Autumn in Kyoto - Day 1 (22 Nov 2013)

Eikan-do Temple, Kyoto

Nowhere else in the world treats autumn as seriously as Japan. And the peak of it all is at Kyoto. Thousands of maple trees were planted at hundreds of temples around the city, and we chose the busiest time of the season to visit - Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan, which falls on Nov 23. This entire series deals with the peak and crowds faced during the best time of year to visit Kyoto!

Autumn in Kyoto 2013 - Planned Itinerary

Date of Travel: 22-27 Nov 2013

Before I get to my actual post about Kyoto, here's a look at our itinerary. All in all, RM2700 per person which includes airfare, hotel, all meals, transport and entrance fees to sights. Excludes shopping.

Friday 22 Nov
- Land 0825am. Have breakfast at Airport.
- Pickup ICOCA pass & book the tickets for Sagano Scenic Railway at the JR station!
- Catch 09:40am bus from Bus Stop No.12, 1st Fl North Exit for Shuttle to Rinku Town (100yen/way)
- 10:00am arrive Rinku Town Premium Outlet
- 11:40am depart Rinku Town Premium Outlet back to Kansai Airport (taxi or train)
- 12:16-13:31 Train from Kansai Airport to Kyoto
- Transfer to Kyoto Subway Karasuma Line to Shijo
- 15:00pm Check-in to Toyoko Inn Shijo Karasuma
- Rest until 16:00
- Head to Teppanyaki dinner @ 1600 at Hyakuren, 572 Nakanomachi, Uratera Shijo-dori Agaru
- Take Bus #207 to Kiyomizu-dera Temple for night lightup - 23mins 220yen
- Explore Kiyomizu-dera temple (1830-2130 400yen)
- Take Bus #207 @ 2008/2024 back to hotel - 23mins 220yen

Saturday 23 Nov - Fushimi Inari & Uji
- 07:30 breakfast
- Take bus 207 @ 0805 or 0820 (busstop on hotel side) to Tofukuji - 29min 220yen
- Enter Tofukuji temple - 350yen
- Take JR @ 0939 from Tofukuji to Inari - 17min 140yen
- Stroll around Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Lunch Unagi Don at Nezameya Fushimi @ 11:30am
- Take JR @ 1309 or 1322 to Uji - 23min 230yen
- Walk around Byodo-in shopping street
- Visit Byodo-in Temple
- Walk through Uji park, Uji Shrine, and cross the river
- Eat Green Tea ice cream at Itohkyuemon (19-3 Todouaramaki, Uji City, Kyoto. 1000-1800)
- Take Keihan @ 1607/17/37/47 from Mimurodo to Gion-Shijo, transf at Chushojima Station - 28min 300yen
- Shopping at Kawaramachi before dinner
- Dinner near Gion-Shijo
- Walk back to hotel (< 1km)

Sunday 24 Nov - Ginkakuji Area
- 07:30 breakfast
- Take Bus #5 @ 0815 (busstop on hotel side) to Shinnyo-do Temple - 22min 220yen
- Explore Shinnyo-do Temple (0900-1600)
- Walk to brunch at Hinode Udon, 36 Nanzenji Kitanobocho for brunch (1100-1700)
- Alternative brunch at Yamamoto Menzo, 34 Okazaki Minamigoshocho for Udon+Tempura
- Walk to Eikan-do Temple (5min walk) to explore
- Walk to Nanzenji Temple (5min walk) to explore
- Take Bus #5 @ 1403 to Sanjo shopping area - 220yen
- Shopping time 1430-1730
- Meet back @ 1800 for Dinner

Monday 25 Nov - Kinkakuji Area (Buy Bus Pass)
- Take Bus #55,101 @ 0800 (busstop at Karasuma Shijo Junction) to Kitano Temangu - 30min
- Visit the arts market only open on the 25th of each month
- Explore the Kitano Tenmangu temple
- Walk 5min to Brunch Toyouke Chaya 1100-1500 or when sold out, famous for Tofu
- Take Bus #204,205 (busstop at junction of Kitanohakubaicho Keihan station) to Kinkakuji - 13min
- Explore Kinkakuji (Opens 0900-1700)
- Take Bus #205 from Kinkakuji to Sukiyaki Lunch @ Kirin Tei - 36min 220yen
- Lunch at Kirin Tei, Last order 1400. Good for beef hotpot. Off Omiya Dori & Shichi-jo Dori junction
- Walk to Kyoto Station for shopping at Yodobashi Camera.
- Have green tea ice cream at Isetan Kyoto Station
- Take bus/subway back to hotel

