It was all fun and games shrimp crackers with the seagulls until a brown kite swoop down to take one and accidentally bit me.
Book your adventure via Klook:
Amanohashidate Cable Car & Ine Boathouse Cruise & Miyama Thatched Village Day Trip (Includes Shrimp Chips for Feeding Seagulls)
Before riding the ferry, we bought a packet of shrimp crackers that were specially made for the birds. We were also expecting it to be chaotic with birds hovering incessantly.
Above was the brown kite that accidentally injured my finger. I stopped feeding the birds and was lowkey panicking because we had no mobile data/signal aboard and I can't google, "brown kite bite infections"
I've had previous encounters with seagulls in Haeundae, Busan so I wasn't scared and was probably holding the shrimp crackers too firmly. I was just relieved that it wasn't a puncture wound. It healed but left scars that always reminds me Kyoto. HAHAHA ge ge
So there, it was a fun experience nonetheless. The area was really beautiful too.
Book your adventure via Klook:
Amanohashidate Cable Car & Ine Boathouse Cruise & Miyama Thatched Village Day Trip (Includes Shrimp Chips for Feeding Seagulls)
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While you can do this DIY, it's a lot more comfortable, efficient, and budget-friendly to join a group tour. I don't have a record of which tour package we got but the current package prices range from 2,300 PHP to 5,000 PHP per person depending on the itinerary.
Book your adventure here:
Amanohashidate (天橋立) means "the bridge to heaven" or "bridge to the sky". It refers to a scenic 3.6-kilometer (2.1-mile) long sandbar, covered with thousands of pine trees, that crosses Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Source: Google
From the parking, you are to walk for several minutes to get to the lower station of the Amanohasidate monorail or chairlift. Our tour included all the entrances, lunch, and chairlift ride so we didn't need to pay for anything apart from the souvenirs we bought and snacks from rest stops.
It wasn't wiggly or anything, it also wasn't too fast so you can just relax and sit until you reach the upper station.
If you find the chairlift scary, there's a monorail you can ride as well.
The sandbar is one of Japan's three most scenic views, and its unique appearance inspires the name - Bridge to Heaven/ Amanohashidate.
This observatory is atop Mt. Monju.
I tried looking many times but I was never able to imagine the flying dragon. Nonetheless, this place was the most beautiful place we visited during that trip. It felt amazing to see this natural bridge/sand bar with pine trees in person.
Hiryukan-Kairo or Viewing Sky Path
You are to climb the spiral stairs to get to the Sky Path that resembles a dragon soaring through the sky.
Amanohashidate View Land
Bending over and looking at the sandbar upside down between your legs makes the sandbar look like a dragon flying to the sky, which is also called "Hiryukan" (flying dragon view).
You can also try this pottery throwing. It is said that if you successfully throw the pottery through the ring,
You can also try this pottery throwing. It is said that if you successfully throw the pottery through the ring,
your wish to avoid calamities and evil will be granted.
Unless you decide on spending a night or a few days in the area, traveling to Amanohashidate is definitely much more comfortable with a day tour package like this.
Book your adventure here:
Everything, in time. 💖
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Sharing with you my experience when I availed the Tea Ceremony Class Experience in Kyoto via Klook.
Book yours here: Tea Ceremony Class Experience in Kyoto
Book yours here: Tea Ceremony Class Experience in Kyoto
Finding the location is easy.
You can follow the instructions on the voucher and input the address in Google Maps. We took the bus from Kyomizu-dera, btw. I forgot the bus number/ bus route but we alighted across the building.
I've been a matcha lover for more than a decade so experiencing a tea ceremony in Japan was a dream come true.
We didn't have a lot of time when we went to Kyoto so while there are three different "classes" to choose from, we only had the time for the shortest one which was the matcha making experience.
Most of the people we took the class with availed the package with Traditional Sweets Making so they were already there when we arrived. If I recall correctly, that class took 2 hours while the one we took was only about 30 minutes.
You'll join the group anyway so if you have enough time, getting the class with dessert making should be more worth the effort going here.
The teacher/ tea master explained the brief history of matcha, showed how it's stone-milled, and taught how to prepare and drink it the right way.
This is a classroom set-up so it's not a traditional tea ceremony per se but you get the gist of it.
This is a classroom set-up so it's not a traditional tea ceremony per se but you get the gist of it.
The sweet above is called Ohigashi.
Something you're supposed to eat first before drinking matcha to add sweetness to it.
Something you're supposed to eat first before drinking matcha to add sweetness to it.
Just had to have the experience certified. HAHAHA!
Watch the experience: Tea Ceremony in Youtube Shorts
You can add this option during Klook checkout if you want your certificate as well.
A traditional matcha ceremony for me. Someday. In Kyoto. Again.
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When the simplified visa application for South Korea was announced, I've been wanting to apply for another multiple entry visa.
I was granted a three years multiple entry visa for January 2018 - January 2021 which I've used for five trips.
South Korea Posts
South Korea Posts
Anyway, there should be no bearing whether or not you've had a previous South Korean visa since this is a reapplication and not a renewal.
I made use of the simplified requirements which definitely made this a lot easier.
Check if you're qualified for this program HERE.
Sharing with you my visa processing timeline:
June 5, 2025 - We went to KVAC in 9/F, Brittany Hotel, Aura Complex, 6 McKinley Pkwy, Taguig City, Metro Manila - this is beside SM Aura in BGC.
I was only able to download the Application Form. Good thing that they print out a copy of the Data Privacy Consent Form so I was able to comply with the requirements. I only paid P 10.00 for it.
Make sure to get download both forms though. Five pages for the application and one page for the Data Privacy Consent Form. I tried scanning the QR code above in Google Lens and I was redirected to their website.
As long as you have all the necessary documents, getting a queue number is quite fast.
Make sure to get download both forms though. Five pages for the application and one page for the Data Privacy Consent Form. I tried scanning the QR code above in Google Lens and I was redirected to their website.
As long as you have all the necessary documents, getting a queue number is quite fast.
Waited for my number to get flashed on the screen. Went up a floor to submit the documents and pay for the application and courier service.
Time Stamp of Photos:
Start: Thursday, 5 June 2025, 12:55:51 pm
End: Thursday, 5 June 2025, 1:44:35 pm
Whole process lasted for only 50 minutes.
June 17, 2025 - I received my passport with a five years multiple entry visa grant. This arrived four days early than what I was expecting. Since the tentative date of release was June 19, the lady told me that the passport have an additional day or two (June 20 - 21) before it gets delivered to me but it didn't actually take that long.
Fees:
Visa - P 900.00
Delivery Fee - P 300.00
Visa - P 900.00
Delivery Fee - P 300.00
Thank you, Korean Embassy for my multiple visa! Can't wait to go back "home."
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