Traveling to French Polynesia - Part II (Huahine)

Huahine, pronounced as "whoo-a-hee-nay", is a hidden gem reachable with just 40 minutes of flight from Tahiti. It is a less traveled island with immense tropical jungle, with a population of approximately just 6,300 people.

Arriving Huahine on a rainy morning

Travel to French Polynesia (Part 1)

Traveling to French Polynesia is like a dream come true. Bora Bora has been at the top of my bucket list since I was a primary student (thanks to one of the earliest K-drama I started watching). And never have I thought that I'd be able to tick it off of my list that soon. It's a destination which feels very much like at the other end of the world. Which, indeed is.

The first step is to figure out the routes to Papeete, Tahiti. Flying from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) has rather limited routes; either transiting in Auckland or Tokyo before another flight to Papeete. Auckland was a much better route in my opinion since the airfare to Papeete from Auckland was way cheaper than Tokyo. Kuala Lumpur to Auckland is a 10-hour flight; while Auckland to Papeete takes 5 hours (via Air Tahiti Nui/ Air New Zealand). My return flight for Papeete, Tahiti costs NZD299.

Second step in planning is the hardest in my opinion - deciding which islands to discover. The thing about French Polynesia is... I haven't had any friends who have been and thus I relied solely on the Google search results. French Polynesia has a whooping total of 118 islands and atolls, not just Tahiti and Bora Bora. Air Tahiti operates the inter-island flights and there are a few passes available so if you're considering doing more than just one island, the passes can be purchased at a very much bargained rate. A return flight for Bora Bora costs approximately USD300; with the multi-islands passes, discovering a few islands can be done from almost the same price onwards. I got a Bora Bora pass at USD480, which permits you to travel to a total of 5 islands (Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, and Maupiti). I did not do all islands, only Huahine and Bora Bora.
*More information can be found here.

I spent a night in Auckland before my flight to Papeete, Tahiti to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. It was winter during my time of visit, so it was rainy in Auckland but breezy and dry in the French Polynesia, which made it the perfect weather for islands hopping!

Photos to summarize this post:

 Arriving in Auckland on a cloudy morning. 

Last Summer (July 2013) - Norway - Part 1 (Bergen)

It's a year overdue. But I thought I'll have to post, for it's the best summer I've ever had (also my first summer in Europe actually haha). While I was looking at which country to go, I became fickle minded. Initial plan was Dubrovnik, Croatia, then I went on to Sicily, Italy. And I went farther away, all the way to Moscow! I've settled with Norway as closer to my departure to London, airfare to most destinations in Europe hiked up so much, including Dubrovnik. And Bergen, Norway had the lowest fare! Bergen was an unintentional choice, but it turned out to be a truly remarkable one. (It is a very much underrated city in fact!)

As I read more about Bergen (after booking my flight), I find it matches what I'm looking for in that trip:
surrounded by mountains, the gateway to the Norwegian Fjords, laid-back atmosphere, a not so popular destination among foreign travelers (the most important point! As I was pretty bored with crowded cities flooded with tourists at that time), and then Bryggen, the picturesque harbour which caught my attention the most.

First glimpse of the Scandinavian country.

Sakura 2014 Part 2 - Osaka, Japan

Cherry blossom 2014 - Osaka, Japan.

Daytime viewing

Location: Kema Sakuranomiya Park & Osaka Mint Bureau

Date: 9/4/2013

We started our walk from Kema Sakuranomiya Park to Mint Bureau. We alighted at Sakuranomiya Station (JR Loop Line). This park is a public park with free admission, plus night illumination during blooming period (the stretch of cherry trees along the river promenade can be seen from Temmabashi). 

Sakura 2014 Part 1 - Osaka, Japan

Cherry blossom 2014 - Osaka, Japan.

Night viewing

Location: Temmabashi Station & Osaka Castle

Date: 8/4/2013

Temmabashi Station - A railway station on the Keihan Electric Railway and Osaka Municipal Subway.

The very first view I got after exiting Temmabashi Station. Simply stunning!

Ryokan Hanaikada - Arashiyama, Sagano Kyoto, Japan

Arashiyama is a pleasant town with mountains and river located in the western outskirts of Kyoto, offering very beautiful natural setting and relaxed atmosphere. It's a masterpiece of natural scenic beauty, while it's a small town without too many attractions, many tourists go there for a day trip. It takes about half an hour ride on Randen Line from Kyoto. On my first visit, I had a day trip too but I've decided to stay a little longer this time. This area is especially popular among tourists during Autumn, when the Japanese maple (momiji) - which takes up to 70% of Arashiyama add grace and beauty to the season. 

There are a few beautiful ryokans in Arashiyama, my favourite was Hoshinoya unfortunately it's fully booked by the time I started to do my planning. I've only made all my hotel bookings 1-1.5 months before I departed. Bad bad idea to check out hotels 1-2 months before departure, furthermore it's the cherry blossom season, left aside the steep prices, many hotels were already fully booked and I've only left with a few choices. I've settled down with Hanaikada Ryokan, a traditional ryokan with natural hot springs.