Kurokawa - Another Trip to the Hot Springs

Despite spending a week at various onsen towns in Hokkaido last winter, we clearly didn't get enough of hot springs, so this past winter break my family did another joint Japan-Taiwan trip with our first stop in the quiet, picturesque Kurokawa, a small hot spring town in the middle of Kyushu.

One of my favorite things about Kurokawa was just walking around town and exploring all the little side streets and alleyways. Despite the large amount of international tourists, Kurokawa has kept a very small-town feel, with its mostly traditional styled buildings and pedestrian-friendly streets.

One of the pedestrian paths in Kurokawa

Kurokawa is a relatively small town - you could walk around the entire perimeter in about an hour or two - but within its boundaries are more types of desserts than we could consume in a single day. By far the best were the cream puffs from Patisserie Roku. The sweet, creamy filling struck a perfect balance with the crispy cookie-crumb shells. They were so good we ended up going back there a second time to pick some up before we left town.

Really good cream puffs

Also notable were the dorayaki from Dora Dora. They look like normal dorayaki from the outside, but take a bite and you’ll find a whole mochi wrapped inside. The dorayaki come in a variety of flavors, from mango to matcha, and are definitely worth trying.

Dora Dora Dorayaki

As a small side trip, we went to Nabegataki falls which was highly recommended by the hotel staff where we were staying. The falls were a bit of a drive out of town and the area was generally pretty rural, meaning public transit wasn’t readily available everywhere, so we did have to take an expensive taxi ride to get there. The views at Nabegataki were pretty cool though - it’s famous for having a huge cave extending behind the falls that you can walk through. It was a nice place for a walk and some pictures, but I would recommend it only to those with (inexpensive) access to a car due to the remote location.

Nabegataki Falls

Of course, the biggest reason people visit Kurokawa is to soak in the onsen. A popular activity there is “onsen-hopping”, in which you purchase a pass from the visitor center that allows you to bathe in any three onsen at participating hotels in town. Sounds interesting, but the hotel we were staying in had small private onsen in each room, so we just used those instead. I can’t think of any better way to start a vacation than to soak in a hot spring and let all your stress melt away.

Private Onsen, AKA heaven

Lassen Camping Trip

Hello again, long time no post!

I haven't had the chance to travel much lately, but a few weeks ago we took a long weekend to go live in the woods up in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Camping is the type of vacation that takes a bit more preparation and work than, say, an all-inclusive resort where all you have to do is throw money at people to have things taken care of for you. But there's something to be said for roughing it in the wilderness completely off the grid, and cooking your own food over an open fire as you gaze up at the stars, unobstructed by any light pollution or smog.

Banana smores are surprisingly good

We stayed at the Summit Lake campsite, a medium sized site conveniently located right in the middle of the park close to most of the major hiking trailheads. As the name implies, we were also right next to a small lake, which turned out to be a great place to dip our feet after a long hike, and also to get some great views of the night sky. My only complaint is that a few of our neighbors did not seem to care about quiet hours. (PSA: Quiet hours at most campgrounds are 10pm - 6am, and people will think you're a total ass if you're too loud during that time.) Oh well. Maybe we'll go to a more remote campsite next time.

View of Lassen Peak near our campsite at Summit Lake

National parks are great places to hike, and Lassen is no exception. Here are the hikes we did on this trip:

1. Lassen Peak: 5 miles roundtrip, 1950 feet elevation gain. Lassen Peak is the tallest mountain in the park, and the hike to the top is one of the most highly recommended hikes for the grand, sweeping, panoramic views at the top. It’s also a thigh burner - you’re climbing for 2.5 miles straight to the top. I would recommend this hike for anyone who hasn’t done it before, but I would also recommend being in decent shape and/or taking frequent breaks on the way up. Hiking at 9000 feet elevation is no joke.

Top of Lassen Peak

2. Cold Boiling Lake: 1.4 miles roundtrip, 40 feet elevation gain. Our second hike was more of a cool-down walk after finishing Lassen Peak. The hike started at the Kings Creek trailhead and followed an easy trail through the woods to a small bubbling lake. It was a nice walk, but nothing to go out of your way for. 

