Sparkling Korea: Jeju

Jeju is very pretty, but it's very hard to travel around by yourself, as the sights are all far apart, and there's only a bus network.

Hence, I recommend signing up with a tour group e.g. Yeha Tour. http://www.yehatour.com. I did both their East Course and West Course. You can either stay at their guesthouse or ask for pickup at another hotel. And at the end of the tour, you can request to be dropped off at the Teddy Bear Museum or any other places. The tour was quite good, and they don't bring you to any jade/ tea factories. Instead, they really just bring you to pretty places, give you sufficient time to wander about and take photos. And the tour guides buy you ice-cream! So cute! Haha.

I just checked the website and it's about KRW80,000 for a day tour (either East or West Course). Prices have increased! When I went on the tour 1 year ago, I think it was only about KRW50,000.



The old Yeha guesthouse was really pretty! A bungalow set in a very pretty garden, with swings! This photo was taken on a super rainy last day, where flights out of Jeju were cancelled. Luckily mine was in the late afternoon and didn't get cancelled. The Yeha guesthouse has since moved to a town area, which has both pros and cons. Pro is that it's much more accessible (the old one was REALLY ulu). Con is that it doesn't have the pretty garden anymore.

Some sights on the tour...





The "All in" house, I think. I didn't watch the series...

Japan: Part 3 - Sightseeing Tokyo

Shinjuku


I didn't really like the shopping here, though there's both Takashimaya and Isetan here. Hence, Shinjuku is placed under "Sightseeing" instead of "Shopping". In fact, there's quite a no. of sights here!

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings

After walking past rows of skyscrapers housing banks, MNCs etc, you will reach the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings, which offer awesome (and free!) views from the 45th floor.


There's a north and south tower, so I recommend going to both, and going once in the daytime and once at nightime. It's good to make this trip earlier as there's a tourism office on the 1st floor, with lots of information on different areas within Tokyo.

Tokyo Imperial Palace

Before your trip, go to the website https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/index.html and apply for a permit one to two months in advance. The Imperial Palace in Tokyo only offers Japanese tours, but there's an English audio guide available.


Modern palace inside the grounds.


The Imperial East Gardens are next to the palace. Entry is free and there's no need to apply for a permit.

Senso-ji temple
Location: Asakusa station



The path to the temple is lined with traditional shops, selling lots of traditional food and charms... love charms,good luck charms, health charms etc. The amulets being sold in the temple are quite expensive. Bought amulets for good health at JPY500 each for my parents.

Meiji-jinju
Location: Harajuku station


I recommend going to the temple in the morning, while waiting for shops at Takeshita-dori to open. It’s quite a nice, leafy stroll to the temple.


I saw a wedding there! So pretty!

Odaiba

This is the prettiest place in Tokyo! Go to Shimbashi station to buy a one-day pass for the Yurikamome Line, which functions like a monorail.



Palette Town has Venus Fort (see "Shopping" for more details) and the huge Ferris Wheel which changes colour at night!


Tokyo Decks, with a well-utilised beach… there’s shopping centers Aqua City and Seaside mall just above the beach.


Famous Fuji TV building.


Tokyo Big Sight, an exhibition center. There's a 100 yen shop there too.


Gorgeous Rainbow Bridge at night.

Swallowtail – a butlers’ café



Located near Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, this was my BEST experience in Japan. Imagine, gorgeous boys dressed up as butlers, all ready to wait on you hand and foot. For example, a princess's hands are too delicate to pour her own tea from the teapot. Hence, if any strenuous tea-pouring activity was required, you would ring your own adorable antique bell, and your butler would come running. Of course, the experience is even better if you know Japanese, but they are very kind to tourists. Reservations need to be made weeks in advance, especially if you have more than one person in your party. Photographs are not allowed inside, but don't worry, your memories will be more than sufficient to justify the costs.

Gorgeous perfect anime-style butler: "I hope you'll have a good time here, my princess."
Me: *massive internal squeeing* "Thank you, I will!"