After staying at Galleria Midobaru the night before, we checked out and spent a full day sightseeing around Beppu. We had already explored the Beppu Hells, and on this day we visited three more attractions: Beppu Tower, Jigoku Mushi steam cooking in Kannawa, and Global Tower. We were able to travel between them by local bus, so the transportation costs were reasonable and we did not need to rent a car. The photo above shows the hand bath at Beppu Station. ▶Find hotels near Beppu Onsen on Rakuten Travel Leave Your Suitcase at Beppu Station Before Sightseeing Galleria Midobaru is located on a hillside and is some distance from Beppu Station, so we first took a taxi to the station. Beppu Station has coin lockers large enough to store bigger suitcases, which was very convenient for sightseeing. Payment by IC card was also available when we visited. If you want to explore Beppu without carrying your luggage, leaving your suitcase at Beppu Station is a good option. At the time of our visit, a large locker cost ¥800. ※Locker prices and payment methods may change. Beppu Tower｜Panoramic Views over Beppu City and Beppu Bay Our first sightseeing stop was Beppu Tower. I had previously visited Tsutenkaku in Osaka and enjoyed seeing how observation towers reflect the character of each city, so I was curious about Beppu Tower too. Beppu Tower opened in 1957. The tower is approximately 100 meters high, and the observation area offers 360-degree views of Beppu city and Beppu Bay. ...
During our trip to Beppu in Oita, we stayed one night at Galleria Midobaru. Located on a hillside above Beppu, the hotel offers private in-room onsen baths in every guest room and a distinctive atmosphere filled with art and design. The stylish interior almost made us feel as if we were staying at a design hotel overseas rather than in Japan. Galleria Midobaru also received a Good Design Award in 2021. During our stay, the atmosphere felt quiet and sophisticated, making it a great choice for travelers looking for a relaxing and special hotel stay in Beppu. ＼Check rates and availability／ Art-Filled Entrance and Bar Lounge Artworks are displayed throughout the hotel, and optional tours are available for guests who want to explore the pieces in more detail. The high ceilings and contemporary design give the entrance an atmosphere almost like a modern art museum. Even the hallway leading to the guest rooms feels carefully designed. The interior uses warm brown tones, creating a calm and stylish atmosphere. At moments, it hardly felt like we were in Beppu. The bar lounge also has a sophisticated design with artwork displayed throughout the space. Guests can enjoy alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic options, and welcome drinks here. The menu includes non-alcoholic drinks, beverages made with kabosu citrus, a specialty of Oita, and local sake from Oita. This moon-like light installation at the entrance looked especially beautiful after dark, so I had to take a photo. Guest Room and Private In-Room Onsen Next, let’s take a look at ...
Our Oita trip continued with a short train ride from Oita Station to Beppu. It takes only about 15 minutes by train from Oita Station to Beppu Station. From there, we used local buses to visit Okamotoya Shop for its famous Jigoku Mushi Pudding and several stops on the Beppu Hells Tour, or Jigoku Meguri. Beppu has a useful local bus network, so you can enjoy many of the major sightseeing spots without renting a car. This is especially convenient if you do not drive in Japan or simply prefer not to worry about parking and navigation. ▶Find hotels near the Beppu Hells on Rakuten Travel ▶Check Beppu Hells admission tickets on KKday Jigoku Mushi Pudding at the Famous Okamotoya Shop in Beppu Our first stop was Okamotoya Shop near the entrance to Myoban Onsen in Beppu. The shop has a nostalgic atmosphere and is well known in Beppu, with many visitors sharing it on YouTube and Instagram. Outside the shop, we found a traditional geothermal steam cooking area. There were warnings not to touch the steamers or cooking equipment because of the extremely high temperature. Even standing nearby, we could immediately feel the intense heat. It really gives you a sense of Beppu’s geothermal energy. We ordered the shop’s famous Jigoku Mushi Pudding. At the time of our visit, one pudding cost ¥440. The caramel had a slightly bitter roasted flavor, while the custard had a rich egg taste. The texture was firmer than many modern puddings, reminding me of a classic Japanese retro ...
