Tag: Hostels

Throwback Thursday Treat: Third Time Fun in El Nido

It’s been over a month since my last trip blog post. I am very sorry I haven’t posted anything; I’ve been busy with work & personal stuff. I had several birthday celebrations; I’ve also been just back from a week in Bali & a weekend in my hometown in Albay. I hope everyone is doing well. I promise to keep up with all the content planned for the past weeks.

Anyway, back to business. It’s Thursday, so it’s time for another Throwback Thursday Treat! It’s been a year since my high school friends & I spent a long weekend in El Nido, Palawan (my 3rd time). I think it’s a good time to relive the good times we had in that short weekend trip.

View from El Nido town 😍

Airfare

Philippine Airlines had their annual Christmas sale last December 2015. I was able to book a round-trip ticket to Puerto Princesa City for only ₱1,636. The fare included a 10 kg check-in baggage allowance per way & in-flight snack. Not bad, right?

Screenshot of my ticket to & from Puerto Princesa, Palawan

All the while, the plan was to go to El Nido / Port Barton alone for a weekend, but my high school friends decided to join me on that same weekend. We had plans of going to El Nido but I never thought it will be during this trip that we’ll go there. At least, I didn’t have to enjoy paradise by myself.

Trip to El Nido

2 friends flew to Puerto Princesa days earlier & went around the city for a day & a half. Junelle & I flew on the same afternoon, but with via different airlines. Upon arrival in Puerto Princesa, we immediately went to our friend’s hotel located a few meters from the airport.

Upon arrival at Puerto Princesa International Airport

We had dinner at Kinabuch’s Grill & Bar in Puerto Princesa before heading to the bus terminal to catch the last night bus to El Nido. The air conditioned bus left at 9:00 pm & arrived in El Nido at around 2:30 in the morning. We headed to our respective accommodations & slept for the rest of the morning.

Accommodation

I already booked my accommodation right before my friends booked their flights. I got a dormitory bed in El Nido’s newest (that time) hip hostel – Spin Designer Hostel. I booked via Booking.com; the nightly rate includes a bed in a 4-bed dormitory room with toiletries & breakfast. I paid ₱2,750 for 4 nights.

Each guest is provided a room key card, a spacious bed & locker. Guests have access to common shower & toilet facilities. Wi-Fi is only available in common areas (not sure if they have given access up to the rooms). The hostel also organizes day trips & night activities like acoustic nights, sports nights, barbecue nights, etc. The common areas were well-designed & spacious. The hostel is very social; it’s very easy to meet & connect with new people.

The staff were one of the nicest & the most helpful I’ve met. The hostel is also secured with guards on duty 24/7 on both gates. If you are alone & keen on meeting new people, Spin Designer Hostel is the hostel for you. Make sure to book your stay early as they are usually fully-booked.

Note: My friends stayed in a different accommodation because there were no other beds available in Spin Hostel.

Nacpan Beach Day 1

We hired 2 tricycles for ₱1,200 each for a day trip to Nacpan Beach. We left around 10:00 in the morning & decided to stay there up until 4:00 in the afternoon. It was supposed to be a day of relaxation, but the weather didn’t cooperate. It was raining most of the afternoon. We still had fun in the beach despite the heavy rainfall.

‘Habang umuulan’ photo with Junelle 😂

We headed to Las Cabanas Beach to watch the sunset, but it wasn’t at its best. The sky was cloudy; you could barely see the sunset. We went back to our respective accommodations to freshen up. We met up at 7:00 pm to have dinner at Trattoria Altrove, a known Italian restaurant in town.

Tour A Island Hopping Tour

Tour A is a must when in El Nido. It is my 3rd time to visit this place & I still go back for this tour. For the third time, I took Tour A – an island hopping day tour which goes to different lagoons & beaches in Bacuit Bay.

We booked the tour in the agency partner of our Nacpan tricycle driver. The tour is priced at ₱1,200 but we got ours for ₱1,100 each because we were a group of 4. Our driver picked us up at 8:00 am & we went straight to the beach. We left the town at 8:30 am & enjoyed the tour around the islands until 4:00 pm. Here are the places we visited:

Small Lagoon

Secret Lagoon

Snorkelling somewhere near Miniloc Island

Shimizu Island (also the place where we had lunch)

Big Lagoon

Seven Commando Beach

Nacpan Beach Day 2

We had a little debate whether we’ll take Tour C or go to Nacpan Beach again for our 3rd day. We wanted to relax a bit so we went for the latter. The weather was perfect & the beach was at its best! I’ll let the photos show how relaxing the place was.

Nacpan & Calitang Twin Beach 😍

Last Day

Right before eating lunch in Badjao Seafront Restaurant 

We took the 8:00 am Camarih Transport shuttle back to Puerto Princesa; dropped by the pasalubong center to get some goodies for families & friends back in Manila; ate lunch at Badjao Seafront Restaurant (a must-eat restaurant in Puerto Princesa) & headed to the airport for our flights back to Manila.

It was short but fun weekend trip with my high school friends. We’ve been to different places & countries & I think this El Nido was one of the best trips we had. We don’t have anything planned for our next trip (ehem); I hope we get to decide where we’ll go next & when will that be. I could travel the whole world with these people.

El Nido ’16 crew group photo 😊

If you haven’t read it yet, I already blogged about my past 2 El Nido trips – March 2014 trip & 2014 Birthday Weekend. Have you been to El Nido recently? Any notable changes in infrastructure, island hopping tour costs, etc? Feel free to let me know by putting some comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

The world-famous Big Lagoon during low tide

Curious how I booked my super duper cheap round-trip ticket to Puerto Princesa? Don’t worry, I got you covered. Head over to this post (and this post too) to know more.

