The Most and Least Expensive National Parks To Camp

Above, RV camping at Trailer Village at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Camping used to be an economically cheap way to vacation. Well, it is turning out to be even less so these days.

Granted, camping is still, on average, cheaper than hotel vacations. 

If one wants to plan a camping vacation (provided one can get a campsite) in a national park, expect to find some "sticker shock" costs involved. I last camped in a national park in 2017. It was in Grand Canyon National Park's Trailer Village at the South Rim.

Time Out has posted an article on the most and least expensive national parks to camp in this summer.

Above, my RV at Grand Teton National Park, which tops the list of priciest national parks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They begin it with:

Camping has long been sold as the affordable alternative to pricey hotels and resort fees. But if you've tried booking a campsite lately, bought a bundle of firewood at a national park camp store or filled up your gas tank for a road trip, you already know that roughing it doesn’t always come cheap.

A new study from Casino.org compared the costs of camping across America’s 15 most-visited national parks and found that a weekend under the stars can vary wildly depending on where you pitch your tent this summer. Researchers looked at average costs including campsite fees, park entry and permit charges, meals and drinks, gas, firewood, ice and popular outdoor activities to figure out which parks will drain your wallet fastest—and which still deliver a relatively budget-friendly escape.

Topping the list as the most expensive national park for campers is Grand Teton National Park, where a weekend camping trip now averages a hefty $439. Between campground fees, fuel costs and pricey activities, the Wyoming park proved significantly more expensive than many travelers might expect from a tent-based vacation.

To read more, go here. 

Hawaiian Tourists May Get Taxed $50

Above, a sunset from Waikiki Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following should not come as any surprise since the state of Hawaii's government is dominated by Democrats.

As we all know, Democrats love to impose taxes on anything and everything.

From Time Out: 

Travel to Hawaii may soon increase in price for visitors. 

A proposed $50 tourist tax, or so-called green fee, aims to proactively protect Hawaii's much-visited natural spaces, such as beaches, and offset the negative effective of over-tourism.

“We saw so clearly the impacts of 10 million annual visitors on our islands that in addition to my proposal, there are several being discussed at the legislature. The bottom line is that we need to generate as much revenue as we can from travelers, to help mitigate those impacts," Hawaii Governor Josh Green told The Points Guy. Green promoted a "climate impact fee" during his campaign. 

The Hawaii Green Fee is currently passing through Hawaii's state legislature and is priced at $50  per nonresident over the age of 15, with the goal of generating between $400-500 million annually. Worldwide, protected destinations, including Galapagos National Park and Palau charge over $100 per visitor. 

To read more, go here. 

Tourists To Japan Can Pre-Register Their COVID Documents

Above, Narita Airport arrival lobby during pre-pandemic times. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan has finally re-opened to foreign visitors, but there are some procedures that have to be done when entering the country.

Time Out has posted an article on how tourists can pre-register their COVID documents to make the process easier.

I took a look at the English version of the Instruction Manual. Frankly, it seems like there is a whole lot of stuff to have to complete and, therefore, overly burdensome. Even registering on the site has a lot of stuff to do. Whomever is completing it, I hope they have a lot of patience. 

The article begins with:

Japan is finally reopened to the world and tourists are able to come in and explore all the new attractions that have opened since the pandemic. Thankfully, Japan has dropped many of its entry restrictions, but still encourages travellers to prepare for their trip by pre-registering all Covid-19 documents before entering the country. 

Previously, this fast track pre-registration was done through the MySOS app. However, as of Tuesday November 1, the pre-registration system has been changed to Visit Japan Web. You’ll only be able to use MySOS until January 13 2023 if your information was previously registered in the app. If not, you will have to submit all your documents through Visit Japan Web. 

Travelers who don't pre-register at the website can do so at the airport. 

To read more, go here.

Miyajima's Otorii Gate Scaffolding Removed

Above, Miyajima's otorii gate in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the highlights of G-TOUR in 2004 was a boat trip to Miyajima near Hiroshima. There, we wandered around the Itsukushima Shrine and viewed the famous otorii gate on the island.

The otorii gate has been undergoing restoration since 2019 and recently had scaffolding removed.

