About two hours south of Hanoi in Ninh Binh province, this tour features a boat ride through the Hoang Long River amidst rice paddies and towering limestone mountains on all sides. Like many people, I’ve come to associate these limestone formations with Northern Vietnam so it seemed a great way to spend the day.
Masungi Georeserve is a geological park and conservation area in Baras, Rizal about an hour-and-a-half away from Manila. There you’ll find a hiking trail featuring rope walls, hanging bridges, and unique viewing platforms suspended over limestone karsts and a lush tropical rainforest.
Yufuin is a small onsen community in Oita prefecture. Surrounded by mountains, there are no tall buildings here. Instead, it has a wealth of boutiques, cafes, and art museums in a laid back, idyllic atmosphere.
Kurokawa Onsen is a hot spring town high up in the mountains of Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu. Set in a forested valley with a river running through it, Kurokawa Onsen is widely considered to be one the most scenic onsen towns in Japan.
I had read nothing but wonderful things about Kurokawa Onsen. Tucked away high up in the mountains of Kumamoto, it’s known for being one of the most beautiful onsen towns in Japan, making it an ideal final stop on our week-long tour of Northern Kyushu.
Practically all the meals we had on this trip were planned and carefully researched beforehand. It’s important for us to find the best places to eat on our trips so we hardly ever walk into random restaurants. Ufufu restaurant in Kurokawa Onsen was one of those rare times, and by chance, it turned out to be one of our best meals in Japan.
To be honest, I became enamored with zaru soba even before I got my first taste of it in Japan. I had seen the Hokkaido episode of No Reservations and became mesmerized watching that soba master make the buckwheat noodles from scratch. It was beautiful to watch and had me yearning for authentic soba ever since.
Hitsubamushi is an eel specialty dish of Nagoya in Aichi prefecture. It’s served in a bowl over rice with a side of yakumi (condiments) and dashi (soup stock).
Yumerindo is a ryokan in Kurokawa Onsen, a quaint hot spring town high up in the mountains of Kumamoto. Set in a forested valley with a river running through it, Kurokawa Onsen is known for being one of Japan’s most attractive onsen towns.
According to one reviewer on TripAdvisor, Warokuya Restaurant allegedly has a sign saying that if you’ve ever tasted better fried chicken, then the owner will close down. Challenge accepted!