‘Til the next throwback Thursday post! 😉

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.

TAIPEI Revisited: 3-Day Weekend in the Heart of Asia (Less than ₱15,000 all in!!!)

Last May 2015, my high school friends & I had a short weekend in Taipei. We got our tickets for less than ₱3,000 & spent less than ₱15,000 for the whole trip. Click here to know more about our previous trip. We were not able to visit a few places so I told myself I will go back for another weekend in the so-called Heart of Asia.

Taipei 2017 crew while having breakfast (R-L: Rona, Shiela & yours truly)

Fast forward to June 2017, my colleagues & I were able to book another batch of tickets less than ₱3,000; ₱2,877.48 to be exact. That’s roughly ₱100 pesos more than our ticket in 2015. Tickets were booked 2.5 months before the trip. Pretty good deal, right? We scheduled our 3-day trip during the Eid Muslim Holiday, where it was declared a special non-working holiday in the Philippines.

₱5,754.96 for 2 round trip tickets to Taipei. Super cheap, right?

Note: The Office of the Philippine President has just declared the regular & special non-working holidays for 2018. Click here to have an idea on the 2018 long weekends. You can now start planning your trips for next year.

Note 2: I previously blogged about travelling with your full-time job. Check out this link to help you plan out your trips & your vacation leaves.

Going back to our 3-day weekend trip, let me elaborate below how it went. I will also discuss our entry permits & accommodation, pre-trip bookings, the places we visited & some random stuff.

Entry Permit

Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that they will ease the visa application scheme for Filipino passport holders. In addition to that, those with valid & expired visas (for the last 10 years) for certain countries like Japan, South Korea & the like can enter Taiwan visa free but with a valid entry permit. You can apply for the entry permit here.

A few months ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that they will try a 1-year visa-free entry scheme for Filipino passport holders. Due to some internal matters, the visa-free entry scheme was postponed to a later date, possibly September 2017. Watch out for the official announcement soon.

My friends & I all have valid/expired Japan & South Korea tourist visas so we only needed an entry permit to enter Taiwan. To be fair, the application process & the approval of the entry permit took us less than 5 minutes. Make sure to bring your valid / expired visas + the printed entry permit with you during your trip.

Accommodation

Taipei has a wide range of accommodation choices; from affordable & top-rated hostels, simple & beautiful guesthouses, modern-themed boutique hotels to the luxurious branded hotels. Just like every trip, I searched & read through different platforms where is the best place to stay in the city.

We decided to stay in Hostelworld‘s 4th Best Large Hostel for 2016 – Star Hostel Taipei Main Station. Going by the name, the hostel is located a few minutes walk from the Taipei Main Station & also to Taipei’s central bus terminal. The hostel has both private & dormitory rooms. Since we are traveling on budget plus we don’t mind sharing the room with other travelers, we each got a dormitory bed for NTD 620 a night.

My dormitory bed for 2 nights

Each bed includes a comfortable bed & pillow with sheets (plus comforter), curtains for privacy, a reading light & plug & access to a fast Wi-Fi. Each guest is given an electronic locker & a security key card (no need for padlocks). All rooms are air-conditioned & fitted really well. Common shower areas & toilets are clean & well-maintained. Luggage storage is free before check in & after check out (before 11:00 pm).

Taiwanese burger, hard-boiled egg, fruits & a cup of milk tea for breakfast!

Free breakfast is offered to all guests. Breakfast set differs per day; but it always has fruits & eggs plus coffee (or tea), toast with butter & jam. Guests also have access to a common kitchen & spacious lounge areas.

Star Hostel Taipei Main Stations spacious common area 😍

The hostel rates in Taipei are very close to that of rates in Japan & South Korea. Yes, it may be a little expensive than the hostel rates here in Southeast Asia, but you definitely get more than you pay for. For someone who has stayed in a number of hostels around Southeast & East Asia, the rates of Star Hostel Taipei Main Station are reasonable & super affordable. Make sure to check this hostel when you’re flying to Taipei soon. They are fully booked most of the time; make sure to secure your dormitory bed early.

Things To Book Before Leaving The Philippines

Have you ever heard of Klook? It is a website that offers discounted travel activities & itineraries, attraction tickets, airport transfers & pocket Wi-Fi rentals in major tourist destinations all over the world. We decided to avail some offers prior to our trip to Taipei.

List of pre-trip bookings we made with Klook.

Pocket Wi-Fi

We got out pocket Wi-Fi for only ₱91 per day, a total of ₱273 for 3 days. Pick-up & drop off was super fast & easy. You just need to present your voucher (either printed or via the mobile application) & your passport to the attendant & you will be given your pocket Wi-Fi package.

Jiufen & Shifen Bus Tour

We initially thought of getting the Yehliu Geopark – Shifen – Jiufen Tourist Bus (costs a little over ₱1,000 per person) but we ran out of slots on our preferred date; we opted to get the Shifen & Jiufen Tourist Bus worth ₱763 each. The pick-up & drop-offs were on time. The guide spoke very basic English, but he could still understand us. The bus seats were comfortable. We were given enough time to explore & walk around the Shifen Old Street & Jiufen.

Taipei 101 Observatory Tickets

Observatory tickets cost a little over ₱1,000 each if you buy them in the ticket counters. Klook offers the admission ticket at a discounted price; we got ours for ₱846 each. Ticket redemption is as easy as 1, 2 & 3. You just need to show your voucher (either printed or via the mobile application) to the attendant at the ticket counter.