Hot spring trips are especially popular among mature travelers in Japan, and Oita Prefecture is one of the country’s best-known onsen destinations. So this time, we traveled to Oita and began our trip with an ANA flight from Tokyo. In this article, we share our firsthand experience flying from Haneda Airport to Oita Airport, exploring the adorable OITA HELLO KITTY AIRPORT, and taking the unique hovercraft from Oita Airport to the city. Flying ANA from Haneda Airport to Oita For our outbound flight, we flew with ANA from Haneda Airport to Oita Airport. When I originally booked the flight, I was not able to get my preferred seat. So before departure, I checked the ANA app again to see whether any better seats had become available. A cancellation had opened up a seat with an empty seat next to it, so I changed my reservation. Seats can open up shortly before departure, so if you do not get the seat you want at first, it can be worth checking again later. For solo travelers, having an empty seat next to you can make a big difference in comfort. Some exit-row seats also offer extra legroom, although eligibility and seating conditions apply. ANA’s Consommé Soup During the Flight The flight to Oita takes only around 1 hour and 40 minutes, so we bought some fruit and rice balls before boarding and ate them during the flight. For the drink service, I chose ANA’s popular consommé soup. It is one of those small things I ...
After our morning activity,we returned to our hotel to change clothes and then walked to Patong Beach. It took us around eight minutes on foot from the Royal Paradise Hotel. The sea looked beautiful, and plenty of people were relaxing under beach umbrellas. In this article, I’ll share our walk around Patong Beach and the lunch we had afterwards at Savoey Seafood, where we tried their popular crab curry. I’m also sharing the actual receipt for our lunch for three people. Patong Beach Was Full of People Relaxing by the Sea Spending a lazy day doing absolutely nothing at Patong Beach looked pretty tempting. Next time, I would like to come back without planning anything at all. Before our trip, I had read comments saying that Patong Beach was not especially beautiful, but when we visited, the sand looked white and the beach looked quite pretty to us. The sun was very strong, so sunglasses, a UV-protection cardigan or a rash guard can be useful. It became far too hot to keep walking around comfortably and the sun was intense. At that point, we decided we needed to escape somewhere. We were hungry too, so we headed to the nearby Savoey Seafood. Savoey Seafood and Its Popular Thai Crab Curry Savoey Seafood is a long-established seafood restaurant in Patong. One of its popular dishes is Pu Pad Pong Curry, Thai-style crab stir-fried with yellow curry sauce and egg. We had gone inside partly to escape the heat, but... the restaurant was open-air and did not have air ...
While staying at The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa, we skipped the hotel breakfast one morning and ate at the nearby Number 6 Restaurant instead. This popular little place can have a queue in the evening. We tried to go at night, but the line was too long to get in quickly, so we came back for breakfast. That turned out to be a great choice! Breakfast at Number 6: Tasty Thai Food in Patong Number 6 is not a large restaurant. We were shown to seats by the road. Customers were arriving throughout the morning, but it was much less crowded than when we had tried to visit at night. Based on our visit, breakfast was a good time to go! Wide, Wobbly Sen Yai Noodles—So Good! I chose a dish made with sen yai, wide, chewy rice noodles. You could choose the noodle width. I forgot to photograph the menu, so I can no longer tell you the exact name of my dish—oops! These noodles were much wider than the ones I usually see in Japan. One bite and I was delighted by their wonderfully soft, wobbly texture and savoury flavour! There were plenty of vegetables and prawns. The broth was a little thick, with just the right amount of saltiness for breakfast. I want to eat this again in Japan!! A Lighter Rice Noodle Soup with Vegetables We also ordered another rice noodle soup, with noodles a little like those in pho. It had plenty of vegetables and chicken, and the lightly ...
For the second and third days of our Phuket trip, we stayed at The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa, a four-star hotel in the heart of Patong. With 350 rooms, a pool, a spa and dining with views over Patong and the Andaman Sea, this is a large hotel in a wonderfully convenient location. The shops, restaurants and lively streets of Patong are within walking distance. It felt like we could enjoy both a holiday atmosphere and the convenience of being right in town! We also met staff who spoke Japanese during our stay, which was reassuring for our group. Staff and available languages can change, so check with the hotel in advance if Japanese-language assistance is important to you. Here is our honest account of two nights in Patong, travelling with someone in her 60s. Our Triple Room and What We Paid We booked The Royal Paradise Hotel & Spa through Expedia. Room: Premier Triple Room with three single beds Price we paid: ¥49,868 per night for three people That was the price for our stay, not a current quote. Rates and room names may vary by date and booking site. When three people travel together, someone often ends up with an extra bed. Here, we each had a proper single bed! That was a big reason we chose this room. Our Room: Details We Appreciated When Travelling in Our 60s This is the approach to the hotel. The busy part of town was only about a three-minute walk away for us, making it ...
