Nago, Okinawa: Yugaf Inn Okinawa Hotel, Nago-shi review

As mentioned in the previous post, this blog is about the review of our second stay in Okinawa.  

To recap, I divided Okinawa in three parts when planning the trip, and stayed one night per part except Naha for two night, the capital of the island and where the airport is located. 

Click me to see how did i planned Okinawa 5d4n trip and the first night stay review. If you want to know how we rented a car and picked up sim pack in airport after we booked it online in Malaysia, as well as how to go to Narita airport from Haneda airport to catch the local flight midnight, you may click me. 

Ok, we stay at Hotel Yugaf Inn Okinawa second night in Nago-shi, Okinawa. This is also where the world-famous aquarium located.

We stay in green circle in the first night, red for second and third and forth in blue. 

Map to give you a rough idea how Okinawa map looks like and the attractive each part.

Blue: 

The capital city of Okinawa, shopping mall, fish market, port to remote islands for day trip, old kingdom castle 

Green:
American army village, more castles (=.=), sugar cane field, awesome beachside, dive sites, capes. 

Red: 

VIrgin forest + mountains (on the north tip, not liveable), awesome aquarium (whale shark & great white!), resident city, long bridge to small island, more local / traditional Japanese restaurant. 

In the red part aka Nago, we chose to stay with Hotel Yugaf Inn Okinawa, a three-star hotel. 

We took a deluxe double bedroom and asked for a bright, non-smoking room. We got a corner room with 20% sea view (yes, this hotel is located just next to the see, but no beach), non-smoking room, but two single beds room. We did not bother to change the room given to this is a room that slight bigger and lotsa windows due to it is a corner room. 

Bathroom & toilet is on the left after entering the room. Small but very clean

Next to washroom is where the two single beds were. 

Opposite of the beds. Fridge (under the table), cupboard, dressing table and sitting area. 

Small tv on the table. 

Surprise! Kimono included

Safe, extra pillow, toilet paper roll and clothe hang inside the cupboard.

Tidy and neat 

If you ask where the 20% sea view is, click the video below. Mind the shaken'

Ok, what are good about this hotel 
1. Reasonable charge (About RM250 per night)
2. Not in the heart of Nago, yet not too far. Quite place. 
3. Friendly (but not well English speaking) staff (gave us Okinawa sand bottle as souvenir!)
4. Awesome, many choices buffet breakfast (included in the rent) with sea view! 
5. Clean, tidy and peaceful hotel. 
6. Comfortable room size 
7. Free on-site parking
8. Mere 3km away from aquarium

Right, so what is the not-so-good? 
1. Old hotel. You can tell from the room settings. 
2. Soft mattress, like really soft. 
3. Old, tore quilt that did not really kept warm. 
4. Lack of entertainment 
5. Nothing much, eg: supper place, convenience stall, around the hotel

Will I go back?
Maybe yes, this is not a bad hotel at this price anyway. Of course if there are any better deal, I would give a try.

Overall, if you want a bigger room (and awesome breakfast buffet!) at budget of RM200 to RM250, this is the good choice. 

Details of this hotel as below: FYI, i booked the room thru Agoda. 


Hotel Yugaf Inn Okinawa
905-0011 453-1
Miyazato, Nago-shi,
Okinawa-ken 
http://www.yugaf.com/international/english/

The next post is world-famous aquarium in Okinawa! 






Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
0904, 0334pm
Rach in slow saturday mood!

Japan: Okinawa: Review of Beachside Condominium, Chatan

I like review post, especially accommodation. That's why i come back so quick this time. Haha.

We spent four nights in this island and i think it was just right, perhaps if you wanna visit some remote small islands nearby, you will need a day or two more. But for the main island, four nights are pretty enough for good visit.

Refer to the screen shot map of Okinawa below, the red circle is where the capital / city / port / shopping and airport district located, blue is US military / township - America Village, green is the natural / dive site / aquarium and yellow is forest reserve and quite town. 

I spend the first night in blue, second night in green and third and fourth night in red, we did not really go to yellow because nothing much there and long travel distant from yellow to red in the last day. 

