is a serene classical Chinese garden in Diamond Hill, Hong Kong. Surrounded by skyscrapers, this garden features several walking paths, ponds, wooden & stone structures, trees & a wooden pavilion. The garden’s design followed the designs during Tang Dynasty.

A good friend of ours recommended this place to us. I’d like to echo her. This garden is truly a must-see when in Hong Kong.

Access: Diamond Hill MTR Station – Exit C2

Kowloon Public Pier

View of Central skyline from Hong Kong Convention Center grounds

Given the Avenue of Stars is closed for renovation until early next year, Echo & I looked for a place to relax while enjoying the view of the Central Hong Kong Skyline. We sat down in one of the benches in Kowloon Public Pier & enjoyed the view on a cold windy late afternoon. The skyline wasn’t at its best due to the not-so-favorable weather.

Central skyline from Kowloon Public Pier

Access: Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station – Exit E + Walk towards Hong Kong Space Museum

Hong Kong Clock Tower

The Hong Kong Clock Tower is an iconic landmark in Hong Kong. Located at the back of Kowloon Public Pier & beside the Hong Kong Convention Centre, this iconic tower is the only remnant of the former Kowloon Station of the Kowloon-Canton Railway built in 1915.

Access: Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station – Exit E + Walk towards Hong Kong Space Museum

Mong Kok

Busy Mong Kok on a Saturday night!

Mong Kok is Hong Kong’s busiest & most crowded shopping district. One can find everything here – from original pairs of shoes to class A one. This is the best place to go shopping for tourists. The famous Ladies Market is also in this area. Make sure you know how to haggle when visiting this place.

Had Cafe de Coral’s roast duck meal for dinner. Yum!

Echo & I met the rest of the group here for dinner & some shopping. We also walked around the Ladies’ Market & got some nice finds.

Mong Kok’s Ladies Market!

Access: Mong Kok MTR Station

St Teresa’s Church – Kowloon Tong

The whole group attended the 8:30 am English Sunday Mass at St Teresa’s Church in Kowloon Tong. This church is along Prince Edward Rd West, about 15 minute walk from Prince Edward Station. You will pass by the Hong Kong Flower Market when you walk to the church from the MTR station.

Access: Prince Edward Station – Exit B2 + Walk straight towards Prince Edward Rd West

NGONG PING

Gate to the Tian Tan Buddha & Po Lin Monastery Complex

The group decided to visit Ngong Ping before flying back to Manila in the evening. Weeks before our trip, we bought the Ngong Ping 360 Standard Cabin tickets from Klook. Each person paid US$21.3 (around ₱1,100) for a round-trip cable car ticket. Upon arrival in the ticket station, we exchanged our Klook vouchers to physical tickets, then boarded cable car to Ngong Ping. The cable car to Ngong Ping was 25-minutes long.

Lantau Island’s famous Tian Tan Buddha

Upon arrival in Ngong Ping, we hiked 268 steps up to see the bronze Tian Tan Buddha up close. This status is commonly known as Lantau Island’s Big Buddha. Access to outside of the Buddha is free of charge. After going down from the Buddha, we went to Po Lin Monastery. Located opposite of the Buddha grounds, this Buddhist monastery houses different Buddha statues & Buddhist scriptures.

Outside Po Lin Monastery in Ngong Ping

Access: Tung Chung Station – Exit B + 5 minutes walk to Ngong Ping 360

CITYGATE OUTLETS

Our last stop before heading to the airport is CityGate Outlets. This retail center is the largest outlet mall in Hong Kong. The mall has a lot of international brands, with almost all shops offering discounted items. We did some shopping here before going back to the inn to get our things.

Access: Tung Chung Station – Exit B

To more 48-hour (or more) trips with these people!

And that’s 48 hours in Hong Kong! Our schedule was a bit tight (not for the other group who spent a day in Disneyland) but was all good. We managed to visit a lot of new places given the limited time. My highlight of the trip was definitely the visit to Nan Lian Garden. I can easily spend a day there! I look forward to going there again.

View from the Ngong Ping 360 cable car on our way back to Tung Chung Station

Have you been to Hong Kong in the past? What places did I miss? I plan to go back there winter of next year to try the hiking trails in the different islands. Suggestions are welcome! Got any questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comment section below.  You can also send you questions or thoughts via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also drop me a message on Facebook, post a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for your time & have a nice day!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: Packing 101 – How I Fit Everything In One Carry-on Backpack

It’s Tuesday & it’s time for another Tuesday Tip article! People read blogs to get tips & first hand information from people who have been to places or who have done something which the reader intends to visit or to do in the future. I’ve shared a few set of tips in this website & oh man, these tips are one of the widely read sections in this platform.