It doesn’t end there, Klook offers promo codes on top of these discounted rates. We saved ₱500+ each because of a promo code that only valid at the time of booking. Make sure to look for Klook promo codes before booking your next activity & attraction ticket.

Places Visited

I’ve been to most of these places way back in 2015 so I won’t talk about them anymore; instead I will show more photos of these beautiful places. There will be minor details about the places I’ve been to for the first time.

Taipei 101

Outside Taipei 101, on a hot cloudy day. ☁

Taipei City Hall Public Square

The Taipei City Hall Public Square is located at the back of Taipei 101. You will pass by this square if you decide to walk from Taipei 101 to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. The square is located in front of the City Hall Building.

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

My friend, Shiela & her rainbow flag outside the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was built in memory of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the founder of the Republic of China. The hall shows the life & achievements of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The nearest train station is the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station on the Blue Line.

National Theater

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

Trivia: This iconic gate of the Liberty Square & Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is called Dahzongmen.

Liberty Square

228 Peace Park

Located a few minutes walk from the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, the 228 Peace Park is a memorial park dedicated to the victims of the February 28, 1947 massacre in Taiwan where thousands of people were killed during an uprising. The park can also be accessed by going down the National Taiwan University Hospital Station of the Tamsui Line (Red Line).

Shilin Night Market

Crowded market on a Sunday late afternoon

Shilin Night Market is Taipei’s biggest & most famous night market. We went here for street food. Yes, the market has so many kinds of street food to try – from stinky tofu, oyster mee sua, oyster omelette, pork knuckles to fried milk, xiao long bao & flame grilled steak cubes. Make sure to go there with an empty stomach, you’ll definitely eat a lot.

One of the hundreds (if not thousands) of stalls in Shilin Night Market

The Shilin Night Market can be accessed via Jintian & Shilin Stations of the Tamsui (Red Line).

Ximending

Shifen Old Street

Flying lanterns & people taking photos

View from the local Shifen Station

Jiufen

Came across this small restaurant in Jiufen which serves 8 pieces of really good xiao long bao for only NTD 120. I finished 2 servings! 🐷🐷🐷

Vibrant colors of Jiufen 😍

Tour Me Away Pub Crawl*

Tour Me Away is one of the well-recommended Taipei ‘things-to-do’ in TripAdvisor. This organization is a group of adventure-seeking & easy-going Taiwanese locals who want to meet people & show their beautiful city to visitors. They offer various walking tours & activities, depending on your interest.

Pub Crawl group! Thanks to Rona for the photo. 🤳

My friends & I took their Saturday night pub crawl activity. For only NTD 700, we had different kinds of drinks (Taiwanese beer, gauliang & the 81-shot roulette) in 3 different bars. We also met a bunch of amazing people whom we spent the night (& early morning until around 3:30 am) with. The pub crawl fee also includes a free entry to Triangle, a bar / club in Zhongshan District. It was a fun fun night!

Check out the TourMeAway website for all available tours during your trip to Taipei. You’ll definitely enjoy it!

*We went home from the Pub Crawl minutes before 4:00 am & decided to stay in the hostel common area until around 5:00 in the morning. We were so tired we woke up super late that morning. We were supposed to go to Yehliu Geopark; but we thought sleep was far more important that those rock formations. I promise to go back to Taiwan for the Yehliu Geopark day trip!

Trip Agenda

One of the reasons why I flew to Taipei was to try my luck in buying the new HTC U11 smartphone. I’ve been an HTC user for some years now & it’s been a while since I changed my phone. I thought the HTC U11 will be a great upgrade from the HTC One M8.

My new phone!!!! 📱😍

I bought my new phone in the HTC store in Guanghua Digital Plaza. The 6 GB RAM x 128 GB Blue variant cost me NTD 21,990 or ₱36,856.85 (amount reflected in my credit card statement) minus ₱1,488.14 tax refund = ₱35,368.71. For a phone with such high end specs + super big memory, the price is super worth it.

Breakdown of Expenses

Curious how much I spent for this trip? Let’s have a look below (doesn’t include the phone). Note that we exchanged a few NTD here before we left. Exchange rate that time was NTD 1 = ₱1.85.

Note: We set a daily budget of NTD 1,000 for lunch & dinner plus transportation, possible entrance fees & beers. This daily budget was just right; we even had some extra dollars in our pockets at the end of each day.

Thoughts: Spending less than ₱15,000 for a 3-day overseas trip (airfare included) is such a great deal. We visited a number of beautiful places, stayed in a high-rated hostel, drank enough dose of alcohol, walked around while having a constant Wi-Fi connection for such a low cost. Taipei isn’t as expensive as you think. If given the chance, I would add a little more in the budget & stay for a few more days.

This basically sums up my recent Taipei trip. It was nice to go back & explore this beautiful city for the 2nd time. I’ve been to the city both during summer or ‘almost’ summer; so for the next trip, I want to check it out during winter season. I wonder when would that be?

Have you been to Taipei recently? What do you think of the city? Were there other places I need to put in my list when I go back for the 3rd time? Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Curious how I book these super duper low fare tickets? I’ve just shared by secret. Head over to this post (and this post too) to know more.

PS. Most of the photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

Going Solo in Japan Series: FUKUOKA

After spending 3 days in Nagoya, 2 days in Hiroshima, 5 days in Kyoto & Osaka (including 2 separate day tours in Nara & Kobe), I took a 9.5-hour overnight bus ride to Fukuoka Prefecture’s capital city, Fukuoka.