Tuesday 26 Nov - Arashiyama Area
- Take subway @ 0816 to JR Kyoto Station (210yen 5min)
- Take JR @ 0826 from Kyoto to Umahori - 25min 320yen
- Walk 10min to Tarokko Kameoka station
- Take 0935-0958 Sagano Scenic Train to Torokko Arashiyama (600yen)
- Walk north to Jojakujoji
- Lunch at Hanana seabream fish, 26-1 Sagatenryuji Setogawacho
- Walk to Nonomiya for bamboo forest
- Visit Tenruji Temple - 500yen
- Walk across the famous Togetsukyo bridge
- Take train from Hankyu Arashiyama Station to Karasuma, change at Katsura - 27min 220yen

Wednesday 27 Nov
- 07:00 Subway to Kyoto Station
- 0715-0854 train to Kansai Airport
- 11:00 depart Osaka for KUL

Other posts in this series:
Autumn in Kyoto 2013 - Planned Itinerary
Autumn in Kyoto - Day 1 (22 Nov 2013)
Autumn in Kyoto - Day 2 (23 Nov 2013)
Autumn in Kyoto - Day 3 (24 Nov 2013)
Autumn in Kyoto - Day 4 (25 Nov 2013)  
Autumn in Kyoto - Day 5 Final (26 Nov 2013) 

Sandakan Itinerary - Day 3

Date of Travel: 14-16 Sep 2013

On our last day here, we decided to stay in town area and visit some of the sights on the Sandakan Heritage Trail. Instead of walking, we drove instead :P

First off, breakfast at the third floor of the Central Market located next to Fourpoints hotel. What's famous here is a deep fried pork noodle. I liked the fried noodles instead.

Sandakan Itinerary - Day 2 Visiting Monkeys

Date of Travel: 14-16 Sep 2013

After visiting the morning market, it's time to start our day with a hearty breakfast highly recommended by blogs. We are off to Kampung Buli Sim Sim to look for a shop called H84. All we know is that it's located on Pier 8, along Jalan Sim Sim. We ended up at Jambatan 8, instead of Lorong 8. We got to see real families living on the water.

Jambatan 8 - WRONG! Not the right place for seafood breakfast

Sandakan Itinerary - Day 2 Buying Seafood

Date of Travel: 14-16 Sep 2013

The sun rises at around 6:00am. Fourpoints Hotel is located next to the market and I have a good view of the market from my hotel room window. Since I was up at 5am, I watched the boats come in, and they carry baskets of fish onto the dock where they are sold to vendors. Here is the biggest tip for Sandakan - HOW TO BRING SEAFOOD HOME

1. Bring or buy an Ice Box. A 50cmx30cmx30cm box costs RM9 here. If you're staying at Fourpoints, the shops start selling them near the roundabout later in the day, perhaps 10:00am.
2. Seafood start selling at about 8:30am until 5:00pm. If you have only 3D/2N here, you need to buy it on Day 2 to give it enough time to freeze.
3. Have fun shopping for seafood. Seven-star Grouper fish goes for RM20/kg, tiger prawns for RM35-50/kg depending on the size. The super large ones are about RM70/kg.
4. Bring your filled up ice box back to the Concierge of Fourpoints, and pay him RM15 to store it for you. Collect it back just before you head to the airport. 

These are going for RM70-80/kg

Continue reading:
Sandakan Itinerary - Day 1
Sandakan Itinerary - Day 2 Buying Seafood
Sandakan Itinerary - Day 2 Visiting Monkeys
Sandakan Itinerary - Day 3

Sandakan Itinerary - Day 1

Date of Travel: 14-16 Sep 2013

Sandakan is THE place for seafood. How is this better than KK or Kuching? It's simply cheaper! For starters, there's a great hotel with a great location. It's obvious, you have to stay at Fourpoints by Sheraton, Sandakan. We got a great deal for RM160++ per night without breakfast.

The welcoming lobby of Fourpoints Sandakan

All Twin rooms come with 2 Queen beds. All rooms face the sea, pay more for a nicer side of the sea

Pity, no bathtub

Located next to the Waterfront

Bali - A photographer's playground!

Date of Travel: 24-28 January 2013

My favourite place in Bali - Blue Point Beach

To a photographer, Bali is heaven. You have beautiful sunsets, paddy fields, beaches, mountains, architecture, culture, nature, just take your pick. You can be as creative or silly as you wish.