I’ve shared some how to’s like how to book low fare tickets (with part 2), how to book your travel accommodation, how to easily pass through Philippine immigration & how to apply for a Japan tourist visa. I’ve also published some lists like top destinations to visit in Seoul during Autumn & top 10 things to do & not to do when in Japan. Quite a list already, eh?

Today I will share to how I pack my stuff in a carry-on bag. This topic actually came from 2 different readers. Both of them are curious how I manage to fit everything in one carry-on bag when I go on trips. For your information, I always bring my 32-liter The North Face Big Shot II backpack (I don’t intend to promote The North Face here) when I go for trips of up to 7 days. Guess what? I’ve only used a travel suitcase in 6 out of the 38 trips I took since I started in 2012. Believe it or not, I went on a 7-day Japan autumn (almost winter) trip around Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama with only my backpack. Awesome, right?

Interested how I manage to fit everything in one backpack? Let me tell you how I do it.

Invest In A Good Backpack

It all starts with a light, good & comfortable-to-carry backpack. As mentioned above, I got myself The North Face’ Big Shot II 32-liter backpack way back in 2012. This backpack has everything I need in a carry-on bag. It also doesn’t look bulky even if it’s already full. It once weighed 12 kgs when we flew back to Manila from Saigon in 2013; but the people from the airline check in counters didn’t notice it. I am still using this same backpack for my trips.

I will not endorse a brand or a specific backpack. There are a lot of affordable & durable brands in the market – choose what you think fits you & your packing style.

Plan Clothes To Wear

This is the hardest part when packing. Before flying out, I always have a general idea of my itinerary – where I’ll go for the first day, what I’ll do on the second day & so on. I use this ‘rough itinerary’ to plan the clothes I will wear. The clothes I bring will depend if I will be spending most of the time outdoor or will I just be inside different buildings. I also read beforehand if some destinations / buildings have dress codes or not.

I always make sure that the clothes I bring can paired to the others up if there are slight changes in the daily itineraries. I also bring one or two extra shirts / long sleeves & one extra pair of pants & shorts. No need for three or more; I always end up not using them.

I always have this mindset that no one will care about the clothes you wear during your trip. You are going there to enjoy the view & to earn new experiences & not to flaunt your outfit.

Bring Light Clothes

I always bring light clothes when I travel. When I am off to a tropical destination, I always bring shorts & thin shirts with me. Most of the time, I am outdoors or in the beach so there’s no need for some fancy / trendy clothing. What is always important is I am comfortable with the clothes I wear.

When I am flying to a cold place like South Korea or Japan in autumn or winter, I always bring with me thin long sleeves & light pants. I don’t easily get cold so 2 or 3 layers are fine. I also bring undershirts & some thermal wear when needed.

Ball Up Socks, Hankies & Undergarments + Roll Clothes

One tip to save space in your backpack is to ball up socks, handkerchiefs & undergarments so that you can insert them anywhere in the bag, particularly in some small holes & spaces. These socks, hankies & undergarments are fine placed anywhere in the bag due to its small sizes.

Another tip which might work for some people (but not for me) is to roll clothes. Again, one can save a lot of space when you roll your clothes & stack them up without leaving any space in between. I don’t roll my clothes because I don’t see the need for it. My folded clothes always fit inside my backpack.

Carry A Multipurpose Light Towel

I always bring a light multipurpose towel when I go on trips. This towel serves as a bath towel, a body towel, a sun-shade & a beach towel. These light towels dry up fast & are lighter than the usual cotton towel. They are also easy to keep & not bulky at all. There a are few affordable light towels in the market now, make sure to get one for you.

Bringing a light towel also saves me a few bucks when staying in hostels. Some hostels charge a small amount of money for towel rentals. Even if the amount is very small, it’s still extra cash or amount for other things like food or activity.

Bring A Handy Toiletry Bag

I always bring a small toiletry bag for my bath & body needs. It sachet of shampoo & conditioner, a small toothpaste, a toothbrush, a small soap, a small bottle of moisturizer, deodorant & my perfume. Yes, everything in small quantities except for my 100 ml perfume.

Take note that airlines only allow bottles / containers up to 100 ml in size; maximum of 10 bottles / containers per person. These should all be placed in a ziplock or a resealable plastic container. You don’t need to bring those big containers or moisturizer, shampoo & perfume – you only need something to use for a few days.

