2016 July: South Korea: Gyeongju: Chacharang Guesthouse

Chacharang Guesthouse
차차랑 게스트하우스
119-4, Noseo-dong, Gyeongju City Center, Gyeongju-si, South Korea 780-931
노서동 119-4, 경주 시내, 경주, 대한민국 780-931
For any questions related to the property, please contact directly via Tel: 821084406005 or Email: kjinyg02@naver.com.
Click to book Chacharang Guesthouse, Gyeongju-si in Agoda
Date Stayed: July 2-4, 2016

Price: Affordable for dorm type.  (1755php for 2 nights)

Location: Roughly 5-10 minute walk from the bus station.  But heading back to Gyeongju KTX you can take buses from the bus stop just across the street.

2016 July: South Korea: Busan: Sukbak Dot Com Guest House

Busan Sukbak Dot Com Guest House 

부산 숙박 닷컴 게스트하우스

2,3F,408-3,Chorang-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea 

동구,초량동,408-3번지,2층,3층, 중구, 부산, 대한민국

For any questions related to the property, please contact directly via Tel: 827046514112 or Email: busanyado[@]naver.com

Click to book Busan Sukbak Dot Com Guest House in Agoda

Date Stayed: July 1, 2016

Price: Very affordable since this is just an overnight stay for less than 8 hrs, 636php is good enough for a bed and bathroom use.  

Location: A long walk from Busan station considering it was raining (10-12 minutes). Looks like nearby the red light street and it gets steeper on a hilly part of the road. 

Check-in: All the instructions (door passcode, locker passcode, about the keys) was emailed beforehand.  You just need to read and follow them.

Room: Dorm (1 Bed in 6-Bed Dormitory (Female) - Breakfast), you get what you pay for.  It’s a bunk bed type, so any movement from the person below or above will wake-up the other person.

South Korea: Itinerary for 3 days in Seoul, Chasing the Winter Snow

Sharing our itinerary last 2014 as our fifth visit in South Korea, fourth inbound in Incheon.  More of about chasing the snow (since it’s a bit late visit on Feb/March). Although, we did not plan to visit a ski resort. And experiencing k-drama sites until 2014.

Accommodation: Where to stay in Seoul?

K-pop Residence II in Myeongdong

Food Review

Drama Cafe

Seoul Food  

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, Points of Interest, What to do in Seoul?

Thursday

Arrival in Incheon.  Rushing at Seoul Station to catch the last transfer for Myeongdong Station

Friday

Breakfast at Droptop (not the actual branch for You Came from the Stars, When a Man Falls in Love)

Yakhyeon Church for Love Letter and Prime Minister (of Yoona)

Culture Station Seoul (Former Seoul Station) for Reply series

Mango Six (same branch for The Heirs)

Everland for snow buster/winter ledge

Saturday

De Chocolate Café (not the actual branch for Winter that Wind Blows of Zo in Sung)

Jade Garden (still for Winter that Wind Blows and Love Rain)

Petite France (for You Came from the Stars, it was a day after the episode that was taken in the site)

Sunday

Secret Garden

Insadong

Stroll until Myeongdong

Other sample itineraries:
For my further sample itinerary, expense, trip reports and PDF guides, please visit links below:

• South Korea: Itinerary for 2 days in Jeju & 3 days in Seoul v 2011 
• South Korea: Itinerary for 3 days in Seoul, Chasing the Winter Snow v 2014 | PDF
• South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 4 days in Seoul (University Hopping) v 2014|PDF
• South Korea: 2 weeks Itinerary for Southern Provinces v 2016
• Long Layover in Incheon Airport: Quick Seoulful Escape
• South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 4 days in Seoul v Nov 2016 | PDF
• South Korea: K-Pop Itinerary for 8 days in Seoul v Oct 2017
• South Korea: Autumn Itinerary for 5 days in Seoul v Nov 2017 | PDF
• South Korea: Itinerary for 3 days in Busan | PDF

South Korea: Itinerary for Jeju & Seoul v2

Route: MNL-INCHEON-JEJU-SEOUL-MNL
Although there are Jeju Air flights, there is still no straight flight from Manila to Jeju (2014-2016).
Sharing the following path mostly dedicated to k-dramas until before Nov 2011.

2016 June: Philippines: Antipolo: Pinto Art Museum

This place was visited by Ces and Daphne weeks ago and decided to might as well visit the place.

Too bad that when we have visited the place, they had a power outage, no lights on the paintings and fans were not working.  Refrain from visiting during the mid-day since there were only few shaded area. Bring a cap or a hat if you want to stay cool headed.

"Pinto", as it's name, is a gateway to arts and culture of us Filipinos!  Although the building architecture looks like Greece (or what we known as #Urk from Descendants of the Sun), these stores a lot of great works and paintings of local artists.  

