Itinerary Advice
Aug 26, 2009, 10:39 pm
#16
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
As others have said, you're bouncing around the map like crazy and will waste a lot of time backtracking. Visit the places you want to go to in order, Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Himeji -> Hiroshima, and then fly/train it back. Or, better yet, look into an open jaw so you can fly into NRT and out from KIX...
I'm with you. Sapporo in January on a honeymoon seems a bit strange. To each his own, I guess.
Aug 26, 2009, 11:24 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: MH Enrich, VS FC, HH Gold, PC, SPG Gold, Marco Polo Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,104
Hi All,
Thanks Guys. I will have a look at the pricing if I flew straight to CTS from HKG.
Also can I ask why is it strange to go to Sapporo in January on a honeymoon? Sorry I'm new to this, so I had to ask
The reason I wanted to go there was that I will not be returning to Japan for a long time due to commitments etc. So I thought may as well drop by if I had some spare time.
edit : Just checked one way fares they are very expensive. Looks like I may need to get a return HKG-NRT-HKG.... So I am just checking which route will be best for me to still visit sapporo...doing plenty of research!
Thanks,
K.
Thanks Guys. I will have a look at the pricing if I flew straight to CTS from HKG.
Also can I ask why is it strange to go to Sapporo in January on a honeymoon? Sorry I'm new to this, so I had to ask
The reason I wanted to go there was that I will not be returning to Japan for a long time due to commitments etc. So I thought may as well drop by if I had some spare time.
edit : Just checked one way fares they are very expensive. Looks like I may need to get a return HKG-NRT-HKG.... So I am just checking which route will be best for me to still visit sapporo...doing plenty of research!
Thanks,
K.
Last edited by k3nnis; Aug 26, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Aug 27, 2009, 1:15 am
#18
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,897
There are cheaper "charter" flights, leaving at awful hours in the middle of the night, that go HKG-HND-HKG. I think ANA has one daily roundtrip and JAL has one, so it isn't really a charter. Haneda is more convenient than Narita. But if money is tight, these flights are worth considering.
Aug 27, 2009, 3:05 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: MH Enrich, VS FC, HH Gold, PC, SPG Gold, Marco Polo Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,104
Hi,
Thanks. If memory serves me right is a limo bus from NRT to tokyo town centre, is it like 90mins ride? I can't recall exactly? If it is I am willing to put up with it?
Thanks. If memory serves me right is a limo bus from NRT to tokyo town centre, is it like 90mins ride? I can't recall exactly? If it is I am willing to put up with it?
Aug 27, 2009, 1:06 pm
#20
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,897
Yeah that's about right, could be a bit shorter depending on where (Tokyo doesn't have a specific place that is "town centre" really), or a bit longer if there is heavy traffic.
Aug 27, 2009, 1:49 pm
#21
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: Tokyo Monorail Diamond-Encrusted-Platinum
Posts: 9,676
Sapporo is a long distance from the rest of the places you're planning to see - so you're likely to feel disappointed unless you have some reason to make that side trip. (And you're going to want a better reason than "to see snow" because there's snow in lots of places that are quicker and cheaper to reach).
Last edited by jib71; Aug 27, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Aug 27, 2009, 5:39 pm
#23
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
Think of it kind of like Alaska. In the spring and summer it is almost mind-numbingly beautiful. In the winter, much of it approximates the ancient Norse legends of h*ll.
Aug 27, 2009, 9:54 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: MH Enrich, VS FC, HH Gold, PC, SPG Gold, Marco Polo Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,104
Do flights to and from CTS get cancelled/delayed often in the winter? Is it safe for flights during Dec/Jan/Feb?
Aug 28, 2009, 12:30 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: BA Gold, JGC Sapphire, OZ Diamond, AF Silver, CX GR, Marriott Lifetime SL
Posts: 3,598
HKG --> CTS // NRT --> HKG as per your schedule for HKD 9217 all-in, it's one of the penalty caused by super early bird ... HK people tend to do last minute travel arrangement.
HKG --> NRT --> HKG now showing 5537 all-in
After you confirm your itinerary, I will suggest you to take advantage the better package price available later. So for the meanwhile concentrate on the decision of going where first...
Random Travel Package Information
http://www.anaskyholiday.com.hk/eng/haneda_sapporo.html (reference only)
http://www.cxholidays.com/chl/r/package/CS9SPK02HKG (Less than HKD 7K per head with 2 nights at Sapporo, can book now)
Aug 28, 2009, 5:54 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,669
I went to Nikko, about three hours north of Tokyo and found it stunning. (One train a day makes the trip in about two hours.) There are a number of temples there. When we went it was filled with Japanese tourists, but very few westerners. We stayed at the Kanaya hotel. We wanted to rent a car to get into the countryside, but International Drivers Permits for Japan were required.
It can be done as a day trip from Tokyo. I would highly recommend it. I found it much lovelier than Kyoto and we've been to Kyoto twice.
It can be done as a day trip from Tokyo. I would highly recommend it. I found it much lovelier than Kyoto and we've been to Kyoto twice.
Aug 28, 2009, 3:44 pm
#29
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
Aug 28, 2009, 4:03 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Reno, NV
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,461
Both JR and Tobu lines go there. Must be more than 1 train a day. JR I think is via Utsunomiya and Tobu line is more direct. I can't remember the stn on Tobu line, about two or three stations before Nikko, the train dwindled down to two or three cars, then bunch more people got on. This is almost in the middle of nowhere and Tobu employees pushed passengers into the cars and we were packed in like sardines until the Nikko stn.
Coming down from the upper lakes area was a series of switch backs. Looking out from the bus is just straight down. It would be interesting driving it.