Wear Shoes & Coats During Departure

Another tip for reducing your carry-on weight is to wear / use some clothing on the day of departure. When I went to Japan last November with just a backpack, I used one of the two coats I brought on the day of my flight. I also wore that sole pair of shoes during the flight. It saved me tonnes of space in my bag because the coat & shoes pretty much take up a big chunk of my bag.

Bring A Body Bag

I always bring with me a small body bag when I go on trips. This serves as storage for my valuables like ticket, passport, cellular phone, boarding pass, pen & wallet. This is also the bag I use when I go out everyday.  Make sure that the body bag you use is anti-theft & RFID-safe. Better safe than sorry.

Again, I will not endorse any specific brand of body bag. There are a lot of good brands in the market – make sure to choose what best suits you.

These 7 tips always result to a 7 kg (or most of the time less) carry-on backpack. Do you still have questions about how I pack? You can put them in the comments below. If you’re shy, please send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also drop me a message on Facebook, post a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading & until the next Tuesday tip!

Outside Popular Japan Cities: Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama On A Budget – 7 Days For Less Than ₱35,000

Last November 2017, I went on a week-long journey to explore 2 not-so-popular places in Japan – Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama. I arrived & spent the first day in Tokyo, then stayed in Fujikawaguchiko for 48 hours then onwards to Takayama before flying home from Nagoya.

Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiko

If you’ve followed my blog for a while now, you’ll notice that I’ve shared to my readers how much I roughly spent for my past Japan in trips. In October 2015, my friends & I went on a 9-day trip across Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka for less than ₱40,000 all in. In 2016, I went on a solo journey across 7 cities (Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe & Fukuoka) for 13 days & spent less than ₱50,000 including flights. Both trips are pretty affordable than the usual Japan trip.

The beautiful & well-preserved wooden houses of Takayama Old Street

Have you ever wondered how much I spent in my Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama trip last November? Fret not, I am here to answer your question. Yes, I only spent less than ₱35,000 for 7 whole days in Japan. This could be cheaper (to probably around ₱25,000 – ₱30,000) if I booked the right flight to Japan & if I didn’t go on a luxurious dinner with friends in Tokyo. Just like the earlier posts, I will divide the post below to different sections – ticket, accommodation, bus tickets, etc.

November 2017 Exchange Rate: 1 Japanese Yen = 0.47 Philippine Pesos
Ticket

I mentioned above that I had to change my flight to Japan. As mentioned in my Fujikawaguchiko blog, I initially planned to go to Sapporo for this trip. Plans changed when I luckily booked another Cebu Pacific Air piso fare ticket to Tokyo for February. My first ticket cost me ₱2,175.86 with Kansai Airport in Osaka as the arrival airport.

Months before the trip, I decided to take the Tokyo-Fujikawaguchiko-Takayama-Nagoya route. It was cheaper & faster to book a new ticket to Tokyo than to take my original flight & take another flight to Tokyo. I booked my one-way Tokyo ticket & used Traveloka‘s 10% off promotion. The one way ticket to Tokyo cost ₱3,509.10.

My return tickets cost me ₱5,684.96 – still cheap for a return ticket to Japan.

Tourist Visa

The Embassy of Japan here in the Philippines gave me a 5-year multiple entry visa when I applied in 2016 so I didn’t apply for a new one for this trip. If you want to know how I got my 5-year visa, I made a 4-step guide a few months ago. You can check the guide here.

Accommodations

Accommodations for this trip were well-planned except for the one night stay in Tokyo. I took advantage of Traveloka‘s promotions. I only paid ₱970.45 for a 2-night stay in K’s House Mount Fuji, that’s after the ₱1,206 discount from Traveloka. On the other hand, I paid ₱2,713.13 for my 3-night stay in K’s House Takayama Oasis – that was after a 20% discount from Traveloka. I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that a decent hostel in Japan will cost you a little over ₱1,000 a night.

My K’s House Mount Fuji Hostel reservation with ₱1,206 Traveloka discount

I booked by Tokyo accommodation last-minute, thus I paid ₱828.66 from the usual ₱600-₱700 per night rate of Oak Hostel Zen. It’s still cheaper compared to other Tokyo hostels. You basically get the same amenities & service. I paid ₱4,512.24 for all 6 nights in Japan. Big thanks to Traveloka‘s promotions, I saved a lot!

My K’s House Takayama Oasis Hostel reservation with ₱800 Traveloka discount

Bus Tickets

I travel on budget & I don’t have the money to pay for a JR Pass so I always take the highway buses. For me, the highway bus is the most affordable mode of transportation between cities & towns around Japan. The buses leave & arrive in every stop on time / on schedule. These buses have comfortable seats; some even have toilet & free Wi-Fi on board & power outlets per seat.

