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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Japan / Thailand

37 replies

PoptartPoptart · 31/07/2022 12:53

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.

OP posts:
Appleblum · 02/08/2022 05:30

I would spend the 2 whole weeks in Japan. Thailand is amazing too but in some ways it'll just be another beach holiday.

However Japan is only open for organised tours at the moment. Hopefully they'll be fully open to tourists next year, we're also planning a trip there asap!

MsBucket · 02/08/2022 06:09

Japan sounds like a fabulous place to spend your vacation. I would love to spend a month or two there, there seems to be a lot to do.

PurBal · 02/08/2022 06:20

2 very different holidays. Pre Covid we had planned to do 2 weeks in Japan (I haven’t been in 25 years) and a week in Thailand (10 years). Parents used to live in both countries. I wouldn’t personally bother with Koi Samui, it’s way too touristy, unless that’s what you were hoping for?

Geranium1984 · 02/08/2022 06:48

I did a 2 week trip to Japan and absolutely loved it! Agree a few days might not be worth it.
We did three nights in Tokyo and the beginning and a couple at the end. Saw a baseball game, did Mario cart tour, the fish market, shopping shopping shopping and visited lots of neighbourhoods.
Then we went to kyoto for a couple of nights and on to a mountain region with temples nearby. We then picked up a hire car and went through the Japan alps, stayed in a ski lodge type place and did some hiking, finished up in beautiful Kanazawa which I'd highly recommend. Is another geisha city and has beautiful Japanese gardens.
We left the hire car there and got the train back to Tokyo.
I can't wait to go back and explore some of the other regions.
Have a great time.

Frazzled2207 · 02/08/2022 06:56

Def spend two weeks plus in Japan as long as borders open.

my Japanese friend has just gone for the first time since the pandemic and it has been a nightmare for organising a visa for her british husband.

put Hiroshima/Miyajima on the list

CrepuscularCritter · 02/08/2022 07:01

Another vote for Japan, subject to the tour guides situation. We went for two weeks in November and had beach weather in Kagoshima then snow in Aomori. My favourite place was Hakodate, where the influence of being an international port has created a stunning city. Also Hiroshima, Kyoto...there are so many beautiful and significant places to see. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Wisteriahills · 02/08/2022 07:05

Just come back from a month in Japan - BUT my husband is Japanese so we were able to get a spousal visa, and my teens have Japanese passports. Some things to think about - Japan is taking Covid very seriously. Everyone wears a mask at all times, even on an empty road. All venues are taking temperatures as you go in, and many events are still cancelled. As others have said there are no tourist visas at present, unless you go through an approved tour guide company which is v expensive.

Because of Covid even domestic tourism is being discouraged in some places and bed capacity in hospitals is being taken v seriously. Some of the places mentioned, such as Okinawa, have asked for tourists not to come.

The flights are expensive too at the moment - because of Ukraine we flew back over Alaska and towards the north pole. (Got to see the northern lights which was fantastic). This means a 15 hour flight instead of 11.

You don't say which seasons you are thinking of but the summer (now) is unbearably hot. We had to go in July for family reasons, but for the last few days we didn't even bother going outside as it was so hot. The humidity is very high and typical temperatures are mid thirties. You sweat within 5 mins of leaving air conditioning and some places mentioned would be unbearable in the summer. Kyoto in particular is renowned for the heat and was close to 40 degrees when we left. I would avoid June-September unless you cope well with high humidity and heat (i.e. think of what it would be like sight-seeing in a sauna).

Japan is great to visit in the spring and autumn so if you have some time flexibility I would keep an eye out for what is happening with Covid and book for the right time of year. It's a wonderful country to visit, clean, safe and full of amazing sights, food and we food relatively affordable this time due to the weaker yen.

Frazzled2207 · 02/08/2022 07:11

agree with @Wisteriahills (spent 2 years in Japan once) I really wouldn’t recommend May-September as weather horribly overcast and humid. Spring and autumn lovely. Winter also nice- never gets very cold and far sunnier than the UK.

turtledovelove · 02/08/2022 07:13

Reading through this thread I now want to visit Japan!!!😀

Brandingo · 02/08/2022 07:15

Ah thanks @Wisteriahills , very helpful. I was literally about to post to ask if it was really not that great to try as a holiday destination in August…. Stuck for various reasons with this timing for 2023.

We have been to other countries when advised it wasn’t the best time of year, like Costa Rica, and actually as long as you didn’t mind a few heavy downpours it was fine (and possibly quieter!). Think I will have to leave off planning Japan until we are able to visit at Easter….

Frazzled2207 · 02/08/2022 07:29

@Brandingo
in august travelling in Japan is like wandering around a big hot soup. Sorry.

BarrelOfOtters2 · 02/08/2022 07:49

I hadn’t realised that about having to be on a tour. But to echo everyone else. Go for 2 weeks and there are specialist small tour groups.

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