Fukuoka is Kyushu Island’s most famous & populated city. This port city is Japan’s gateway & also the closest hub to mainland Asia. Just like any other Japanese city, it is characterized by developed infrastructure, modern transportation system & helpful & accommodating people. The city is also famous for beautiful cherry blossom sightings every spring season.

Beautiful sunny day in Ōhori Park 😍

I didn’t know about Fukuoka until I was searching for an affordable flight back to Manila. The city is not as famous as Tokyo & Osaka in the Philippine tourism market, but it’s definitely starting to gain attention in the past months. I spent the last 3 days of my 13-day Japan journey here. I will give more details below of how my stay went.

Trivia: Fukuoka is the birth place of tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. It is also where my favorite Ichiran Ramen originated.

Accommodation

Just like my previous hostels for this trip, I stayed in Hana Hostel Group‘s local branch, Fukuoka Hana Hostel. The hostel is centrally located within the Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade. It is a 2-3 minute walk to the famous Canal City, 5 minutes walk to Nakasu-Kawabata subway station & about 15 minutes walk to Tenjin’s shopping area. The airport is 4 stops away (about 10 minutes ride) from the nearest subway station. Fukuoka’s main train station, JR Hakata Station, is 1 train stop away or about 15 minutes walk.

I stayed in a 3-bed male dormitory room with private shower & en-suite. Just like any other Hana Hostel branch, each bed includes its own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains, curtains (for privacy), universal plug & a storage box (plus free Wi-Fi). I paid ¥2,800 per night (¥5,600 for 2 nights). It’s one of the cheapest rates I’ve seen during my stay. For those who do not want to stay in a dormitory room, they also have private rooms with affordable rates.

The staff were super nice & accommodating. They speak good English & they are always ready to help. The hostel stored my luggage before check in & after check out for free. It also has a spacious common area on the ground floor where you can meet other travelers. It also has a kitchen where guests can prepare their own food. I will definitely stay here again when I go back to Fukuoka.

Torii gates in Kushida Shrine grounds 😍

Tip: Fukuoka Hana Hostel accepts bookings up to 3 months before your desired stay. Make sure to book early as they as usually fully booked.

Going Around Fukuoka

Going around the city is easy. The subway system is not as confusing as that of Tokyo’s & Osaka’s. Fukuoka has only 3 subway lines – Kuko Line, Nanakuma Line & Hakozaki Line. Kuko Line is the main city line which starts in Fukuoka Airport Station, passes by Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata, Tenjin, Ohorikoen, Nishijin up to Meinohama Station. Nanakuma Line starts in Tenjin-Minami Station & services up to Hashimoto Station while Hakozaki Station starts in Nakasu-Kawabata Station & ends in Kaizouka.

Saw this amazing view when I stepped out of Daizafu Station 😍

The city also has JR Lines connected to these subway stations making it possible to connect to nearby cities & towns. By the way, these subway & JR lines also accept IC cards. You can also go around the city by bus (one thing I didn’t try because I’m fond of subways).

Places to visit in Fukuoka

Fukuoka may not have a long list of places to visit but it definitely has some unique places to see. Let me tell you which places I went to in my short 3-day stay.

Ōhori Park

Ōhori Park’s famous pavilion in the middle of the lake

Locally known as Ōhori-kōen, Ōhori Park is Fukuoka’s most famous park located in the center of the city. It features a large pond with a walking path around it & in the middle. The park is an ideal place for strolling, jogging & relaxing. Entrance to the park is free.

You can also find Fukuoka Art Museum a meters walk from Ōhori Park. However, the museum is closed for renovation & won’t be open until March 2019. Later I found out that the Fukuoka Castle Ruins / Maizuru Park were only a few meters away from the park. Unfortunately, I missed out visiting this place.

Access: Ohorikoen Station

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome from the outside

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome is the home of the locally famous Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball team. The stadium can accommodate close to 40,000 spectators & is the world’s largest geodesic dome. It is also one of the popular places where local & international artists hold their concerts.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Momochihama Seaside Park

This is a 1 kilometer stretch of man-made beach in the Seaside Momochi Waterfront. It is located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. The beach was empty when I went there because it was almost winter & it’s too cold for people to swim.

Empty Momochi Beach on a cold but sunny autumn (almost winter) day

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Fukuoka Tower

View of Fukuoka Tower from the Seaside Momochi Waterfront 🗼

Fukuoka Tower is the city’s tallest building, also Japan’s tallest seaside building. It stands 234 m high & is located by the Momochihama Beach. Entrance to the building’s observatory costs ¥800. They offer 20% discount to foreigners who will show their passports.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Robosquare

Robosqaure is robot showroom located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. It is a place where you can interact & play with robots. I met a few interesting robots acts like humans. I also met a very cute dog robot who knows how to react for every hand gesture you make. There is also a shop where you can purchase & take home these robots.

One of the many robots you can play with in Robosquare 🤖

The showroom is located in the 2nd floor of the TV Nishi Nippon Building. Admission is free. As someone from the Philippines, I really enjoyed interacting / playing with the robots. It’s a must visit for kids & kids-at-heart.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Tenjin

Dubbed as Fukuoka’s downtown, Tenjin is the city’s shopping, dining & entertainment hub. This is the place to go to if you want to shop for new clothes, dine in fancy restaurants, drink in bars & party in clubs.