The empty bus to Takayama

I took 3 highway bus routes in this trip. First, I took the Fujikyuko Bus from Tokyo Station to Kawaguchiko Station in Fujikawaguchiko Station. The 1 hour & 45 minute trip cost me ¥1,800 (₱829.73). From Kawaguchiko, I took the afternoon Nohi Bus to Takayama. The 4-hour trip along the Hida mountains cost me ¥5,000 (₱2,304.81). From Takayama, I took the Highway bus to Nagoya, the city where I flew out of Japan. The 2 hours & 30 minutes bus trip cost me ¥2,980 or ₱1,366.14. I booked these bus tickets before flying to Japan. Some bus routes have cheaper fares when you book  (via Willer Express website) weeks / months before the trip. There are also bus companies (like Nohi Bus) that offer fixed bus fares per route.

Took this bus from Nagoya – this bus schedule was operated by Nohi Bus

The 3 bus rides of over 8 hours in total only cost me ₱4,500.68. This amount won’t even let you buy a ticket for the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto!

Internet Sim Card

Exploring Japan without access to Google & Google Maps is difficult. Since I was alone, I got an internet sim card from Klook. This sim card comes with unlimited 4G internet for 8 days but with no credits. I didn’t have issues with the network anywhere I go – mobile internet was faster than the internet provided by the other establishments like restaurants & buses.

This sim card was quite expensive – ₱1,484.82 but it was cheaper than getting a pocket Wi-Fi. I also got the sim card to avoid carrying the pocket Wi-Fi device in my bag every single day.

Tokyo Dinner With Friends

I took advantage of my Tokyo stopover to meet my HTC friends who were living in & visiting Japan. I met with Laura & Leon in Omotesando Hills. We walked around the area then to Shibuya. We had a glass of craft beer in Craftheads then went to Nogigochi for dinner. We had yakitori for dinner & sake for drinks.

This dinner was quite expensive. I spent around ¥5,000 (or ₱2,350) for dinner & drinks. I don’t mind spending too much when I’m with friends.

Mount Fuji 4th Station

I met a Dutch guy in the hostel & we decided to visit Mount Fuji 4th Station to see what’s up there. We bought the round-trip tickets in Kawaguchiko Station. The return ticket costs ¥2,100 (or ₱987). It took us around 45 minutes by bus to reach the 4th station & another 45 minutes to go down. This destination offered a nice view of Mount Fuji’s crater & the Japanese Alps.

Hida Beef Lunch

One of the highlights of this trip was the hida beef lunch set I had in Ajikura Tengoku in Takayama. The whole beef lunch set (with dessert & tea) cost me ¥4,000 (₱1,880). This was the most expensive lunch I had in Japan for this trip. The experience & the meal was worth the expensive price.

Shirakawa-go Day Tour

Ticket to Shirakawa-go – purchased at the Takayama Bus Terminal ticket office

Another highlight of this Japan trip was the visit to Shirakawa-go. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is located 60 kilometers away from Takayama. It takes about an hour by bus to reach this village full of gassho-style houses.

Walking around the wooden houses & seeing the people’s daily lives in Shirakawa-go gave a unique experience. I explored the village for about 3 hours & I think it was just right. I spent ¥4,420 (₱2,077.4) for the round-trip bus tickets to Shirakawa-go.

Daily Allowance

 Breakfast food & drink bought in the supermarket!

One of the ways to travel in budget is to set a daily allowance. This allowance should cover food, transportation, entrance fees & beers. I set a daily budget of ¥3,000 in my 2015 trip & ¥3,500 in my 2016 trip. These trips were both subway-heavy so I had to put in a higher budget. For my Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama trip, I set a daily budget of ¥2,500 per day. This included breakfast & dinner (while I was in Kawaguchiko) food I bought in the supermarket & minimal daily expenses + all transportation costs I had.

Summary of Expenses

Everything’s in. Let’s have a look how much I actually spent for the trip.

There you go! I spent a total of ₱33,322.10 for 7 days in Japan (Tokyo, Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama) including airfare, accommodations, a flight change & extraordinary expenses. As mentioned earlier, the total expenses can still be reduced to around ₱25,000 – ₱30,000 if only I planned everything well. I don’t regret the last-minute changes I made in my itinerary.

That’s it for today. Are you planning to go see Mount Fuji up close or visit Takayama’s preserved old town? Well you should! If you have any questions about the details provided above, feel free to comment below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Watch out for the next post! I’ll take you to Sapporo, Japan! Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.