September is just around the corner, and we are in full trip-planning mode at Good Journey.
To celebrate Dana’s 50th birthday, we knew we had to plan something spectacular. We are heading across the world for a 19-day adventure through Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan.
I am a big-time planner, and I love mapping out all the logistics, finding the best boutique hotels, and booking tours well in advance. Since our flights and accommodations are officially locked in, I wanted to share a sneak peek of our updated itinerary. We recently made a few strategic changes to make the trip flow perfectly.
If you have ever wanted to visit these incredible cities, here is a look at what we are planning, where we are staying, and a few open days where we need your recommendations!
Stop 1: Hong Kong & A Macau Day Trip (6 Nights)
Originally, we planned to split our first week between Hong Kong and Macau. We quickly realized that packing up and moving hotels after just three days cuts into valuable exploration time. We changed our strategy and decided to use Hong Kong as our home base for all six nights. We booked the Eaton HK, which looks absolutely fantastic and is perfectly located.
On our first full day, we are diving straight into the culture. We booked a 7-Course Hong Kong Street & Restaurant Food Tour. Doing a food tour early in a trip is the best way to figure out what to order for the rest of your vacation. We cannot wait to explore the local markets and try authentic dim sum.
Later in the week, we will take the ferry over to Macau for a dedicated day trip. Macau is a fascinating blend of Portuguese and Chinese cultures, known for its incredible architecture and massive casinos. We left the day trip itinerary completely wide open so we can just wander the historic center and see where the city takes us without dragging our luggage around.
Stop 2: Kyoto & Day Trips (7 Nights)
After our time in Hong Kong, we catch our flight right to Osaka and head straight to Kyoto. Instead of packing up every two days in Japan, we decided to use Kyoto as a hub for a full week. We are staying at the beautiful Miru Kyoto Nishiki.
Using Kyoto as a home base gives us time to see the city’s incredible history and take a few easy day trips on the bullet train. Here is what is on the bucket list for this week:
- Kyoto Highlights: We plan to walk through the thousands of torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, stroll the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and see the Golden Pavilion. We also want to spend an evening exploring the historic Gion district.
- Osaka Day Trip: We are dedicating a full day to Osaka to see the castle, check out the Kuromon Market, and eat our way through the neon-lit Dotonbori district.
- Nara Day Trip: We cannot wait to visit Nara Park to see the famous bowing deer and visit the Great Buddha statue at Todai-ji Temple.
Stop 3: Tokyo (4 Nights)
For the grand finale of the trip, we head to Tokyo for four nights and are checking into OTHER SPACE Asakusa.
We have a few free days to fill here, but I have one very specific mission. On my last solo trip to Tokyo, I had an amazing conversation using a translation app with a 70-year-old ramen shop owner. He has since relocated his restaurant, and I am determined to track down the new location so we can eat there again!
We Need Your Recommendations!
As a planner, leaving free days on the itinerary is always the hardest part for me. We want to make sure we have time to discover hidden gems, though.
Since we have a few empty days in Hong Kong and Tokyo, we would love your help. Have you been to any of these cities? What is the one thing we absolutely must eat, or the one temple we cannot miss?
Head over to our Facebook page and drop your best recommendations on our latest post. We can’t wait to read your tips! Stay tuned for our full travel guides when we return.