Sports+Travel Singapore | Issue 52

JUL-AUG 2013MCI (P) 134/03/2013

INCLUDESINCLUDESplus: Japan Special

National Parks IssueAustria | Canada | ThailandNational Parks IssueAustria | Canada | Thailand

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CONTENTS

Sports and Travel is a publication of Lennox & Ooi Media Pte Ltd (Singapore). All articles published are in good faith and based on bona fide information available to The Publisher at thetime of press. The Publisher accepts no responsibility other than that stipulated by law. The Publisher also accepts no responsibilty for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials.All rights are reserved and no part of this publication may be reproduced in part or full without the previous written permission of The Publisher. Neither can any part be stored or recorded,by any means. The opinions expressed in The Publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher.

This publication and the name are owned solely by Lennox and Ooi Media Pte Ltd, 391B Orchard Road, #13-09 Ngee Ann City, Tower B, Singapore 239974. Email: [email protected] + Travel Singapore is published bimonthly and distributed throughout Singapore. Trademarks and copyrights for all other products, logos and depictions contained herein are theproperties of their respective trademark and copyright owners.

All colour separation and printing by Stamford Press Pte Ltd.

Singapore MCI (P) 092/07/2012

For a list of our distribution outlets, visit www.sportsandtravelonline.com.

> FEATURES

Precious Cargo

Impact of Illegal Wildlife Trade

Harmonious Mix

Penang’s Offerings

Great Innsbruck Outdoors

Karwendel Mountains

Sabai Islands

Islands around Koh Samui

Madagascar vs Man

Human Troubles on Nature’s Jewel

From the Saddle

Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula

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> PLUS

JUL-AUG 2013

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> REGULARS

SHORT BREAK: Vietnam

GEAR GUIDE

TRAVEL NEWS

TRAVEL TIPS

03061220

20-PAGE: JAPAN SPECIAL

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Our TeamEditor-in-ChiefMay Lynn

WritersKonrad ClappSamantha Pereira

Creative DirectorLynn Ooi

DesignerMarilyn Wong

General ManagerAaron Stewart

Media Rep

Protecting Nature

Lennox & Ooi Media Pte Ltd242A River Valley RoadSingapore 238299Tel 6732 [email protected]

Sports and Travel LimitedRm. 1104 Crawford House70 Queen’s Road CentralHong KongTel +852 2861 8746Fax +852 2961 [email protected]

Advertising SalesSingaporeAaron Stewart, Lennox & Ooi [email protected]

Hong KongChris [email protected]

ContributorsGunther Deichmann, Ken Berg,Teng Jing Xuan, Yoon Ji Seon

Innsbruck TourismusPenang TourismQuebec Tourismand many, many others!

Special Thanks

OUR WEBSITE:www.sportsandtravelonline.com

OUR FACEBOOK PAGE:fb.com/SportsandTravelSingapore

OUR BLOG:http://sportsandtravelsg.wordpress.com

Until then, Happy Trails!

The summer season is when tourism across the world kicks into high gear. As flightsand accommodation fill up quickly, it’s always best to book early to avoiddisappointment. For those of you lucky enough to snag a seat, avoiding the summercrowd will probably be a constant challenge. Our tip? Head away from busy citiesand into greener, quieter national parks.

places under the guise of “nationalparks.” And since they say “you don’tknow what you’ve got until it’s gone”,we’re also featuring stories about thehard issues these and many othernatural wonders face. See page 8-11and 25 for our special reportage on theillegal wildlife trade and deforestation.

To kick off our travel stories, we explore2 islands that are popular destinationsfor travellers from Singapore. The firstisland is the UNESCO-listed Penangto explore both its cultural heritage aswell as its green national parks thatare just a stone’s throw away. We thenfollow up with Koh Samui, famousfor its sand, beaches and amazinglimestone formations in Ang TongMarine National Park.

For those into high altitudes, weexplore Tibet’s cultural treasures, fromdramatic hilltop fortresses to colourfulannual horse racing events.

For those looking to Europe, summeris the perfect season for hiking.Austria’s Innsbruck makes the perfectbase for you to explore the nearbyKarwendel mountains for some iconichikes and MTB rides.