According to Time Out:

Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine is undoubtedly one of Japan’s most beautiful destinations. The Shinto shrine is best known for its massive vermilion otorii gate that stands in the sea a short distance from the main shrine. 

Since June 2019, the otorii gate has been covered in scaffolding as part of the long, arduous process of restoration. The renovation work is scheduled to be fully completed by the end of 2022, but folks in the area have noticed that most of the scaffolding has been taken down over the last week. 

To read more, go here.

JR Rail Passes For Foreign Tourists Visiting Japan

Above, two JR Rail Passes that I used during past trips. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that Japan has reopened to foreign tourists again, it is time to do some planning for a future trip and how to get around the country after you've arrived.

The most economical way to get around Japan, saving a lot of money in the process, is with the many JR Rail Passes that are available to foreign tourists. 

According to Time Out, there are 13 different Rail Passes available. All one has to do is select one that best suits one's itinerary.

Time Out reported:

Travelling via train and shinkansen is a quintessential Japanese experience. However, train rides, especially on the shinkansen, can add up to be a costly expense. Lucikly for tourists, Japan Railways has created a host of discount rail passes exclusively for foreign passport holders with short-term visit visas, all of which offer unlimited rides on trains and shinkansen across multiple days. (Psst... some of these JR passes are also available to foreign residents in Japan – more info here.) 

Aside from the popular Japan Rail Pass, which gives you access to most JR trains and shinkansen across the breadth of Japan, there are a number of other discount passes that could also save you a lot of money. To help you organise your travels, here's a list of all the current JR rail passes you can enjoy with your foreign passport as a temporary visitor in Japan. Just don't forget to bring your passport along with you when you go to purchase or collect your pass.

To read more, go here. 

Japan's COVID-19 Etiquette Tips

Above, Shibuya Crossing (or Scramble) in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Those who are familiar with the ways of Japan know that it is a country big on etiquette. This is the way the people live and foreign visitors would do well if they know the dos and don'ts while there.

With the country set to reopen to foreign tourists on October 11, it is advisable to know Japan's COVID-19 etiquette before they arrive.

Time Out has posted the most important things to know.

They begin with:

With Japan finally reopening to the world on October 11, anticipation is running high. While there’s a lot to be excited about, it's good to be aware of the situation to help you have the smoothest trip possible.

We understand that guidelines for safety vary by country, and Japan still has a few anti-virus measures in place. So here are some of the important Covid-19 etiquette tips to know about when visiting Japan.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo: 15 Amazing Reasons To Visit Now

Above, a view of the Sumida River and Asakusa from the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At long last, Japan is fully reopening to foreign tourism on October 11. 

With this announcement, a huge surge in reservations for flights and hotel rooms took place around the world.

In view of the reopening, Time Out has a list of 15 "amazing reasons" for visiting Tokyo now.

The begin with:

At long last, Japan is finally reopening to the world on October 11, and we couldn’t be more excited. With travel resuming just in time for the autumn and winter seasons, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months. Besides Tokyo's many seasonal events, the city has welcomed a host of exciting new attractions which the world has yet to see or experience – you know, because of Covid border closures. 

So if you need more reasons to come visit Tokyo besides Japan’s grand reopening (no PCR tests, no quarantine and no travel agency) after being closed off for the past two-plus years, here are 15 irrefutable reasons you should travel to Tokyo right now. Even if you’re no stranger to our beloved city, there’s still plenty of new things waiting for you right here.

We can’t wait to welcome you back. Let the countdown begin.

To see what they are, go here. 

Japan Travel Survey

Above, the Wako department store (left) at Ginza Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Japan started allowing foreign tourists into the country with many rules and restrictions, the response was tepid at best.

Since then, Japan has been relaxing some of its rules and restrictions.

Time Out conducted an online survey of over 3,000 potential tourists and the results are not surprising. They have posted the results.

They begin with:

If you’re eagerly waiting for Japan to open up fully for tourism, you’re not the only one. Recently, we held an online survey asking our readers around the world how they feel about travelling to Japan at this moment. Judging by the results from over 3,000 respondents, it’s safe to say that an overwhelming majority of you are very much looking forward to visiting Japan despite the country’s slow reopening for international tourism. Let’s dive in to the survey results.

To read the survey results, go here.