Cold Boiling Lake

3. Bumpass Hell: 3 miles roundtrip, 800 feet elevation gain. This is one of Lassen’s signature hikes that I would consider to be a must-see for anyone visiting. Lassen is known for its many geothermal features, and Bumpass Hell is one of the best hikes to see them from. The trail starts out flat and then descends into a small valley where you can get up close (but not too close!) to steam vents, bubbling mudpots, and boiling pools. It’s one of those things you don’t get to see just anywhere, so I would highly recommend checking it out.

Bumpass Hell

Lassen tends to be one of the more underrated parks, which is fine because that means less crowds to deal with. It’s a great place to get away and go on some nice hikes, and I know I’ll be back to explore the other regions of the park.

Kenting, the Hawaii of Taiwan

Kenting is kind of like the Hawaii of Taiwan - it’s where people go for nice beaches, generally in the summer months. We’re a little unusual in that we visited during the winter off-season. This meant colder temperatures, but it also meant much less crowds to deal with while exploring all Kenting has to offer.

Kenting’s picturesque scenery makes it a great place to have photoshoots or shoot movies. The beach we visited (Baishawan or 白沙灣) was one of the settings for both Cape No. 7, a popular Taiwanese movie, and also the internationally acclaimed Life of Pi. The beach can apparently get shoulder-to-shoulder crowded in the summer, but we only saw one other group when we were there.

Movie masterpieces were made here

Warm water and soft sand at Baishawan

Many interesting natural features dot the landscape in the Kenting area. On the inland side, there’s a place known as the “Eternal Flame”, where natural gas vents out through the ground. The gas can light on fire and remain lit indefinitely when conditions are right (or when someone purposely starts a fire). On the southwestern tip of Taiwan there’s a nice viewpoint where you can see sheer cliffs dropping off into the ocean. One of the rock formations at the bottom of the cliff is said to resemble a cat, giving it the name “Maobitou (貓鼻頭)”.

Spotted a small flame at the Eternal Flame

Maobitou is the rock a bit out in the ocean towards the center-left

On the southernmost tip of Taiwan to the east is a place that could be accurately described in terms of both location and character as the end of the world. Longkeng (龍坑) ecological preserve is a relatively less traveled area, partly because they limit it to 300 visitors a day. Entrance is only allowed by guided tours with wait times up to 1.5 months in advance. It’s well worth a visit if you can schedule it in though. The guide will bring you all the way to the coast where you can experience the incredible power of the Pacific Ocean. It’s most impressive in the winter when waves can get higher than a two story building, and you can feel the spray from 100 meters away. 

Waves at Longkeng

It's no wonder why so many Taiwanese people flock to Kenting for getaway vacations. Whether it’s great scenery, relaxing beaches, or nature hikes you’re looking for, there's something there for everyone.

Seaside Day-trip from Taipei

Hello from Taiwan! We’ve been spending our first few days over here exploring, recovering from jetlag, and eating all the delicious food. I am currently on the high speed rail now finally with a bit of downtime to write about our recent day trip to the northeast coast of Taiwan. 

Our first stop of the day was Yehliu Geopark, about a 40 minute drive from Taipei. It was kind of like a huge rock garden measuring a few kilometers out the long way, but with most of the rock features formed naturally. There were some really interesting mushroom and checkerboard rocks shaped by the wind and waves. It’s a neat attraction worth at least a quick stop.

Yehliu Geopark

Mushroom rocks in the park

Most of our afternoon was spent 30 minutes east in Jiufen, a picturesque seaside town that was also the inspiration for Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away”. The town itself is pretty small, with mostly small streets and shrines and a few larger buildings. Looming over the town is Mt Keelung, a tall peak from the top of which you can see panoramic views of the ocean and Taipei 50 miles away on a clear day. We didn’t hike all the way to the top, but even from the lower platforms you can get some great views of the surrounding area. 

View of Jiufen from Mt Keelung

Top of the main food street

As the sun started going down, we made our way over to Shifen, another small town farther inland known most for being the tourist destination for lighting sky lanterns. All along the main Old Street were stores selling lanterns. They were pretty cheap, only about 200 NT per lantern, and really big with plenty of space to write all your hopes and wishes for the future.

Lighting sky lanterns in Shifen

This day trip was a nice contrast from the big city sightseeing of Taipei. For anyone in the area looking for something different and relatively close by, I’d recommend checking these places out.

