island

Palau: Long beach island

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Palau was an amazing country. Unbelievable pristine waters. A water lover’s paradise. I had such a wonderful time there. Was totally in my element and was in the water every single day.

This is long beach island, where at low tide, it’s a long stretch of beach and white sand that reaches an island.

The water clarity is truly incredible.

From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
From Day 2 Palau – Long Island
Advertisement

Naoshima Diary: At Uno Station

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

The Cliff notes of my long weekend trip to Naoshima:

Friday night: Depart Tokyo station after work. Board 7:30pm shinkansen to Okayama station. Arrive Okayama station at 11pm. Check into hotel for the night and crash out into bed.

Saturday morning: Early breakfast. Check out of hotel at about 8:10am. Board the 8:24am train departing Okayama bound for Uno station. (Change at Chayamachi enroute to Uno). Alight at Uno station about an hour later.

Destination Uno reached. A most awesome name for a train station and a small port town.
I was quite excited to be at a place named after a card game.

From Uno station
From Uno station
From Uno station
From Uno station

At Uno with numero uno!

From Uno station
From Uno station

Okay, let’s try that again and let’s try to not get hair obscuring the face.

From Uno station

That’s more like it.

Outside Uno station are two giant monuments. This one….

From Uno station

And this one: the Goddess of the Sea:

From Uno station

And now it’s time to smell the cheese:

From Uno station

And incidentally, ticked off another prefecture – Okayama prefecture done. Only another 8 (?) to go!

Naoshima red pumpkin

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Ugh, I have a huge backlog of blog posts, or rather photos to upload.

Here are some from about 9 months ago. I never finished that Naoshima diary.

In addition to the giant yellow pumpkin found near the Benesse art park, there is also a red pumpkin sculpture by the ferry port, the main arrival point onto the island.

From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin
From Naoshima red pumpkin

I framed Roger Rabbit (a visit to Okunoshima)

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Kicked off another item on the Japan bucketlist and went to Rabbit Island (formally known as Okunoshima).

From Rabbit island

Last weekend, took an early flight to Hiroshima and then from there a bus to Takehara station and then a train to Tadanoumi and then a port to Okunoshima island. A plane, bus, train and a boat hop away from Tokyo and I was finally on Okunoshima.

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Okunoshima is a tiny tiny island within the Seto inland sea, inhabited by rabbits. The island is pretty much uninhabited, but is a popular tourist destination. There is only one large hotel on the island which is usually always booked out, so we went “glamping” instead. (Glamping = glamour camping).
All accommodation on the island was booked out, so we got a special package from the hotel’s campsite area. The package was amazing value. 7000yen got us a tent (already set up), ground mats, a tarp and table set, buffet dinner at the hotel, buffet breakfast at the hotel and use of the hotel onsen. You can also BYO tent and set up on the campsite, but it was so nice that they set up our campsite and got to use the hotel facilities.

Prior to arriving on the island, at Tadanoumi ferry port, you should be sure to buy the rabbit pellets. You can buy 6 packets for 500yen. There is no food on the island for sale for the rabbits (or humans for that matter). The island has no shops and we struggled the first day when we discovered there were no shops, restaurants, conbinis etc, and only a couple of vending machines). Be prepared to bring your own food and be sure to buy the rabbit food when you buy the boat tickets.

From Rabbit island

The only facilities are at the hotel where there is a shop and restaurant to get food. Apart from that, there is not much on the island, apart from a lot of rabbits. There are also a bunch of military remnants and the poison gas museum. Okunoshima was used as military island during the war, and was the base for a poison gas manufacturing facility. The island has quite the sinister history. Very fascinating though. But a lot of people died as a result of the poisonous gas effects.

We arrived on the island at about 1pm. It was a beautiful day so we pretty much walked around the whole island (which has an approx. circumference of 4km). There are a lot of military ruins and remnants to see as you walk around chasing and feeding the rabbits. The island also has a bunch of really nice beaches, the water looked so clear and clean. Would be great in summer for a spot of camping and swimming.

Brace yourself for cuteness.
Who framed Roger Rabbit?
I did!

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Eating cabbage – Lady and the Tramp-style

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Tiny bunny:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

The rabbits eat right out of your hand

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

The bunnies are so adorable:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

And here’s a gif:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Also no cars on are allowed on the island without a permit and there are no residents on the island, only the people working at the hotel:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Military remains:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Seto Inland Sea:

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

A photo of a photo in the hotel lobby:

From Rabbit island

Quite a few of the rabbits have mangy or scratched out eyes. They get into fights with each other.

