Japan / Thailand

[PoptartPoptart]

Looking ahead to next year. Me, DH and DS (18).
DS has always wanted to go to Japan and this might be our last big family holiday.

I’m thinking 2/3 days in Tokyo and then 3/4 days in Kyoto. Then flying to Thailand (Ko Samui maybe?) for a week.
Has anyone done anything similar or have any suggestions please.

I would spend the whole time in Japan it is the most amazing country and the best holiday I ever had. Two weeks was just the right amount but we were very busy during that time

I don't know that I'd go to Japan for such a short length, there's so much to see. If you did want a beach holiday you could have one there too but honestly, I don't know that I'd go to Japan and not see Kyoto, Nara is lovely too, Nikko in the mountains, oh there's just so many places!

Sorry, didn't mean to put Kyoto. The traveller rail pass is so handy but you wouldn't get value from it in that space of time I don't think.. Thailand is grand but nothing compared to Japan..

There are stunning white sand, empty, carribean style beaches on shikoku, the smallest of the main 4 islands which you can get to easily from Tokyo. It you could fly to Okinawa for beaches. Japan is amazing. Thailand is ok but Japan is way better IMHO.

Thanks all, I hadn’t considered spending the two full weeks in Japan, I just assumed there wouldn’t be enough to do.
I really don’t know much about the country at all, so hearing your recommendations is really helpful.

Thats two very different holiday locations.

Japan is phenomenal. We went for 3 weeks but would happily go back again in a heartbeat.

You could easily fill a week just in Tokyo.

We got the rail pass. Cant remember the exact order but we did something like tokyo, koyasan, kyoto, nara, osaka, miyajima, hiroshima, tokayama and kanazawa...a bit too packed to be honest.

Eat everything, its all delicious. Rent a wifi hotspot for navigation and searches on the go.

They are 2 separate trips for sure !!

We are going next year with our 2 year old (eeep) to japan for 2 weeks and it doesn’t feel enough time tbh

i spent a month in Thailand before and even then it wasn’t enough time !!

id say choose one and enjoy it instead of rushing off

Yes, agree with everyone else, definitely pick one or the other. We spent 3 weeks in Japan and it wasn’t enough. We had a rail pass and spent nearly a week in just Kyoto. Such a beautiful place. Loved the Alps too. Japan is so clean and safe, and the people so warm and kind. Would love to go back with the children one day.

Thailand is amazing too, but a very different country.

If you want to add some tropical beach holiday, get an internal flight down to Ishigaki. Pre pandemic, could fly to Ishigaki and then get back to the UK, with flight to Hong Kong and then home, rather than back to Tokyo. Not sure if that's still possible.

Anyone thinking about a holiday to Japan please be aware entry is only allowed if accompanied by a recognised tour guide.

I spent some time in Japan and really enjoyed the following spots (in no particular order):

• Tokyo
• Okinawa
• Hiroshima
• Naoshima
• Kyoto
• Kamakura
• Fuji
• Shimoda
• Nikko

Japan is fabulous but not currently open to independent travellers. No idea when that might change

What do I need to visit Japan on a guided group tour?

For now, Japan is only open to foreign tourists on guided tours. The government is also asking travellers in these tour groups to wear face masks and purchase insurance to cover potential Covid-19 medical expenses. These safety measures will be made known to tour participants when they purchase their tour package. Those who fail to comply with the rules may not be able to take part in the tours.

We did this years ago. We went to Koh Samui for a week first and then flew to Tokyo. We spent four nights in Tokyo , two nights in Kyoto and also went to Hiroshima for a day trip - that was the highlight of the whole trip to be honest. We then spent a final night in Tokyo before flying back to Bangkok for our flight home to the Uk. It was an amazing holiday.

Japan has a huge amount to see. Kyoto has 17 world heritage sites I think. Two nights there simply isn’t enough. You need at least 2 weeks to scratch the surface.,

Sadly Japan is not open to normal tourism. I cannot wait to go back! But not wearing a mask!!Nor with a group if we can avoid it.,

Oh I didn’t realise about the entry restrictions. I’ll have to keep an eye on that.

yes i forgot to mention the restrictions!

We booked the flights anyway for april next year - hope we won't need to do guided tour by then!

We are able to change the flights to somewhere else if things do not change though so we will just go somewhere else if not relaxed

I haven't been to Thailand but agree with what others have said about spending time in Japan, it is an absolutely fantastic country & we are hoping to visit again next year.

We visited Tokyo, Kyoto & Okinawa. All very very different & amazing in their own ways

If you are looking at Koi Samui you might as well go to Ibiza.

@TaxAvoidance ”If you are looking at Koi Samui you might as well go to Ibiza”

Not sure I understand what you mean by this?

Its a party island- like Ibiza
Not very pretty, not much to do except party.
Lots of better places to go.

we travelled as a family to Japan a few years ago with toddler in tow . 6 weeks. It was excellent and want to go back in the next few years. We spent two weeks in Tokyo and could do the same again happily! Kyoto a calmer vibe with temples and shrines to explore. If you want beaches I’d fly to Okinawa or do as we did and hire a car and drive the west coast of Kyushu island with a stop at an onsen (hot baths) resort like kurukawa 🙂.

I wouldn't book anything for Japan next year given how closed their borders have been for the vast majority of people for the best part of 2.5 years. There is enough to do in Japan without going anywhere else and flights wise it's more sensible to just fly in and out of Japan. Pre war the direct flight from the UK was c. 12.5/13 hours (currently about 15 hours) which is pretty much the same as UK to Thailand but Tokyo to Bangkok (add on another flight to Koh Samui) and that's another 7 hours. Thailand/Singapore/Vietnam/Cambodia make sense as a combination but Japan is a long way away.

Really? You assumed there wouldn’t be enough to do to fill two weeks? 😂

I think two weeks would feel quite packed and you’d only see a very small amount.

We spent a month there and left with loads we hadn’t been able to see. Had planned a return trip but cancelled due to covid.

I can’t imagine feeling like two weeks would be too long anywhere other than a very small island for example.

So agree with everyone else just focus on Japan and look at eg Kyushu or Okinawa for some beach time. Summer however will be quite muggy and hot and there’s no guarantee Japan will really be opened up by next year.