And this post is about the accommodation in blue. The Beachside Condominium. 

There are plenty of luxury beachside resort in every districts of Okinawa and it isn't expensive compare to Tokyo. If my memory serves me right, you can get a decent resort room around RM300 including breakfast. 

But we decided to choose The Beachside Condominium, simply because i like home away from home, this is a fully furnish condominium including kitchenette, laundry, free high-speed wifi and wonderful seaview. It just cost us RM 240 per night, which i think its worth every penny we spent.

The Location:

Beachside Condominium is 18 km away from Naha Airport and 2 km away from the second happening town on the island, the American Village, fulfill my requirement of not in the noisy hub but not too far away from it.

Even if you dont rent a car, it is a walking distance to American Village. There are several restaurants along the condo street (but nothing exciting). However, you can walk further to the main road for more option.

I dont see any convenience shop nearby, but we did not really explore the area because we only stayed one night and we drove to places.

But we wish we could spend one more nights.

Purple circle is airport, red is the condo.

purple is American Village, Red is condo.

The outlook of the condo, no condo name, no sighboard, very simple registration room on the ground floor. 

The features

Everything you name of home are all in this unit.

Kitchenette (without seasoning la), fridge, microwave, washing and drying machine, full facilities toilet, wifi, cable tv..

Things that you wouldn't expect also included, such as billion dollar sea view (without blockage!) and in room Jacuzzi!

Just scroll down to see how true is my description. 

Our room overview. Taken from balcony toward the entrance. 

ta-da, the view! damn, worth the price aint!

and.... Jacuzzi on the balcony. We spent some time here with drink in the evening. it was awesome!

temperature control panel

stove and even a rice cooker

culinary  

and even peeler. 

of course pan and pot

right size toilet / bathroom

cable tv and wifi

super comfy two single bed (can combine as one large bed) and a sofa bed. 

I love to cook and i really wish i have the chance to get something fresh in the market for a simple meal cooked by myself. Too bad it was just a night.

Oh, what left out from the pictures are washing machine! We did used that through.

For more information about the condo, click me to go to the official website.

There are several condo building and room numbers to be select.

For me, i booked through agoda. Click me to the direct agado booking page.

Good of the stay 
1. Clean, spacious and value of money
2. Fully furnish apartment, suit for family with infant or children that only eat self-prepared food.
3. Central location for those who drive. Short driving distant to everywhere.
4. Good security,

Down of the stay
1. No convenience store / restaurant within short walking distant.
2. No on-site parking. Free public parking available in next block, but i just a minute walking from the condo.
3. No breakfast provided. (C'mon we have family mart and 7-11 mah! Rice ball is cheap and yum!)

If i would go back? definitely yes!

Alright the next post will be attraction nearby the stay!

See ya!


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1258pm, 22112015
Rach in going to take a nap mood.

Thailand: Sangkhalaburi: How to go and Samprasob Resort Review

Ok i know it might be the longest post delay that i ever had. 

April was crazy, new company is having a big project and it is still going on. I know busy working is a lame excuse but unfortunately this is the truth :(

Alright so after a night-stay in floating hotel at River Kwai, we went to Sangkhalaburi in the next day.

There are only two buses per day from Nam Tok station to Sangkhalaburi (as in Dec 2013) - 930am and 130pm.

We bought two 930am bus tickets via hotel. The host sent us to bus station (which is 5 minutes driving distance) after our breakfast.

That was four hours ride, road condition is good although very narrow (well we had seen the worse one, in Nepal). Bus condition was pretty good, new and fresh. We were the only two foreigners in the bus, the rest were either from Myanmar or local.

Before scroll down for photos, just to let you know this gonna be a short post + Sangkhalaburi's hotel review. The main attractions of Sangkhalaburi will be in next post. (Trust me, i'll try my best to update as soon as i can)   

the bus from Nam Tok station to Sangkhalaburi, new and clean

As you can see. 

4 hours ride wasn't bored at all with these beautiful scenery. 