From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island
From Rabbit island

Nokonoshima: flower park

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

Last autumn, whilst down in Kyushu, I took a half day trip to the island of Nokonoshima – just a short train and boat ride away from Fukuoka. I was in Saga at the time, so had got up early to travel from Saga to Fukuoka and then to the boat port.

Nokonoshima is a very small island. The only thing I saw there was the flower park, which is what the island is famous for. The park occupies much of the island.

From Nokonoshima

Highly recommend going when the flowers are in season. I was in luck. Even though it was November, I managed to catch the field of cosmos flowers. Weather was surprisingly gorgeous and the view of the surrounding waters from the island was really nice too.

Enjoy the colourful flower photos:

First, the boat ride:

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

And if all that water makes you wanna pee, follow the signs once at the flower park:

From Nokonoshima

Once you arrive at the port at Nokonoshima, you need to take the local bus to the park. It’s all uphill, along windy narrow roads, so a rental bike is not really recommended.

The flower park is at one of the highest points on the island. Great views:

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

The park is quite large. There are different sections for different flower fields. There is even a small animal/farm section.
Saw me some goats….I’m not kidding!

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

There’s even swings for the kids:

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

The highlight was the cosmos field:

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

And these flowers were cool too, really bright:

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

Allow yourself a few hours to walk around the park. It’s super relaxing and peaceful. Take a book, chill out, pack a picnic or eat at the restaurant there.

From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima
From Nokonoshima

I managed to spend a couple of hours here, and then made my way back to Fukuoka for my afternoon flight back to Tokyo.
All in a day’s work.

Ogasawara Islands: Miyanohara beach

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

One from the archives – return to Ogasawara Islands.
One of the most amazing trips I did last year was to the Ogasawara islands.

Here are some pics from one of the many beaches I went to – Miyanohara beach. Chichijima island was amazing – so many amazing beaches and very few people. Practically had almost every beach to myself.

I walked to Miyanohara beach in time for a sunset swim.

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

My own private beach:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

Coral not so colourful but there were some fish:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

A giant fish right here:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

Ogasawara: snorkeling (again)

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

The snorkeling was so amazing at Ogasawara that on my last day there I decided to do the snorkeling tour again. I booked with a different company that took us to the same spot. Photos from the first time here. On my last day at the Ogasawara islands, before boarding the afternoon boat back to Tokyo, I went on the snorkeling tour. Couldn’t get enough of this place. The bluest of waters and so many fish. Truly unbelievable.

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

Out on the water:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

This is out on the water in front of Miyanohara beach (the beach I visited here):

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

It was like I was plonked into an aquarium:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

An interesting-looking flat fish:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

This fish was feeling blue:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

Fifty shades of blue:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

 

Ogasawara Islands: Miyanohara beach

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

One from the archives – return to Ogasawara Islands. One of the most amazing trips I did last year was to the Ogasawara islands. Here are some pics from one of the many beaches I went to – Miyanohara beach. Chichijima island was amazing – so many amazing beaches and very few people. Practically had almost every beach to myself. I walked to Miyanohara beach in time for a sunset swim.

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

My own private beach:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

Coral not so colourful but there were some fish:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

A giant fish right here:

From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach
From Ogasawara day 3 – sunset beach

 

Ogasawara: snorkeling (again)

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

The snorkeling was so amazing at Ogasawara that on my last day there I decided to do the snorkeling tour again. I booked with a different company that took us to the same spot. Photos from the first time here.

On my last day at the Ogasawara islands, before boarding the afternoon boat back to Tokyo, I went on the snorkeling tour.
Couldn’t get enough of this place.
The bluest of waters and so many fish. Truly unbelievable.

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

Out on the water:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

This is out on the water in front of Miyanohara beach (the beach I visited here):

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

It was like I was plonked into an aquarium:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

An interesting-looking flat fish:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

This fish was feeling blue:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day
From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

Fifty shades of blue:

From Snorkeling Ogasawara – last day

Nokonoshima Island highlights

memoirsofaleishaLeave a comment

More photographic treats.
From Fukuoka city, just a 10minute ferry ride is a small island called Nokonoshima. There’s a big island park there which has an impressive garden park filled with an assortment of seasonal flowers and great ocean views.

Here are a few highlights.

From Nokonoshima highlights
From Nokonoshima highlights
From Nokonoshima highlights
From Nokonoshima highlights
From Nokonoshima highlights