Solo Okinawa Day 2

Day 1 click HERE

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Destination:  Okinawa (Japan)

Duration:  5D4N  31 Mar to 4 Apr 2019

Mode of travel: Solo free & easy, with 2 KLOOKs

Flight: Jetstar - $360 with 15kg baggage to and fro (good deal right!)

Accommodation:  Naha West Inn $306  https://78west-inn.jp/en/

Weather:  Sunny and extremely windy around 16 to 22 degrees

Currency: approx SGD1 = ¥80

Time difference:  1 hour ahead of Singapore

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01.04.2019

Itinerary:

10.00am  Naha Bus Terminal

11.25am  Board Bus 83 to Okinawa World

12.15pm  Reached Okinawa World - Habu Museum Park and Gyokusendo Cave

3.45pm    Cab to Senaga Island

4.10pm    Reached Senaga Island - Umikaji Terrance and Ryujin Hot Spring
8.00pm    OPA Mall

Knowing that a washing machine was available, I had bought lesser clothes, so I die die had to wash a few else I would be naked.

Washing was done the night before and I brought them out to the balcony before leaving, praying that it wouldn't rain on them.

Stepping out was another windy day.

Not even at the seaside, where the wind came from?  See the flapping flags lolxx...  Imagine my hair....

Also notice most of the cars were cute in Okinawa.   I actually feels very useless for not knowing how to drive and I guess it's too late to learn le...

Walking my way to Naha Bus Terminal, passed by M's Garden.

I sneaked in and took a pic lolxx...

Saw Yui Rail before the bus terminal.  Also went to check out Double Tree Hilton Hotel cos it was the pick up point with KLOOK, which I had with them the day after.

There was a river between Asahibashi Station and Naha Bus Terminal.

Yui rail stations weren't big, trains were small too.  Most people drives here.

There was a bridge from the rail station connecting to the bus terminal.  Remembering this had helped at the later part of the day.

It's surprisingly quite a big building containing a cafe, a library, offices and also OPA shopping mall (or was it a separate building?  Anyway, they were stuck closely like siamese twins).

In case you need, the cafe at the ground level had these services.

Naha's bus terminal was nothing like Singapore's bus terminal.  Bus terminal with no bus depot at sight -___-|||  Where were the buses?!?

I had a shock and was a little lost.  This was a rest area for passengers while waiting for their bus, there was even a mega screen for entertainment.  At the right side was a dinning area.

Found my answer here...

Apparently, bus schedule were like hourly and some perhaps only a few trips in a day.  Mine was hourly.  Over here we had been taking our public buses for granted.  Wait 15mins already "kao bei", and in Naha it's one hour or more.  But it also makes sense since most people drives, the demand is not high.

So if you plan to travel by bus, I strongly advise that you drop by a day before or come earlier to find out your bus's schedule.

For my case, I was lucky that my wait was less than 40mins for my next bus.

This was their coin exchange machine, it's quite idiot proof, just slot in your notes, no need to read instructions lolxx..

40mins was good for grabbing breakfast at the convenient store.

Oden with egg, tofu and noodle ¥255.

Cream puff  ¥128

Even simple food like these were very tasty.

Hot water was available.

They had a separate bin with sift to dispose unwanted liquid such as soup noodle, only in Japan.

吃饱了就 selfie.

This day, nobody spoke to me in Korean any more, everybody (including tourists) spoke to me in Japanese.  Wearing haori jacket, believe it, it was bought in Bangkok, heehee...

The bus stops were outside the building.  If there weren't any bus, really couldn't tell there were bus stops.

This was their bus stop with digital board indicating arrival timing of the buses.

Quick snap of my Bus 83 before boarding with these Taiwanese tourists.

Tiny bus ticket was given but we were told to pay only when alighting o__o

Seriously.

So I pocket back the coins on my palm and sat down.

Travel time would be lessen by half if I took a cab.  Trying public transport was one of the best way to see a country, time was well spend still.  The bus drove pass some shopping areas, factory outlets, A&W and around the neighborhood.

50mins bus ride took me to

Okinawa World

Japan, 〒901-0616 Okinawa, Nanjo, 玉城前川1336

You are looking at it's hibiscus garden at the entrance, the little red house was the main entrance with a few ticket counters.

到此一游 pic taken with tripod stand available.

I don't know what are the chances of my phone/camera being snatched away, but so far so safe.

Another one.

The build in tripod stand made photos possible (or easier) for solo travelers, I was very happy =D

(though freezing, the wind never stop blowing).

Entry ticket was ¥1650 for all attractions in Okinawa World - Habu Museum Park, Gyokusendo Limestone Cave and Kingdom Village.  One may purchase entry ticket for one or 2 areas, not compulsory to visit all the attractions.