Bake Cheese Tart is a must-try! 😋

Aside from the upscale department stores & shopping malls, it also has an underground shopping area which connects 2 subway stations & various buildings. This place is called Tenjin Chikagai. I think this underground shopping strip is a must-see place in Fukuoka. This is also where I found Bake Cheese Tart, the famous cheese tart chain that originated in Hokkaido.

Access: Tenjin & Tenjin-Minami Stations

Canal City – Hakata

A not-so-busy street of Fukuoka on my way to Canal City

Canal City is a large shopping & entertainment complex in Hakata. Characterized by more than 200 shops & restaurants, the 5 storey structure has a canal running through the complex premises. It also has 2 hotels in it.

What I found interesting in this shopping complex is Ramen Stadium on its fifth floor. This place has more or less 8 ramen restaurants coming from different places in Japan. If you’re a person who’s into ramen, then you should visit Canal City, particularly the ramen stadium.

Access: 10 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata Station & 15 minutes walk from Hakata Station

Yatai

Yatai is a small mobile food stall found in random streets in Japan. These stalls are set up late afternoon / early evening & are packed up usually after midnight. These mobile restaurants serve almost all kinds of food – from ramen, to hotpots & grilled skewers. They also serve sake & alcholic drinks.

Post-drink snack in a yatai with YS, a friend I met in the hostel 🍢

These stalls are scattered all over Fukuoka, but you can find most of them in Nakasu Area. I went to one of these stalls with YS, the friend I met in the hostel for almost midnight snack. The food we had was really good!

Tōchō-ji Temple

Beautiful colors outside Tōchō-ji Temple🍂

The Tōchō-ji Temple is one of the central attractions in Hakata, Fukuoka. It is the Buddhist temple that houses the great statue called Fukuoka Daibutsu. This 10 m sitting Buddha wooden statue was carved for a few years.

Cameras were not allowed inside the hall so I was not able to take a photo of it. The status was really huge; it’s definitely a must-see when in Hakata & Fukuoka.

Access: 2 minutes walk from Gion Station

Kushida Shrine

Fukuoka’s famous Kushida Shrine ⛩️

Kushida Shrine is a Shinto Shrine located in Hakata Ward. Every July, a big festival called Hakata Gion Yamakasa, is celebrated. All the events & activities held at the festival is centered on this shrine.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata & Gion Stations

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine

Entrance to the main shrine ⛩️

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, an important figure during the Heian Period. The shrine was built over Michizane’s grave. There are other structures & places located in the area; that includes the Dazaifu Tenman-gū Museum, Kanko Historical Museum & the Kyushu National Museum.

Entrance to the shrine grounds is free; but the museums charge a few yens.

Crowded Dazaifu Tenman-gū main shrine ⛩️

Access: From Tenjin Station, take the Nishitetsu-Tenjin-Omuta Line train towards Nishitetsu-Yanagawa. Get off at Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station & transfer to the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line towards Dazaifu. From Dazaifu Station, head right. Follow the crowd & walk for 5-7 minutes to the shrine.

Aaannd this concludes the Going Solo in Japan Series. It’s definitely a trip for the books – solo travelling at its finest. If you haven’t read the previous blogs in this series, just check the following posts: Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kyoto & Osaka & Nara & Kobe. I also blogged about how I managed to overcome the ₱50,000 x 13 days & 7 cities challenge for this trip. Flying to Japan soon? I’ve also blogged about my previous trip to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka & I made a 4-step guide on how to apply for your Japan tourist visa.

One last photo about Fukuoka! Empty Momochi beach 🏖️ 

Japan will always be one of my favorite countries. I have visited the country for 2 years in a row & I am looking forward to my third, fourth & upcoming visits. It’s a country I won’t get tired of coming back. 💗

Is there something you want to know more about Fukuoka or anything you want to ask about the places mentioned above? Is there topic / content you want to see in this blog in the future? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re & HTC One M8.

Going Solo in Japan Series: KYOTO & OSAKA

KYOTO

After spending 3 days in Nagoya & 2 days in Hiroshima, it’s time to move to the next city – Kyoto. I already visited Kyoto with my high school friends in 2015 but the city is so beautiful I didn’t mind going back.

I took a 7-hour Willer Express night bus ride from Hiroshima to Kyoto. I arrived Kyoto around 6:45 am the following day & I immediately walked to the hostel to leave my things & freshen up.

It was also in Kyoto where I met my good friend & colleague Rona who has been going around Osaka while I was in Hiroshima. We decided to meet & go around in Kyoto & Osaka for 3 days before she heads up to Tokyo & meet another set of friends.

With my Kyoto-Osaka buddy & good friend Rona

Accommodation

I loved my previous stay in Backpacker K’s House Kyoto I decided to stay there again for this trip. Rona & I decided to stay in a mixed dormitory room to cut down expenses & also to meet & talk to other travelers. Each night stay in a 6-bed dormitory room costs ¥2,900. Not bad, right?

The hostel’s 2nd floor common bathroom

I really like this hostel. The staff were so nice they allowed me to use the shower & toilet even before check in; they also allowed me to use the common lounge area while waiting for Rona. They also kept our luggage while we walked around the city (check-in time was 3:00 pm).

Backpacker K’s House Kyoto Communal Lounge & Dining Area

Also, this time we had some spare time to meet & hang out with the other hostel guests in the on site bar. We even met a group of Filipino guys who are now based in Brisbane, Australia. What a small world!