Finally, the bus stop of Sangkhalaburi, just in front of a local grocery shop. Almost the most un-obvious stop that i had seen in Thailand. 

Sangkhalaburi is a very very small town (well it is bigger than Nam Tok though), there are only four commercial streets to serve a few surrounded villages.

This is definitely not some travel destination hotspot that you can see China Chinese everywhere, but volunteers from different countries and local tourists.

If you want to visit this place, do not expect it has variety choices of eatery, massage center, shopping place or tuk tuk everywhere. All Sangkhalaburi offers are peaceful, purity and wonderful view.

For Sangkhalaburi, we had chosen to Samprasob Resort as our stop for 3 nights.

Although there are a few cheap but nice backpacker around, but this is the only one on the peak of hill which can overlook the wooden bridge - Mon Bridge that i dreamed for a visit in the past few years.

Well as i said, i will keep more Mon Bridge for the next post.

Samprasob Resort is one of the most established accommodation in the area (I believe it is the most actually). It was built on the top of a hill where you can overlook Mon Bridge and cool breeze (FYI Sangkhalaburi has winter and Dec is winter time)

It is 5 to 10 minutes away from the main streets where the bus station were, but do take note that it was mostly a uphill road. It is walkable but you better fit enough. Alternatively, call to the resort and they will send someone to pick up for free, like what we did.

Right after we checked-in, John paid for hotel staff to rent him a motorbike, If not mistaken, it was 300bath per day. Trust me, motorbike in Sangkhalaburi is very important (if you dont know how to ride one, rent a scooter and learn, you dont need to present driving license to rent one)

Red for bus station, green for resort. 

                                          

A short clip taken from the main lobby of the hotel

Mon Bridge view. 

Our room was right in front of the refreshing swimming pool

This is the view. 

                                      

 Short clip to show room condition

Samprasob Resort has rooms in main building and individual cottages. I had booked cottage but was assigned to room in building (well thats always happen in Thai), we took it anyway as the view is spectacular. 

Some review said the room is overpriced from the hotel condition, to be honest i do think the hotel condition is good, room is basic but yea, not cleaning everyday, not sure if we asked for no disturb in the first day and the cleaner thought for the next two days also. 

But she sent new toilet roll, water and fresh towels everyday anyway.

Overall i'm happy with the hotel.

Why i would stay here again?

1. Amazing and exclusive view on the lake and bridge.
2. Refreshing swimming pool.
3. Spacious room.

Why i wouldn't stay here again? 
1. Room was basic, bed is too small for big guy like John.
2. Price (well its not very expensive but there are some other cheaper choice)
3. Awful food (we had dinner once and never go back but buffet breakfast was ok though)
4. Very difficult to communicate (Speak very very limited English)

For more information, just go to the office website as stated below, very comprehensive.

I made the booking via Agoda, not sure if anyone reply if you email them directly (well i had never gotten reply from them on my pick up request).

Samprosob Resort
122 Moo3 Nongloo,
Sangkhalaburi, Kanchanaburi
71240 Thailand
Tel: (034)595-050, (085)811-8711
Fax: (034)595-205
Email: samprasobresort@gmail.com
Website: www.samprasob.com/en/

Alright finally one off! Next will be Mon Bridge!


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
20150504, 0508pm
Rach in Monday blue mood.

Thailand: Kanchanaburi: Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel Review

My new job was started a month ago and that's the reason why my time was pretty occupied in familiar myself in new environment and job scope.

Everything seems getting better so i got more time to update my blog, which delayed like a year and 3 months hahahahahaha.

Alright so this is a hotel review, but this is not an ordinary hotel, but hotel on the river.

If you read my introduction of Sangkhalaburi post, you might found weird why i'd stop over Nam Tok, which is the last station of dead railway but not Kanchanaburi, the more developed town.

This hotel was the one of the reason.

I came across floating hotel in Thailand while researching the route, and as soon as i found the hotel, Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel, i decided to stop over and experience the floating hotel almost immediately.

Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel is not the only floating hotel along the River Kwai, yet this is the most affordable one, which cost use around RM250 (breakfast included) anyway, but well, experience is priceless.