Across the ocean, the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec is the location of one ofthe country’s most iconic cycling trails: the Gaspé Peninsula – we explore the various attractionsdotting this week-long itinerary.

Also with this issue is our Japan Special! If you’re heading to the Land of the Rising Sunsometime this season, we’ve got some ideas. Among them include a hike and hot springexcursion to Hakone, a foodie outdoor tour in Toyama, a surfing experience in Chiba, as wellas some rafting, climbing and ziplining adventures in Shiga. Plus, we have an 8-page segmenton some of Hokkaido’s top activities for both the summer and winter season.

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GEAR GUIDE

INSULATING FLASKPerfect for an outdoor excursion orpicnic, the Hydro Flask has a rangeof high-performance, double wallvacuum-insulated stainless steel waterbottles to keep your liquids at theirintended temperature. The flask keepshot liquids hot for up to 12 hours, andkeeps colds liquids cold for up to 24hours. These 100% recyclable bottlesare made from food-grade stainlesssteel, and are BPA-free, backed by alifetime warranty. These lightweightflasks come in a variety of sizes withmultiple accessories like the HydroFlip lid. It's available at all RunningLab stores from S$33 - $46.

SUPER SHELLWith a hybrid construction, The North Face'sDarkwind Shell is a versatile soft shell that'shighly water resistant without sacrificingbreathability. The front of the jacket providesprotection when exposed to the wind, while theback features Apex Aerobic four-way stretchtechnology for improved ventilation and mobilitywhile wearing a pack. A DWR (durable waterrepellent) finish sheds moisture during light rainshowers. For comfort, the hem-cinch cord inthe zipper pockets allows for a snug draft-freefit, while the brushed collar lining providescomfort on the skin. Now available at The NorthFace stores at S$156.

Hydro Flask

The North FaceDarkwind Shell

BOOTLEGWhether it's for a demanding day hike or a multi-day adventure,Hi-Tec's Harrier range of lightweight hiking boots features arange of technologies. These leather-and-fabric boots consistof a synthetic Nubuck and mesh upper for lightweight comfortand breathability, utilising ion-mask and Dri-Tec (a proprietarywaterproof, breathable membrane) for waterproofing. Themoisture-wicking lining keeps the foot dry, with a soft paddedcollar for comfort. The EVA midsole provides internal cushioningwhile the carbon rubber MDT hiking outsole is built to handleany trail. Now available at at all World of Outdoors stores andat major World of Sports stores at S$109.

Hi-TecHarrier

FILTER FEEDERThe portable Miniwell outdoor water filterallows you to turn lake, stream and rainwater into safe drinking water simply byputting the hose into the source andpumping the handle to extract clean water.There are 3 components to the filter,including the Miniwell PP cotton pre-filterto remove impurities like micro-mud andrust, Miniwell Carbon Fibre with a filteringprecision that's 6-8 times higher than high-quality activated carbon available, andMiniwell UF which is a medical grade blooddialysis membrane silk filter that filters 10times more than other outdoor water filtersin the market. Now available at Campers'Corner at S$99.

MiniwellWater Filter

07CAMERA BUDDYPacsafe's Camsafe V3 Anti-Theft Top LoaderBag is a compact top-loader camera bag withpadded modular dividers, offering quick accessvia its dual-zippered compartment. It comes witha built-in rain cover, along with anti-theft additionslike the slashproof Carrysafe strap and Pacsafe'seXomesh which is constructed of high-tensile,slash-proof mesh wire netting – it can additionallybe attached to a secured fixture (like a lamppost)with its polycarbonate locking device and hard-ened padlock. The front organiser pocket alsocomes with an RFID-safe blocking pocket toavoid non-contact data theft. It is available at allThe Planet Traveller outlets at S$149.

PacsafeCamsafe

PlatypusSprinter XT 25

ALL-PURPOSE PACKWith 22 litres of gear storage plus the included 3-litre waterreservoir, the Platypus Sprinter XT 25 Hydration Pack isdesigned for activity on the go. The ventilated mesh suspensionand BioCurve ergonomic pack panel provide comfort duringfull-day peak bagging excursions, while the reservoir carriesenough water to quench any thirst. Key features like ice axe,trekking pole and helmet carry options makes the pack idealfor any type of excursion,while the weatherproofconstruction keepsgear dry. Externalpockets providequick access togear, and thestashable waistbelt helps transferload stress.Available at OutdoorLife at S$240.