Oahu - A Foodie Paradise

No trip is complete without sampling some local cuisine. In the case of Hawaii, the local cuisine is more like a wide mix of flavors, from Japanese to Brazilian to traditional Hawaiian food. It’s like a huge melting pot of good food with something to fit everyone’s palate. For my third and final post in the Hawaii series, here are my favorite foods from our recent trip to Oahu…

Poke Bowls @ Ono Seafood

Forget all those fancy toppings they give you at poke places on the mainland - this place is all about the fish, and they give you a LOT of it. Just pick a flavor of fish, rice, choice of free drink, and you’re good to go. Everything we tried here was good, but I especially recommend the spicy ahi.

Tiny store, big flavors

Generous portions of fish in every bowl

Empanadas @ Mami’s Empanadas

It’s a nondescript food truck in an empty alleyway away from the main streets that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking carefully. So I’d suggest looking very carefully because you don’t want to miss this. Mami’s has a selection of various Columbian snacks and sandwiches, but the main attraction is definitely the empanadas. They have both savory and sweet fillings, so take advantage of that 4 for $10 deal and try them all out!

Doesn't look like much on the outside, but the food is divine

Acai Bowls @ Crispy Grindz

Continuing on the food truck trend, Crispy Grillz is a relatively hidden gem we found while driving on the north shore. We came for the acai bowl, which did meet expectations, but we left with a bunch of extra Brazilian snacks that we couldn’t resist trying after seeing and smelling the samples. The coxinha, deep fried flour balls with your choice of meat and cheese filling, was especially good.

Crispy Grindz showing that Brazilian pride

So many yummy snacks

Sashimi @ Chiba Ken

A few blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach is modest looking Japanese restaurant by the name of Chiba Ken. We got the sashimi special here, and it was hands down the best sashimi I’ve ever had outside of Japan. 10/10 would eat again.

Not a single bad piece of fish on this place

Seafood Pasta @ Arancino at the Kahala

This was our one expensive meal of the trip - be prepared to spend at least $40/person here. But the dishes are very unique and well-made for those willing to pay the price. We got the Chitarra all Pescatora (squid ink pasta with seafood) and Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare (spaghetti with uni). I highly recommend the uni pasta. They import the best uni straight from Japan, and it shows in the freshness and flavor. 

Poor lighting in this picture doesn't do the uni pasta justice

Everything @ KCC Farmer’s Market

This would probably be my #1 recommendation for food on Oahu. Held Saturday mornings near the entrance to Diamond Head, it makes an excellent stop for a post-hike breakfast/brunch. There’s a ton of stuff you would never find at farmer’s markets on the mainland, like fresh abalone and poke. The quality, variety, and low price of the food makes coming here a no-brainer for anyone wanting to sample some island flavors. 

Seafood, fresh fruit, and more!

Oahu Tourist Attractions Actually Worth Your Time and Money

Hawaii can be an expensive place to travel. It seems like no matter where you go, there will be someone there to sell you something, be it some overpriced snorkeling gear rentals or a boat ride with no guarantee of seeing the wildlife you wanted to see. You definitely have to be picky about where you budget your spending, and these are a few Oahu attractions we visited that I think are actually worth your money…

Pearl Harbor Attractions

If you are at all interested in World War II history, the Pearl Harbor attractions are a must-see. The actual Pearl Harbor exhibits and USS Arizona Memorial are free to visit (Memorial is free but requires tickets that can be booked in advance), with audio guides available for $7.50. In addition, there are three other museums in the same area that can be combined to make a full day trip. 

USS Arizona Memorial

We opted to make it a day trip, getting the $65 Passport to Pearl Harbor that got us into all four attractions with one pass. It’s a pretty good deal since the full price of each piece combined would amount to $71.50, but if you only have a few hours to spare, in addition to the free USS Arizona Memorial, I’d recommend spending them at the Bowfin Submarine Museum. For only $12 you can enter the museum and also take a tour of a real submarine, audio guide included. It’s a really neat experience if you’ve never been inside a submarine before.