So where is the hotel located? 

about 49 minutes driving distance from the Kanchanaburi, but just 5 to 10 minutes away from Nam Tok railway station. 

There are only 2 trains per day from Bangkok to Nam Tok station, aka the last stop of the route. I'm not sure the availability of pick up in Kanchanaburi station (well i read some comment and said it does), but free pick up is available from Nam Tok station to the hotel.

Our train reached slightly late than scheduled, about 2pm, and no one from the hotel welcoming us but some blood sucking taxi drivers, they ask for 200 bath to transport us to hotel. 

I just walked away to the small food stall and asked if the owner could help us to call the hotel, in return we bought 2 bottle of beverage which only cost us less than 50bath. 

The hotel jeep reaching in 10 minutes and guess what, the hotel is just 5 minutes away from the station, i think it is walkable thought. 

Check in was slow but we don't really mind, because the beautiful and peaceful surrounding caught our attention.

The hotel is pretty isolated, and Nam Tok is not really a town but small stop which famous with a few beautiful waterfalls nearby, people usually came here for day trip.

We had no plan to visit any waterfalls but just relax and enjoy the hotel after 6 hours train ride. 

the key and details of the hotel. 

not river, but a lovely garden!

well maintaining garden. 

view from the garden, we don't think the canopy is open though.  

room view from the river swimming pool 

Yes you see it right, there is a river swimming pool in this hotel.

Basically it just a floating platform with net underneath, it is safe to swim it although the river is moving really fast, especially when boats passing by (yes boat passing by so dont you swim in the free area).

River is chill and refreshing, but the cleanliness is questionable, i felt (yes felt, because the visibility was so bad) some bamboo, twigs, leaf and hmmm... probably water bottles clogged outside the net. But yea, i didn't felt stickiness after swam, so i suppose the cleanliness is not so bad.   

The unique and environment friendly swimming pool. 

And this is the how the rooms look like from the outside. 

You are wrong if you think the room conditions is basic, this hotel is a 4 star hotel (according to agoda) and room is really really cozy and comfortable. 

I'm not sure how many rooms in the building, but not more than 10 floating rooms in this hotel, every room come with big balcony which connected by a raft on the river, clean and comfy big beds, air-con, fridge and spacious bathroom. 

If you opt for the honeymoon suite, you can even enjoy private river pool in your room area.  

if you wonder how to moor the floating room, this is the way.

This is our room! super nice right!

This is our balcony view!

\

amazing sunset on the river. 

A short clip of our room.

We had a very good sleep in the night, the weather was chill and i can never forget the scenery i saw in the next morning, the river was calm and foggy, with bird singing and soft sunlight. I tried to dig out the photo but i really really cannot find it. 

Well, as i always said, if you wanna see more, go travel! =) 

Alright so next morning, we had our breakfast in the beautiful dining area. 

second floor of the mail building, amazing view. 

but breakfast hmmm.. well is pretty basic but i'm happy with the view. 

Last but not least, us =)

The hotel sent us to bus station after breakfast, to catch the only daily bus to Sangkhalaburi, so to be continued in next post!

If you couldn't find your answer in the above information, i guess might want to know....

Worth what i paid? 
In experience wise, yes it is.
If you just want to stay in Nam Tok, please keep in mind that Nam Tok is not even a town, unless you have your own transport or it is very inconvenience to eat or explore.
But yea, hotel provide some day trip packaging.

Will you go back? 
No, as i said, i just want to experience.
Hotel and staff are fine, food is bad, location (convenience-wise) is even worse. But the environment is superb.
If i travel with car in the future and the can get better deal in this hotel, maybe yes.

What is your suggestion if i want to stay to experience?
Day 1: Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by train or mini van, very frequent.
Day 2: Stay a night in Kanchanaburi to explore dead railway, hell fire pass and etc
Day 3: Check out and check in to floating hotel for a night (check if pick up available, or you can rent a mini van from Kanchanaburi)
Day 4: Check out and take mini van back to Bangkok.

Alright i hope that help, just leave your comment if you have further question!