On the second day of our Phuket trip with a traveller in her 60s, we headed to the Phi Phi Islands! We visited famous spots including Maya Bay, and what a beautiful day it was! We booked our day tour through VELTRA. The tour included the Phi Phi Islands and Khai Island, with a speedboat ride, lunch, snorkelling and a choice of Japanese or English guide. Our driver picked us up from The Tint at Phuket Town at 7 a.m. The vehicle was clean and comfortable. The drive to the marina took about 40 minutes, with some morning traffic and rather long waits at traffic lights! Before You Book: What Travellers in Their 60s and 70s Should Check If you are considering a Phi Phi Islands speedboat tour, take a close look at the age, insurance and participation conditions before booking. Tour insurance and the age limit One line on the booking page caught my attention: travellers aged 71 and over are not covered by the insurance included with this tour. These islands are some distance from a hospital, and a speedboat can bounce quite hard over the waves. Reading the conditions made me realise that this is an outing worth planning carefully. This is an insurance condition for the tour we looked at, rather than a rule saying that everyone over 70 must stay away. If you are unsure whether the trip is suitable for you, check the current participation rules, insurance coverage and sea conditions with the operator before you book. Why I ...
On our first night in Phuket, we went to Raya Restaurant, a restaurant we had seen recommended in a YouTube video. It was also only about a four-minute walk from The Tint at Phuket Town, where we were staying, so the location was perfect. But of course, the important question was: How was the food? Here is everything we ate, how much it cost, and what we thought of one of Phuket Old Town’s well-known restaurants. What Is Raya Restaurant? A Historic Restaurant in Phuket Old Town Raya Restaurant is a long-established restaurant in Phuket Old Town. It opened in 1994 and is housed in a historic Sino-Portuguese-style building. The retro atmosphere gives the restaurant plenty of character. This is a place where you can try traditional Phuket cuisine (^^)/ Raya Restaurant has also been recognized by the Michelin Guide as a Bib Gourmand restaurant, a distinction given to restaurants offering good food at a reasonable price. Inside Raya Restaurant and How We Booked The interior was colorful and stylish too♪ I did not want to arrive and find the restaurant completely full, so we made a reservation in advance. You can make a reservation through the official Raya Restaurant website. If you are worried about getting a table, I recommend booking ahead. Lots of Menu Choices — Including Phuket Specialties Raya Restaurant has a large menu. There are also dishes that are especially associated with Phuket! You can check the menu on the official website before visiting too. What We Ate #1: Crab Curry ...
This is the next part of our walk around Phuket Town after having lunch at Mee Ton Poe. Read our Mee Ton Poe Phuket review Phuket may be best known for its beaches and resorts, but Phuket Old Town has a completely different charm. Colorful historic buildings, photogenic shops, fashion boutiques and stylish cafés line the streets, making it a fun area to explore on foot. In this article, we share our walk through Phuket Old Town, the colorful resort fashion and accessories we found, and our visit to the beautiful flower-filled Aungku Cafe. We stayed nearby at The Tint at Phuket Town, which made it easy to explore the area. Read our review of The Tint at Phuket Town Walking Through the Colorful Streets of Phuket Old Town Phuket Old Town is a historic district known for its distinctive architecture and colorful streets. Rows of pastel-colored buildings make the area feel almost like a storybook. The charming Sino-Portuguese-style architecture is one of the main reasons simply walking around the neighborhood is so enjoyable. This is the well-known clock tower in Phuket Town. There are plenty of photogenic spots around the area, so we found ourselves stopping again and again to take pictures. If you enjoy taking travel photos together, a selfie stick can be useful here. Colorful Fashion and Unique Shopping in Phuket Old Town One thing that really stood out to us was the amount of bright, colorful resort fashion. We found vivid dresses, beaded bags, sparkling accessories and plenty of fun tropical ...
