Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 4 - One day tour with Jumbo Tours Hip Hop Bus - Course A - meeting place/pick up point (Travelled in January 2020)

Day 4, we decided to join a one day tour with Jumbo Tours. There's many courses to choose from the website. It is fuss free and easy to book and paid online. We booked one week before travelling to Okinawa. It is quite popular so best book in advance if your travelling period is peak season.

You may view more about the different types of tours from their official website.

We choose A course - the tour consists of visiting to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Kouri Island, Cape Manza and Nago Pineapple Park Tour.

But first let me explained where the pick up point is. Depending on where you stay, choose the pick up point near your hotel. My hotel is near Hotel Rocore so I choose the first pick up point at 8 am but need to be there at least 10 minutes earlier, they dont wait. Japanese transportation are very punctual. So please be on time.

The pick up point is just a short walk from Hotel Rocore. (see map)

You can view the different pick up point for A course at this link .

There's many buses waiting at this spot, so dont board the wrong bus. The red bus is for C course.

From the pick up point, I can see Hotel Rocore. A course bus is green colour with the bus number 1981.

I was so early and in the bus before the 8 am departure. The bus will then go to other hotels and pick other hotel passengers.

There's one complimentary bottle of mineral water for each passenger.

They provided single ear headphone for the multi-language audio guide. No. 2 is default for english. Free wifi in the bus too.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 3 - Chinese Dinner (Travelled in January 2020)

After so many days in Okinawa, we suddenly crave for Chinese Food. Surprised that not many chinese food in Okinawa and not easy to find. We managed to find one Chinese Restaurant a short walk from our hotel. It is located at the other end of Kokusai Street just next to Comfort Hotel (See map).

The restaurant look very cozy and nice.

Lots of familiar chinese food on the menu.

We decided to order their signature dish, Chicken cooked in beer. We do not know how to speak Japanese nor read Japanese but there's some chinese wordings in the menu so we just estimate what the menu meant. For the rest of the menu, there's english explaination.

Chicken cooked in beer (this is very nice and tasty).

Sweet and sour pork

We only ordered two dishes to go with rice, we were too full from lunch and too tired to eat more for two senior folks and we need to go back hotel to rest as we going for a long day tour the next day.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 3 - Ashibinaa Okinawa Outlet Mall (Travelled in January 2020)

After alighting from the shuttle bus from Umikaji Terrace Senagajima, we arrived at Okinawa Domestic Airport Terminal, we walked to the bus stop no. 4 and took Bus no. 95 to Ashibinaa Okinawa Premium Outlet. The bus journey is about 15 mins and the fare is 250 yen.

The timing of the bus is stated on the bus stop and the frequency is every 30 minutes. It is very popular with tourists and we dont have seats but is ok the ride is only 15 minutes so we stand all the way there.

The return journey from the premium outlet to airport is the same bus stop where we alight.

There's many shops in this premium outlet and some do have great sales.

After spending couple of hours in here, we return to the airport and there's more shopping in the airport too.

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 3 - Umikaji Terrace Senagajima (Travelled in January 2020)

After breakfast, we took the monorail train to Akamine Monorail Station. There is a shuttle bus from the Akamine Monorail Station to Umikaji Terrace Senagajima at every 30 minutes from 8:30 to 21:00. (Need pay 200yen). Once exit from the monorail, there's sign to direct to the shuttle bus. The bus stop is just below the bridge facing the road.

Need to pay exact fare but if dont have exact fare, can always change the notes with the driver before dropping the note to the box. Once drop to the box, there's no change. The ride is about 15 to 20 minutes.

The "Senagajima Umikajiterasu", is a commercial facility to expand the slopes adjacent to the Senagajima west coast of about 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport. Umikaji Terrace features shops, ranging from alfresco restaurants serving local favorites to Made in Okinawa accessories and souvenirs.

These hammocks are favourites with customers, need to patronize the cafe to be able to use them.

Umikaji Terrace is a great place to watch sunset and planes landing and flying off as it is near the airport. Besides commercial planes, we could view military planes like fighter planes and chinook too cause the military airport is just beside the international airport and they share the same runway.

The place where we alight from the shuttle bus is also the place to board the bus back to AKamine station or to the airport. We decided to go to the airport to board the bus to premium outlet. The bus fare from Umikaji Terrace to airport is 300 yen. Please let the driver know your destination on boarding.

Video of plane watching from Umikaji Terrace Senagajima

Okinawa, Japan Trip 2020 - Day 3 - Morning Buffet Breakfast with Okinawan cuisine (Travelled in January 2020)

Day 3, we decided to have buffet breakfast in Hotel Gracery. As we are hotel guests, we can get the buffet breakfast at discount rate by ordering the buffet at least one day in advance so the night before we already paid for our buffet breakfast. The discounted price is 1650 yen otherwise we need pay 1980 yen.

For breakfast, a buffet featuring Okinawan cuisine as well as an abundant variety of local ingredients

The breakfast is more Okinawa style and less western style. I find the price a bit expensive, so we only try once for the buffet breakfast.

Okinawa Soba noodles

This is Okinawa sea grapes, very popular in Okinawa. At first, I thought sea grapes is a kind of grapes but it actually some kind of seaweed.

I actually enjoyed the dessert and cakes the most haha.