Boutique Raft River Kwai Hotel 
103 Moo 3, T.Tha-sao, A.
Sai-yok, Sai Yok, Sai Yok (Kanchanaburi)
Thailand 71150
Website: http://www.boutiqueraft-riverkwai.com/main.html

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
220315, 1026pm
Rach in hating Monday mood.

Malaysia: Negeri Sembilan - The Dusun Review

So John's last birthday, err.. i mean in 2013 (yea i know my last post was last year) i planned him a semi-surprise birthday getaway. 

Why semi? Because he figured out a few days before we departed =.=, yet he didn't know where the place is.

Instead of going abroad, i decided to make it a quality weekend retreat getaway (ok because i had limited budget LOL).

Sekeping Serendah in Rawang or Awanmulan in Seremban always pop up first when talk about retreat destination that not far from KL, but i do think both are overprice probably because of both are really well-known.

As a backpacker (ahem, used to. Now more like a flashpacker), i trust my research more than others, and luckily i did so that i found the below retreat that i'm gonna introduce, The Dusun.

The Dusun is located near Seremban, probably 45 minutes away from the KL. Its run by a foreign family who owned / stayed in dusun / orchard on hill.

They built their home and added a few more kampung / village styles houses in the past 10 to 20 years to open from short stay for visitors like us.

And the crucial point to made me booked a house which on the pool side was every houses (just 5 to 6 anyway) attached with a full equipped kitchen with basic seasoning and a BBQ pit for free use.

One of his birthday celebration highlight was self-cooked lunch and dinner, so this is perfect for me.

Well if you wanna know more, please click here for houses and price.

We checked-in to Berembun House (the house with best view) on Sunday and out in Monday, cost me RM400 per night.

And i click in to the website for quick check, well weekday is RM400 and weekend is RM500 now. 

Ok hold your breath and lets scroll down for awesome The Dusun!

 

up hill way

2 entrances to different houses.

first sight of our cute little cottage!

2nd closer look to our place!

this is breath taking!

ahhhh... what a wonderful Sunday!

Before the room, this is the outdoor kitchen!

just everything you need

including seasoning!

Room is clean and cozy! Noted that no air-con because night is chill in the jungle!

The first thing i did after check-in was prepared lunch, while John was jump in to the pool.

We had spaghetti bolognese with fried chicken and fresh fruit soda by the pool side with amazing forest view like below.

this is amazing.

our lunch

Pool is refreshing but a bit cool for me, i afraid not kids friendly.

Dusun has 2 swimming pools, one is right beside Berembun house, and another one near Perling House. Both are open for the guests in Dusun.

John enjoyed very much.

till he cant help to get closer with the view LOL

While i prefer walk around the place and take photo. 

common area where to have breakfast (every stay including yummy local breakfast!)

Berembun house from another point of view. 

There is a BBQ pit in every houses, you can just do it right in front your house so more privacy.

Unlike the other retreat, the use of BBQ pit is free as well as charcoal and set up.

set and ready to burn!!!!!!!!!

food for the night, just 2 of us, a big bowl of fresh garden salad was on the way.

drool. 

and we saw several planes in our dinner time. 

We had a wonderful night in Dusun with great food, beer, a skyful of stars with peaceful and quiet mountain view. 

Worth every penny that i spent. 

Alright next morning, woken by beautiful bird singing and headed for breakfast in common area! 

Oh yea you can let them send your breakfast to your house too!

Nasi lemak! Nasi in another container! 

had our breakfast with the owner's grandson :D

No one know The Dusun in 2013 yet today this little hidden gem has become one of the most popular retreat.

I'm really glad that the owner hold their ground and not expanding the place, guest privacy and peace environment always goes first.

Noted that they have very strict house rule like never accommodate extra people in one house (the max capacity for the biggest house is 5 adult) because comfortable and peace are priority.

The Dusun provides a quality stay so we should do our part that to be a quality guest.

If you have limited budget and time to celebrate some special occasion with special one, this is my all time recommendation favorite 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
20150119, 0941am
Rach in looking for food mood.