Hokkaido 18 - 24 Feb 2010

7D5N Womderful Hokkaido Package Tour with Dynasty Travel
18th - 24th Feb 2010
Tour pkg: S$9198 for 3A1C

Adult Twin @$2588
Adult Airport Tax @$178
Child Half Twin @$2538
Child Airport Tax @$162
Sum : $10998

Early Bird Discount (we booked in Nov)
-$450 X 4

Net Sum paid: $10988 - $450X4 ==> S$9198

Flight Details:
JL710 18FEB SGP - TOKYO NARITA @2320
JL521 19FEB TOKYO HANEDA - SAPPORO CHITOSE @1100
JL1162 24FEB HAKODATE - TOKYO HANEDA @1000
JL711 24FEB TOKYO NARITA - SGP @1755

Itinary & Accomodation:
Day2: Chitose - Asahikawa (Hotel Crescent Asahikawa)
Day3: Asahikawa - Furano - Sapporo (Hotel Korakusen)
Day4: Sapporo - Jozankei (Onsen resort Shikanoyu)
Day5: Jozankei - Noboribetsu - Jigokudani - Lake Toya (Onsen resort Toyako Manseikaku)
Day6: Lake Toya - Hokadate (Onsen resort Takubokutei)


Tips for tour guide (Henry) /Driver (Hana-san): 600yen per day per pax.
Hence==> 14400yen (S$230)

Day1: Sgp --> Tokyo
Haa cant believe, only the 4 of us, 3 adult, 1 kid, we got ourselves 4 check-in luggage + 2 hand luggages. I seriously think we could not get a single normal cab to ferry all of "us".
Thankfully, we have Uncle "Roti" to send us there with his Stream, not 1 way, but will be 2 way also.. hee.. how nice.. this type of fren, good fren!! LOL... Really appreciate his efforts.
The flight is 1140pm@ Terminal 1 with JAL, but we are "forced" to check-in by 930pm.. Haa..Coz Dynasty want us to visit their premium lounge at T2.. Haa...
Nice place indeed, quite a good spread of light snacks there.
But also there's the place where Rayden accidentally spilled a cup of hot milo onto my jeans.. Urrghh.. Gotta stay in the toilet, luckily it's nice, for ~15mins to clean myself up.
Our 8hrs flight to Narita Airport... Snooze...

Day2: Tokyo --> Chitose --> Asahikawa
Arrived at Narita Airport around 8am (+1hr). We are then directed to a coach to ferry us to the domestic airport, Haneda.
Our flight was suppose to be 1030am, hence we lingered at Starbucks and have our breakfast.
Check into the domestic flight at 10am+, who know due to the bad weather, the flight was delayed for about 2 hrs.
In the end we reach Chitose airport (Hokkaido), only at 2pm. And we are already starving!
Picked by our tour guide Henry (a Hongkie), off we proceed for our Shabu Shabu Steamboat.
Another fews hours ride to Asahikawa, check-in to our Hotel Crescent Asahikawa, then off we go for dinner (from own pocket).
We had our Ramen & Gyoza dinner, then shop over at that district. But, the cold was too unbearable for us, we headed back to the hotel to rest for the day.