Japan: Fukuoka: 5 days Spring Itinerary and Tips

Travel Date: May 15 – 19, 2016 [click here for Fukuoka: Spring Itinerary (2017 May)]

Accommodation: Where to stay in Fukuoka?
Hotel Ascent Fukuoka ホテルアセント福岡
3-3-14 Tenjin Chuo-ku, Chuo, Fukuoka, Japan 810-0001
中央区天神3－3－14, 中央区, 福岡, 日本 810-0001
Phone:+81 92-711-1300
http://www.hotel-ascent.com/fukuoka/
Hotel Review


Important Links:

• Food Review
• Tenjin Express Bus Terminal: Routes to Kumamoto, Saga, Nagasaki, Yufuin, OIta, Kagochima, Miyazaki, etc.
• 100-yen circular bus route between Hakata and Tenjin areas
• Fukuoka Subway Map

Itinerary: Places to go, Things to see, What to do in Fukuoka?

2016 May: Japan: Fukuoka: Nanzoin Temple

Nanzo-in Temple (南蔵院) is a Shingon sect Buddhist temple in Sasaguri, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It notable for its bronze statue of a reclining Buddha. - [Reference]

2016 May: Japan: Fukuoka: Kyushu National Museum

Kyushu National Museum
4 Chome-7-2 Ishizaka, Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture 818-0118, Japan
Open: 9:30 - 17:00; Closed: Mondays
http://www.kyuhaku.com/

2016 May: Japan: Kyushu: Fukuoka: Dazaifu Shinto Shrine

Dazaifu station is just 2 subway lines away from Hakata, around 40 mins subway travel.  Upon exit, you'll find directions on the floor, maps, and street guides.

Enjoy the old Japanese street (this is closed to vehicles) with lots of restaurant to select from.  Don't miss to take a photo on the uniquely designed Starbucks cafe.  Buy out ceramics and other souvenir on this street. 

2016 May: Japan: Fukuoka: Uminonakamichi

If you are looking for an easier route to bed of flowers than Nokonoshima Island, choose Uminonakamichi which is accessible by subway.  But if you are  not a plant or flower lover, you can skip this since this has less seating and shaded area.  To hot to visit in the  middle of a summer day. 

Uminonakamichi Seaside Park

Open: 9:30 to 17:30

Fee: 410 yen

How to get there: transfer to the JR Kashii Line to Uminonakamichi Station

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4810.html  

2016 May: Japan: Kyushu: Fukuoka Tower

Fukuoka Tower (福岡タワー Fukuoka Tawā)

The 234m high tower is covered with 8000 half mirrors and is the tallest seaside tower in Japan. [Reference]

Japan: Saga: Yutoku Inari Shrine

Yutoku Inari Shrine (祐徳稲荷神社)
849-1321 Saga-ken, Kashima-shi, Furueda, 1855
https://www.yutokusan.jp/about/access/

A shrine located in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture.

Dedicated to Inari, the wild fox kami, it is the third largest of its kind in Japan. It was constructed in 1688 as the family shrine of the Nabeshima clan who ruled what would become the Saga area (called Hizen at that time) during the Edo period. [Reference]

Getting there :

• From Hakata Station, go to JR Hizen-Kashima Station (肥前鹿島駅 Hizenkashima-eki).  This station has very nice restroom area as well.  
• Exit and cross the road for the Kashima Bus Center, (don’t worry, there are signs upon exit). 
• You'll be welcomed by an old man trying to give you RT tickets for 320 jpy each, take this as IC cards are not accepted by this bus line.  There is also Information Center, if you have doubts.

2016 May: Japan: Flavors of Kyushu - Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!) Kampai! (Cheers!)

Tasting the Fukuoka and Kyushu cuisine!

Ippudo Tao
Food: chashu (simmered/braised pork) ramen with tamago and vegetables
Value: Average (1128 jpy = 564 php)
Location: Yubinbango810-0001 Fukuoka Tenjin, Chuo-ku, 1-13-13 (5 mins walk from Tenjin station)
Website: http://www.ippudo.com/store/tao_fukuoka/
Personal Preference: 9 out of 10

2016 May: Japan: Hotel Ascent Fukuoka

Hotel Ascent Fukuoka (Closed: 31-March-2021)

ホテルアセント福岡

3-3-14 Tenjin Chuo-ku, Chuo, Fukuoka, Japan 810-0001

中央区天神3－3－14, 中央区, 福岡, 日本 810-0001

Phone:+81 92-711-1300

http://www.hotel-ascent.com/

Dates Stayed: May 15 - 19, 2016

Price: Got the room with 45% discount on insider deal and had another discount applied by using my points.  Thanks to Agoda for this deal.

Panic Button On: I was not able to find the Exit# from Google Maps, so I assumed my way out and got lost.  Until I saw Daimyo Church, thanks God! It was actually in my itinerary to visit the place, but not at this early to be coming straight from the airport!  From there I already my way to my accommodation.

  

Location: Hotel is in Tenjin, at the further end of the Underground Shopping district.  Accessible by same subway line from the Airport Station.

Upon arrival and departure on the city (if with luggage), take the elevator on Exit 5, B2 going 1F (courtesy of Parco).  On a daily scene, I prefer Exit 4, as this is the closer gate (but without Underground Shopping) to the hotel. Turn right on the next street.  Cross the Showa Dori, it will be behind Media Popeye. 

2016 May: Japan: Fukuoka International Airport

Arrival:

Fukuoka International Terminal is not directly connected to the Subway.