Coming with your luggage is possible with big lockers available.  I didn't check the cost but if it helps for a better itinerary, just pay.

There was a eatery at entrance, the only place selling proper meals.  Another one would be Churashima Healthy Buffet restaurant which opens from 11am to 3pm only.

Other areas of the theme park sells only drinks and finger food.

Shisa on guard duty on the roof.

Habu Museum Park was my first stop since it was nearest from the entrance.

For those who have natural phobia with snakes like I have with cockroaches can skip this.

Some seemed poisonous snakes at the entrance.

There was poor iguana being chained up.

We don't need to touch it, please unchain it T__T

I went for the 1pm show, there were English earphones but all were taken up.

Not able to understand, I stayed for a while and left.

Outside were sleepy snakes for touching.

It's cold, and the texture was alluring, heehee....

There were a bunch of small ones in the tub which I some how got no guts to carry one.

Some wriggled their way out of the tub constantly and were brought back by the care giver.

There were terrapins too but nobody came to see house pets anyway.

As I were taking the above photos my head bumped onto this and I nearly died of heart-attack waahaahaa....  If any one of them dropped on me, I pass away sia omg...

I hate house lizards but likes garden lizards.

When I was done at this "play area", the show ended and the crowd flooded in, too glad that I left early.

This was a Coconut Crab, which part of it looked like a coconut??

Freezing my ass off at the open area which kept some reptiles.

The cutest was a pair of giant tortoise.

The smaller species were kept in cages.

Indian Mongoose which glared at me suspiciously.

Sleeping python.  Come to think of it, I think I had never seen a python awake.

Ryukyu Flying Fox, a fur ball with bat wings.

Next, right at the side was Gyokusendo Limestone Cave, the main attraction of Okinawa World.

Total length of this cave is 5km, but only 850m is opened for visitors.

There was a unavoidable tourist photo booth before entering through this tunnel.

Purchase of photo not compulsory, so I smiled, let them do their work then walked on....

Glad to be finally sheltered away from the wind.

Water droplets condensed on the ceiling and wall, the floor was wet, so it's advisable to wear anti-slip shoes.

This was my second experience in a limestone cave, previously visited one in China.

I became bored half way and quickly walked through the rest.  Nevertheless, below were some photos.  A lot photos were pitch dark and I did quite a bit of editing to make the limestones visible.

There mini waterfalls and streams of lime water.

They called this the Golden Cup.

Some stones were being saw off, leaving this big chunky one right in the middle of the path, but still had space for people to get through

Pot covered with stalactites after being submerged in the lime stream water for 5 years.

Amazingly, these were small animals living in the streams.

Life saving escalator that leaded to the exit.

I hate my double chin, so didn't buy the photo, moreover it's not cheap.

This was complimentary, so I was happy with it.

Out of the cave meant that I was at the rear end of Okinawa World.

This was cool, but I didn't how to ride, so slowly "crawl" my way out.

The escalator leaded up to the out door area - Kingdom Village, which consist of a few sections:

Tropical Orchard - fruit garden.

After having so much vanilla in my life, this was my first time seeing a REAL vanilla plant.

Not too sure but it seemed that only the dried leaves of vanilla would give out the aroma, I sniffed in the most concentrate vanilla here.

Mangoesteen tree.

Mangoesteen flower.

Pear Tree.

Syzygium Malaccense, better known as Malay Apple.  I think these were still unripe as I had only ate pink ones.

All fruit trees looked pretty much the same until I saw their fruits, haahaa....

They called this hut the Fruit Kingdom which was a nice rest point.

Some retail of fresh fruits and souvenir.

Fruit juice stall.

The was a Blue Seal ice cream stall, but I was too tired to queue.  It's everywhere in Okinawa anyway.

Aimed for warm snack, I was hungry.

I gotten Go-ya juice ¥450 and meat dumplings ¥500.

The remaining 800 meter was a lot to see with plenty of activities.  Extra cash as well as time were needed.  Lacking a bit of both, I walked through the following:

Pottery Studio - with both retail and hands on.

Ryuku Glass Studio.

This seemed very popular.  They could only guide a few participants at a time, so there were some waiting.

Indigo Dyeing Studio.

Plaster Shisa Painting Workshop.

Paper Making Studio.

Weaving Studio.

Bingata Studio.

Retail of t-shirts, tote bags and other small items.

Ryukyu Photo Studio.

¥500 for indoor photography wearing Ryukyu traditional costumes was good deal but the queue was too long.

Kami Ashagi - a place for conducting religious rituals in villages, of course for display only.

Uezu Residence - traditional Ryukyu house.

Kariyushi Square - to greet the wild boars and step on stilts.

This stone slab outside a Uezu house is called Ishiganto, the 3 chinese characters to them means to ward evil spirits.