Places We Visited

Just like the 2015 Japan trip, we only spent 1.5 days in Kyoto. Given the limited time, Rona & I only chose the places to visit. We went to the following places:

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest – what a beautiful view! 😍

A trip to Kyoto will never be complete without a visit to the bamboo forest. Just like last year’s itinerary, this beautiful place came first. We wanted to make it different by taking the Sagano Scenic Railway trip but all the seats were sold out. Oh well, another reason to go back to Kyoto. (No entrance fee)

Access: From JR Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano line to JR Saga Arashiyama Station & walk for 10-minutes to the bamboo forest. You can also visit the nearby Tenryū-ji, a Zen temple located beside the bamboo forest.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Kyoto’s most beautiful temple 😍

As mentioned in my past Kyoto blog, this Golden Pavilion Temple is the most famous & the most beautiful temple in Kyoto. The autumn colors of the leaves added beauty to the temple surroundings. (Entrance fee: ¥400 per person)

Access: From the bamboo forest, walk to the Randen station of the Keifuku Randen Tram Line. Take the local tram to Kitano Hakubaicho station & walk up for 10 to 15 minutes to Kinkaku-ji. If you still have more time, you can get off Omuri-Ninnaji Station & check out the temples (Ninna-ji, Myōshin-ji & Ryōan-ji) on the way to Kinkaku-ji. Note that you need to board different buses in between these temples; make sure to avail the 1-day bus pass for this.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The 3 storey pagoda before upon entering the Kiyomizu-dera Temple grounds

After going back to JR Kyoto Station, we hopped on to Bus 206 to go to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This Japanese Buddhist temple is located in the hills east of Kyoto. Famous for its autumn & spring sightings, the temple grounds provide beautiful sunset & city view. This temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Tip: The temple grounds tend to get busy during sunset. Make sure to go there early if you want to secure a good spot while watching the sunset.

Gion

After waiting for the sunset in Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Rona & I decided to walk 15 minutes down to Gion area. Our main purpose here was to hunt for geishas. We went back to same street & geisha house we went to in 2015 & luckily we saw a handful of them. Mission accomplished!

Nearest train station: Gion-Shijō Station of the Keihan Main Line

Fushimi Inari Taisha

The iconic torii gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha

The following morning, Rona & I went to Fushimi Inari Taisha. This shrine is famous for its torii gates up to the top of Mount Inari. Again, we did not bother going up to the top of the mountain due to limited time. (No entrance fee)

One of the small shrines in Fushimi Inari Taisha

Nearest train station: Inari Station of the JR Nara Line

Tōfuku-ji Temple

Located 10 minutes by foot from Fushimi Inari Taisha is Tōfuku-ji Temple. This Buddhist Zen temple is famous for its spring & autumn colors. This temple is also dubbed as one of the great five Zen temples of Kyoto.

One of the smaller halls in Tokufu-ji Temple (forgot the name, sorry!)

Nearest train station: Tōfukuji Station of the JR Nara Line | From Fushimi Inari Taisha, turn right & walk for about 10 minutes to reach Tōfuku-ji Temple.

Tip: Make sure to check out the garden near the Tsutenkyo Bridge. It’s at its best during autumn. (Entrance fee: ¥400)

OSAKA

After our brief stay in Kyoto, Rona & I took the 29-minute train ride to Osaka. Yes, it’s my 2nd time in Osaka. Since I’ve been to this city before, I decided to just walk around & relax a bit. I needed to take my time because the past few days were really tiring.

With Rona in Mikkabozu Kamoshi, a known local ramen joint in Osaka

Accommodation

Due to Majo’s last minute decision to join the 2015 Japan trip, my friends & I ran out of accommodation choices. We stayed in an Airbnb flat somewhere in Namba area. For this trip, I decided to book early & stay in what was supposed to be our 2015 Osaka accommodation – the Osaka Hana Hostel. Yes, it is also part of the Hana Hostel / J-Hoppers Hostel Group. [Update – Osaka Hana Hostel has ceased operations.]

The hostel is located in the Chūō Ward, a few minutes walk from the Shinsabashi shopping street. The nearest subway exit is Exit 7 of Shinsaibashi Station. I spent 3 nights here & decided to stay in a 6-bed male dormitory room.

Slept in this bed for 3 nights in Osaka Hana Hostel

Just like any other Hana Hostel branch, each bed includes its own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains, curtains (for privacy), universal plug & a storage box beside the bed. Toilets & bathrooms are shared by guests per floor. I paid ¥3,100 per night (¥9,300 for 3 nights) because it was peak season. It’s still affordable in an expensive city like Osaka.

The hostel people were one of the nicest people I met on my trip (shout out to Kazzy!). They helped us in all of our questions; they even recommended good places to visit & eat. The hostel has a spacious kitchen, lounge & dining facilities on the 2nd floor & 5th floor – a good place to meet & hang out with other guests.

Osaka Hana Hostel’s 2nd floor communal dining, kitchen & lounge area

Osaka Hana Hostel is definitely a good accommodation choice in Osaka. It has the most affordable rates per bed or room, the most convenient location, the nicest staff & the best facilities you can have in a hostel.

Tip: The hostel staff will give you a coupon for the sake bar in the first floor. Make sure to try the different flavors of sake + alcoholic drinks. Good stuff.

Places to Visit / Things to Do

Since I’ve been to Osaka the past year, I sort-of took advantage of my 4 days there. Aside from taking day trips to Nara & Kobe, I just stayed in the Chūō area.

Dōtonbori

Always a busy night in Dōtonbori

Dōtonbori is one of the busiest tourist destinations in Osaka. It is the home of the famous Glico Man signage & the Dōtonbori canal. It is also the home of famous takoyaki shops, ramen places (like Ichiran!) & Don Quixote.