Inside the submarine

Oahu Photography Tours

You may be thinking, why would I spend money on a photography tour when I can just explore and take photos on my own? Of course that is always an option, but we found Oahu Photography Tours to be a great experience and well worth the money for a couple reasons. First, our tour guide Alex knew all the best locations to take photos, from the more well-known beaches to the random side streets that you would never find on a tourist map. Second, as a long-time photographer himself, Alex was very knowledgable about different types of cameras and photo composition, and was able to provide some helpful tips to everyone in the group, personalizing based on each person’s camera and experience level. I would recommend giving it a try for anyone interested in getting nice photos (and willing to wake up at the crack of dawn for the sunrise tours), ideally towards the beginning of your vacation so the tour can also serve as an introduction to Oahu.

Start of the sunrise tour

Visiting the less populated scenic beaches

Polynesian Cultural Center

The PCC is a one-of-a-kind attraction that’s part theme park and part museum. The main part of the park consists of a large piece of land separated into six “villages”, each representing a different Polynesian culture - Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Aotearoa, and Hawaii. Each village is staffed by people native to those places who put on performances and run hands-on activities, giving an general introduction of their culture to visitors. We chose to get the ticket packages that also include a luau dinner and post-dinner “Broadway-style” show. I found the entire cultural center to be really worthwhile. If you have a day to spare in your itinerary and you are at all interested in learning about Polynesian culture, I would highly recommend it.

Hula dancers from Hawaii

Learning how to make fire like the Samoans

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions about these attractions (or suggestions for others you recommend!) in the comments below, and look out for my next post on some of our favorite food on the island!

Beautiful Hawaii - From Mountains to the Sea

Sun, sand, and relaxation were all on the menu for our most recent trip to Hawaii. Michael and I spent about five days on Oahu, and this is the first of a series of three posts sharing some of the highlights of our trip. We spent a lot of time both at the beach and on hiking trails, experiencing the natural beauty of the island from mountains to the sea, and here were some of our favorites...

Diamond Head

Overlooking Waikiki is a massive crater known as Diamond Head. It’s close proximity to the city and relatively easy trail makes it one of the most accessible hikes on the island. The downside is that this also makes it one of the most crowded hikes. We got there about 30 minutes before sunrise which was plenty of time to make it up the 0.8 miles to get to the top. It was an interesting challenge finding a spot up there along with the other tourists arriving by the busloads, but at least the view up there was nice.

Diamond Head overlooking Waikiki

Literally busloads of tourists up there

View of sunrise from the top

Koko Crater

About a 30 minute drive east of Waikiki is another crater hike, the Koko Crater. Like Diamond Head, Koko Crater is a straightforward uphill climb to the top, and then downhill the way you came. But unlike Diamond Head, Koko Crater is actually a quite strenuous hike. It’s only about a mile to the summit, but it’s really more of a stair climb, with each step about a 1-1.5 feet in height. The view is definitely worth it though. Rest breaks doubled as photo breaks, and at the top we could see an amazing panoramic view of the windward shore. 

Who needs a StairMaster when you can climb this?

Reward for making it to the top

Hanauma Bay

We were a bit hesitant about going to Hanauma Bay after hearing about how crowded it could be. It actually wasn’t too crowded when we went though, probably due to a combination of us being there during the off-season and going there in the afternoon when most people had already left. We ended up arriving just an hour before closing, so as an added bonus, the guy at the admissions gate let us in free of charge! I would’ve liked to have more time there, but even with what little time we had we were still able to see some really interesting fish.

Hanauma Bay, one of the best snorkeling spots on the island

North Shore Beaches

Most visitors to Oahu never see anything much beyond Waikiki Beach, which is a shame because there are so many great beaches on the rest of the island. Although this might be a good thing - it means less crowds everywhere else! Kualoa Beach was one where despite its beautiful views and clear waters I could count the number of people there with one hand. Waimea Bay and Laniakea Beach on the north shore were a little more populated, but there was still plenty of room on the beach since most other people there were in the water riding the famous Hawaii waves.

Midday at Kualoa Beach

Surfer spotted on the north shore

Hawaii is one of the most scenic places I’ve been to, with it’s dramatic landscapes and natural wonders. There are so many great hikes and beaches to choose from, but I definitely recommend all of the above as a good starting point. Stay tuned for my next post about some of our favorite Oahu attractions and activities!