Bukubuku Teahouse - where visitors could try playing Sanshin, a guitar with 3 strings.

Sugarcane Hall - everything in green, also accessories made of sugarcane fibers.

There's also fish therapy and a little cafe.

Nanto Brewery - beer factory with beer pub and retail.

Shopping Centre - not only shopping also have DIY stations for candles, friendship bands etc.

This hibiscus were really beautiful here.

I found out later, this is called a Screwpine or Pandanus which look so much like durian.

Finally back to the starting point, which was the exit also.

I would be late to catch sunset at Senaga Island if I took bus so I had no choice but to take a cab.

A short road connecting to the tiny island.

The sea view was really beautiful here, but I hate the wind, could already "see" it from the cab.

25mins cab ride was ¥3210 ie, S$40 T__T  The high price to pay for solo travelers without buddies to split the cost.

Ryukyu Onsen Senagajima Hotel
174−5 Senaga, Tomigusuku, Okinawa 901-0233, Japan

The first thing I did is to walk in to enquire and make sure the onsen was open.

Senaga Island is a tiny mini island and I read online the circumference is only 1.5km.  Surrounded by the sea, the undying wind came blowing at all directions like a million electric fans in full speed, chill until cannot chill already.

Naha Airport could be seen (and heard) from here.

Umikaji Terrace was a major attraction here other then the onsen.

It's located opposite the hotel and it's impossible to miss it.

The white shop houses against the blue sky and sea made a mini Santorini.

The whites and the blues were mesmerizing, it was as if these were the only 2 colors in this world.

There were about 40 units spreading across 4 platforms, majority on food and beverage.

I might had missed out but I didn't see any lifts, no indications on it's map too; only stairs, many flights of them.  It's so sunny and sooooo windy.

I came to Happy Pan Cake recommended by a friend but it was sold out even before 5.30pm.

Lots of alfresco dinning and this had hammocks.

Taco Rice Cafe KijiMuna

 174-6 Senaga, Tomigusuku, Okinawa 901-0233, Japan

The above address is quite useless actually, as in you can't find it's location with this address.

So, as I had said  Umikaji Terrace consist of 4 platforms and this is located at the 3rd level, in the middle area, very easy to find.

I die die had to sit inside cos I was so gonna fall sick if I continued to be in the wind.

Food had to be ordered and paid at the counter.

Finally felt so much warmer inside.  Blocked by a glass panel, could see the leaves flapping like crazy, I really had to kneel at the wind sia.

My big plate of dinner came:
Omu Taco with Avocado ¥960, top up to ¥1380 with bacon, spinach and grilled chicken.

Beneath omu were shredded cabbage, minced beef and cheese.

I spammed in a lot this since it was on the table.

Seriously yummy and I ate like no tomorrow.

I'll be back!

I sat inside waiting for the right moment for egg yolk sunset.

I did it again, placing my bag on the table and phone on the bag.  It kept toppling down and when the phone finally stopped falling off, and this was it:

Chio or not?  My haori jacket was legit, heehee...

I was like awwwww.......

Done with the wind and sunset, food's settled down into tummy (it's not advisable to go if you are too full), onsen time!

Thank god I came on a weekday, it's cheaper!

At the entrance, there were lockers for shoes only.  Shoes were not allowed even at the lobby and rest area.  I was blur enough to stuff in my bag and wonder why was the lockers so small.

The reception gave me another locker inside bath for putting clothes and my phone, which I could had brought in my bag.

The above were the last photos before entering into the onsen.

It's really comfortable to sit down and had a thorough scrub and shower.  I think I would get a stool in my house's shower also, heehee....  The lady beside me was already there before I came, I finished already she still scrubbing her butt lolxx...

Already had experience, I started from indoor dips for 15mins before moving outdoor.  We could hear planes flying over but couldn't see them.

Onsen was like a dose of sleeping pill.  I tried to stay awake at the tatami rest area over a bottle of milk.

It's ¥100 if I remembered correctly, from the vending machine.

Checked with the reception for the location of shuttle bus, it was at the entrance of the hotel.  I saw a group of people waiting, so I stood together with them.  The bus came shortly, waited for another 5mins before it drove off.

The shuttle bus dropped off at  Akamine Rail Station.

The ticket machine had English too.

Going back to Asahibshi Rail Station, the nearest station to my hotel.

The journey was a swift 7mins.

Apparently many came from the airport.

After dropping off, I walked to Naha Bus Terminal by the link bridge I saw earlier this morning.
I was tired but still made my way to OPA Mall out of curiosity.

Quite a nice mall with plenty of food options.  I got stuck at a stall selling baking stuffs, they got thousand and one type of flour which made me very excited though I couldn't tug them all home.  Will visit again since the location is so convenient.

Slowly walked back to the hotel and it seemed forever, I wished it was nearer...