Dōtonbori canal at night.

Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street

Shinsaibashi is Osaka’s largest shopping district. Home to different specialty stores & brands, tourists flock this area almost every day. The perfect time to walk around the shopping street is during lunch time where there are less people. Make sure to go to check out the big GU store in the middle of the shopping arcade.

Hozenji Yokocho Alley

Located behind the Hozenji Yokocho Temple is an alley of local bars, izakaya & restaurants. I walked along the alley to just see what’s in there. Looks like the bars, izakaya & restaurants offer authentic Japanese meal experience. I would love to go back & try some restaurants there. The alleys gets a bit busy during night time, so make sure to go there around 6:00 in the evening.

Tip: All these places are located a few minutes walk from Midōsuji Line’s Shinsaibashi Station Exits 5 & 6.

Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden

View of Osaka from the 39th floor of the Floating Garden Observatory

The floating garden observatory is located in the 39th, 40th & the rooftop floor of the Umeda Sky Building. The observatory is the ‘bridge’ that connects the 2 sky buildings. It offers a 360-degree view of Osaka.

The best time to go is during night time where you can see the beautiful city lights of Osaka. Note that it can also be really crowded during night time; but that is only before the elevator access. Entrance to the observatory costs ¥1,000 per person. You can stay as long as you want to.

Tip: We got our tickets from the hostel at a discounted price of ¥900. Ask your hostel / hotel; they might have discounted tickets too. Also, the Willer Express Bus Terminal is located in the 1st floor of the east tower.

Access: Get off at Osaka Station & walk for about 7 to 10 minutes to the Umeda Sky Building grounds.

Ichiran

The. Hype. Is. Real. The. Hype. Is. Real.

Ichiran is definitely a must try when are in Japan. The ramen chain originated in Fukuoka, the birth place of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen. Ichiran ramen is probably the best ramen I’ve ever tried – rich & creamy pork bone broth, perfectly cooked noodles, tender pork slices & red pepper sauce all in one bowl. It was really good I ordered another serving (yes, you can do that) of noodles. I went to their Dōtonbori branch twice – one for dinner with Rona & the other one for brunch.

Ichiran is the place to be! 😋

Tip: Plan out what time you’ll visit this ramen chain. People usually line up outside & wait for their turn. If you’re staying nearby, then you won’t have any problem because they are open 24/7.

Pablo

Pablo signage you’ll see outside the Shinsaibashi shopping street store

Pablo is known for the freshly baked cheese tarts. People line up in their Shinsaibashi branch just to buy boxes & pieces of these heavenly cheese tarts. I believe it is also something worth trying when in Osaka.

Oh Pablo cheese tart, why so good?

The Pablo branch here in Manila has mixed reviews; if you want to know the real taste of the cheese tarts, make sure to head to their Japan stores. I’ve also tried another famous cheese tart store in Japan named Bake (tried it in Fukuoka because the Osaka branch is far from where I stayed). I believe Bake’s has better crust, but Pablo’s filling is a stand out. Both cheese tart shops are worth the try.

Pasalubong shopping in Don Quixote & Daiso

Pasalubong shopping is always part of the itinerary when a Filipino is out of the country. The perfect places to buy goodies & treats in Osaka are Don Quixote & Daiso – located both in Dōtonbori / Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade. Both stores have everything you need – from chocolates, to noodles, clothes, accessories & even house stuff.

Some of the Kitkat chocolates you’ll get in Don Quixote 😋

Don Quixote offers tax-free shopping for purchases more than ¥5,000 provided you have your foreign passport with you. Daiso on the other hand is famous for their ¥100 (+ tax = ¥108) goodies. Your ¥10,000 will have a long way to go in both shops. Make sure to head over these stores before going home to the Philippines, okay?

The Kyoto & Osaka leg of this trip had almost the same itinerary as that of last year’s with some additional sightings like the Kiyomizu-dera & Tōfuku-ji Temple in Kyoto & the Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden in Osaka. It was mentioned above that I did 2 separate day trips from Osaka – one day in Nara & another day in Kobe. Those 2 cities will actually be the topic of the next part of the Going Solo in Japan Series. Stay tuned!

The beautiful autumn colors of trees in Tokufu-ji Temple 😍

Make sure to also check how I conquered the <₱50,000 challenge in going around 7 Japan cities for 13 days. Click here to know more. If you are planning to apply for a Japan tourist visa soon, I also posted a blog about the 4 easy steps in applying for it.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 & have a nice day! 😃

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re & HTC One M8.

Going Solo in Japan Series: NAGOYA

Three weeks ago, I shared to you how I conquered the ₱50,000 x 13-day Japan trip challenge. I went around 7 different cities in the southern part of Japan. I mentioned there that I will blog about the 7 cities I visited in 4 different posts. So yeah, here’s the first one!

European vibe in Noritake Garden

The first 3 days & 2 nights of the trip were spent exploring the beautiful & laid-back city of Nagoya. Nagoya is the capital of the Aichi Prefecture & is also one of Japan’s famous port cities. People normally skip this city because they say there isn’t much to see compared to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka; but I am here to debunk that notion. This city has some of the most beautiful gardens I’ve been to in my whole trip. Let me elaborate below on where I stayed & what I did in my short stay in Nagoya.