Day3: Asahikawa --> Furano --> Sapporo
First stop of the day, to Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum, this place have a history of 330years of history, brewing the best sake in Japan.
I personally do not fancy sake, myself & Rayden are busying playing snow outside the Museum.
To the Asahiyama Zoo.. Once into the zoo, we are lead by Henry to line up to watch the penguins march. Wow, it's already almost full of people.
We managed to get a slot near the end of the queue. After around 20mins wait, the Penguins finally here.. wow, they are really adorable and huge.
This is the first time I get so close to the penguins.. hee... Rayden enjoyed too, and he was constantly playing with the snow while we were waiting for the march.
Eventually, he complained of coldness when the snow wet his shoes/gloves, the Ski gloves I bought for him, were a little too big, but it's already the smallest pair.
We stayed in zoo for around 2hrs, i think this is the shortest duration of zoo visiting. Haa...
Lunch at Furano... Where we suppose to see full spectrum of flowers during Summer..
As it's now Winter, we only get to see some Lavender in the greenhouse, and able to smell them..Hmm...soothing..
Had our Lavender Icecream too.. not bad..
Next, the most exciting part of our tour.. hee the Snowmobile! Hubby & me went for it, while FIL babysit our precious Rayden.. so glad to hv FIL around :P.
heee.. while waiting, Rayden threw tantrums, the shop keeper let Rayden have a feel of snowledge, as per my FIL..hee..
heee...the snowmobile was great deal of fun, we enjoyed so much..hee..
Dinner was Grill buffet, we ordered Kobe beef.. yummy! Grade A 10000yen, Grade A 7000yen.
Proceed to Odori Park after dinner, night time with wind blowing & snowing, Rayden cant take the coldness, I grabbed him n run back to the bus for shetler.
End of the day. This nite, we spent at Hotel Korakusen.

Day4: Sapporo --> Otaru --> Jozankei
First stop of the day, Nijo Fresh Seafood Market. This is where i got my scallops.... the big scallops for cooking porridge,4600 yen .. tidit scallops, 200 yen per pack.
Whereas the dried scallops is 4600 yen.
Then we proceeded to the Jinggu to pray for good health.A visit to the Ski olypmic, then to Asashi beer..Yummy Beer!
Next stop is the fairy tale like Ishiya Chocolate Factory. It's beautiful and their chocolate bisuits are yummy...White & Nice..
Then we proceed to another town, Oatru..it's muscial box & muiscal box & Musical boxes..Simply gogerous!
Had the famous yummy 5 layer icecream, but well, only had 10% of it.. I had a fall bcos of my slippery boots..
The famous Otaru canal, it reminds me of Swizz... abt the same view.
Then again our sahsimi lunch..we ordered the big crab, costing 21000yen, and sea urchins and scallops.. YUMMY!!
After the fulfilling lunch, head to our first onsen nite in Jonzankei, Onsen resort Shikanoyu).

Day5: Jonzankei --> Noboribetsu --> Jigokudani - Lake Toya
Date Jidai Mura.. The town of Edo period, it's a really beautiful place, old traditional houses you would see and the
folks dressed in tradition customue. Interesting..We get to catch a Ninja show & have our lunch there.. It's really an
beautiful sight, esp with the whole town covered in thick white snow.
After a full stomach, we proceed to the "Hell Valley"...A smelly place..coz of the sulphur..could see steam ooze out
from the mt here & there. Time for bear feeding at the Bear Ranch.. we could buy some apples or cookies to feed those big brown bears..
They are all waiting with mouths wide open.. Our last stop would be Lake Toya, it's freaking cold, the wind keep blowing at us non-stop.
But it was a beautiful sight, seeing the Lake Toya & Mt Toya.. Our onsen resort for the nite, Toyako Manseikaku is juz infront of Mt Toya.
We could get the scenery rite out from our window.. This is where I had my first dip too.. and Rayden's too, he went with his Daddy of coz.
But the water was too hot for him, he juz stay w Daddy while Daddy is having his hot dip.. hee...
It's refreshing, though was quite embarrassing to see naked bodies..


Day6: Lake Toya --> Hokadate
Today is the last nite of our trip.. To Hakodate morning market, then have our lunch there..Yummy..I had my sea urchin again.. i love it..hee
Admiring the day view of Hakodate from Goryoukaku Tower.. Well, been to too many towers.. haa dont really have much feelings.. but yup, it's nice.
Next to a old red brick warehouse, this have been restored to a chic waterfront dining & shopping area. The Hakodate Factory Akarenga.
In the evening, during sunset, we are board the cable car to ascend to Mount Hakodate. This is the chance for our to capture the spectacular nite view of
Hakodate city. Our nite ended at Onsen resort Takubokutei, hot spring again!

Day7: Hakodate --> Haneda --> Narita --> Sgp
The last day is all about travel by bus and by air....
Home Sweet Home to Sgp!