Meijō Park near Nagoya Castle grounds

Accommodation

It’s not a secret that accommodation is one of the most expensive in all of Asia. Just like my previous Japan trip, I stayed in hostels. You still get a your private space (beds with curtains) in a room for 3-6 people at a very affordable rate. I stayed in 7-bed dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel in Nakamura Ward. It is a 5-10 minute walk from the JR Nagoya Station & also near to both Willer Express pick-up & drop off points. The hostel is also located near different convenience stores & local restaurants. You won’t have any problem looking for food in the middle of the night. 😉

My dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel

The hostel staff were really nice & helpful. I remember one of the staff told me he loved the Philippines when he visited a few years back. He also wants to fly back soon & explore more places / provinces. The hostel has an on-site bar & restaurant in the ground floor where you can meet & interact with local people & tourists. It also has a communal dining & lounge area in the 3rd floor exclusively for the guests. The property also offers free Wi-Fi to all guests. If you ever plan to go to Nagoya, I recommend that you stay in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel. The hostel also has private rooms for those who do not want to stay in dormitory rooms.

Transportation

Going around Nagoya is not difficult. The city has numerous JR & local subway lines that take you to almost all tourist attractions. Transfers between train stations & lines are convenient & tourist-friendly.

I didn’t get the Japan Rail Pass or the 1-day tourist pass during my stay; I only re-used my IC card from last year’s trip. I added credit & used it in every train ride. I also used this IC card in convenience stores, fast food restaurants & other shops.

Places Visited in Nagoya

Atsuta Jingu

Atsuta Jingu entrance

Atsuta Jingu is one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines in all of Japan. This is somewhat similar to Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine. Each entrance to the shrine grounds has a torii gate. I went there on a Sunday & there were many Japanese families spending some quality time in the shrine grounds. Anyway, the shrine can be reached by a 5-minute walk from Meitetsu Nagoya Line’s Jingumae Station or Meijo Line’s Jingunishi Station. (No entrance fee)

Shirotori Garden

Shirotori Garden is a traditional Japanese garden with pathways around ponds & streams. This garden is also home to different events & fairs. Luckily, there was an organic food fair the day of my visit. The garden can be reached by a 5-minute walk from the Atsuta Jingu Shrine. (Entrance fee: ¥300)

Beautiful morning in Shirotori Garden

Noritake Garden

Noritake is one of the world’s leading tableware brand that originated in Nagoya in the 1900s. Noritake Garden was built in the former production grounds of the company. It has a craft center where you can see & experience how these wares are being done. There is also a museum which houses the exceptional crafts of Noritake through the years.

Inside Noritake Garden

The garden & recreation area provides a European vibe making you think if you are really in Japan. This is one of my favorite places in Nagoya; I will definitely visit again when I go back. (Entrance fee: Garden grounds: free | Craft center: ¥500)

Peaceful yet beautiful walkways around Noritake Garden

Osu Kannon Temple & Osu Shopping Street

Osu Kannon Temple is Nagoya’s most famous Buddhist temple. The temple’s center of attraction is the wooden status of Kannon, the Japanese goddess of mercy & pets. I went to the temple grounds during night time I wasn’t able to get a decent photo of it. (No entrance fee)

Beside the temple is the Osu Shopping Street. Compared to Tokyo’s Akihabara District, it has hundreds of shops specializing in electronics, anime, cosplay & Japanese goods. This shopping street is a good place for buying souvenirs . (No entrance fee)

Osu Shopping Arcade at night

The Osu Kannon Temple & Shopping Street can be found a few steps from Tsurumai Subway Line’s Osu Kannon Station. Alternatively, you can go down at Kamimaezu Station, a common station of Tsurumai & Meijo subway lines.

Sakae Ward

Afternoon stroll at Nagoya Central Park

Sakae is Nagoya’s downtown district. Department stores, specialty stores & restaurants are all located in this area. The local party scene can also be found here. It is also in this area where you will find 2 iconic Nagoya landmarks – the Oasis 21 & Nagoya TV Tower plus their own version of Central Park.

The futuristic Oasis 21 in Sakae Ward

Nagoya TV Tower from the Central Park

This area can be accessed by going down at Sakae Station or by a 20-30 minute walk from JR Nagoya Station.

Meijō Park

Don’t get me wrong, my initial plan was to go & see the Nagoya Castle. When I walking at towards the entrance, I saw a park full of red, orange & yellow leaves. Since I already know how Japanese castles look like (from my visit in Osaka Castle in 2015), I opted to just go to the nearby Meijō Park. Autumn was definitely at its peak when I went there. I enjoyed walking around, sitting on different wooden benches, observing people & thinking about random stuff. I tell you, it was the best decision I made that day.

The Meijō Park can be found a few meters walk from Meijō Kōen Station (nearest) or Shiyakusho Station (other station; this one is near Nagoya Castle). (No entrance fee)

Best decision I made that day – skip Nagoya Castle & walk around Meijō Park 😍

You might notice I didn’t go to so many places in Nagoya. Um… Yes. To be honest, I wanted the itinerary to be as flexible as possible. I didn’t plan on where to go or what to do; I only asked a few suggestions from the hostel staff & people I met plus check some online sites. I took my time in exploring & enjoyed every single minute I spent in these places.

Also, I missed a number of notable places in Nagoya like the Tokugawa Garden, Nagashima Spa Land, Nabana no Sato Flower Park, Toyota Automobile Museum & Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture.

3 days (or strictly speaking 2 full days) are not enough to explore the beautiful city of Nagoya. The city has so much to offer I want to go back there soon!

It was also announced last year that Legoland Japan will open a theme park in Nagoya. It will be the 8th in the world & the first in East Asia. Legoland Japan is expected to open to the public next month, 1 April 2017. Another park to add in the list for my next visit!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.