The world seems to be falling apart. We’vebeen presented with the proof of climatechange and ecological crisis, in hard numbersand in freak weather events across the globe.We’re losing species rapidly, disappearingwith the 13 million hectares of forest wedestroy annually, and it’s easy for anyone tofeel helpless looking at the seeminglyuncoordinated international efforts to, well,save the earth.

Even as we’re struggling to save ourselvesfrom the weather, we continue to act on ourtimeless desire for dominion over other livingthings. The trade in wildlife is a massiveinternational industry, most of it existingoutside the law. Every year, over US$300billion of illegal wildlife products changehands, causing countless casualties alongthe way.

In this National Parks issue special, we’llfocus on the wildlife trade problem, andexamine how we’ve come to be on the losingside of a battle that’s ultimately withourselves.

THE SELLERSThe absurdity and scale of the problem wasobvious in March this year, when Thaiauthorities thwarted the attempted smugglingof more than 10% of the world’s ploughsharetortoise population when they seized a bagat Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi InternationalAirport. In the consequent weeks ofinvestigation, at least half the seized tortoisesdied.

The Bangkok tortoises belonged to aremaining wild population of only 400.Endemic to Madagascar, they’re prized asexotic pets for their distinctive colourationand the plough-like protrusions on theircarapaces, with live specimens fetch blackmarket prices as high as US$60,000 inSoutheast Asia.

It’s these exorbitant profits that keepinternational wildlife supply chains running.Gains are unevenly distributed, favouringthe links in the chain closest to the consumer.Every middleman between the poacher andthe consumer makes a progressively largerprofit, with even those at the bottombenefiting substantially.

A full-sized adult white rhino horn – anotherhigh-demand good – weighs an average of5.5kg, and brings in half a million US dollars’revenue when it reaches its end-user, typicallya wealthy Southeast Asian seeking an

expensive status-symbol gift. However,poachers impatient for quick cash usuallyseek out younger rhinos – smaller and moreplentiful prey. The poaching operation isbrutal and efficient. On moonlit nights, rhinosare immobilised with guns and wire traps.Horns are hacked off, and the animals areleft to bleed and die.

Brutality is not restricted to the rhino horntrade. To supply shark’s fin commerciallyone must first catch a shark, slice its fins off,throw the writhing body back into the water,and then repeat a few thousand times. Tomake a delicate, light-as-a-cloud Shahtooshshawl, up to five endangered chiru antelopemust die to give up their exquisitely softdown.

Wildlife trafficking looks like good money tomany poachers and smugglers. Half theworld lives on less than US$2.50 a day, anda kilogram of rhino horn can bring even theKenyan poacher at the bottom of a supplychain US$1,040 in a single transaction.

It’s such good money that the illegal wildlifetrade draws in other perpetrators oforganised crime. Drug, arms and humantraffickers, and militias like the Lord’sResistance Army in central Africa, areattracted to the high yield and lighter legalpenalties associated with the wildlife trade.Illegal industries reinforce and sustain eachother, with drugs and other wildlife productsoften accepted as payment for traffickedanimal parts.

The price of the illegal wildlife trade TEXT BY Teng Jing Xuan

Precious Cargo

Smuggled ploughshare tortoises seized at a Bangkokairport last year

Engangered pangolins caught in the illegal wildlife trade

THE BUYERSDemand for wildlife-derived goods involvessurprisingly diverse interests. Activists in theWest often frame the conservationist struggleas a straightforward clash betweenunenlightened ‘traditional’ practices andrighteous environmentalism. Comments like‘Asian countries love gold and this is a goldtortoise’ and photographs of street marketstalls hawking forest produce perpetuatethis paradigm.

It’s true that the Chinese soup at the heartof the shark finning industry dates back tothe Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The prestigethat comes from consuming the body of afearsome sea predator, a rare delicacyobtained through extreme cruelty, is ancient.

Yet the economic and social factors thatshape shark finning and other forms of wildlifeexploitation today transcend borders anddefy easy generalisation. Growing incomesand the deification of money in officiallycommunist states like China and Vietnamencourage the converting of rare animalsinto commodities.

This mercenary attitude towards nature isn’trestricted to ‘developing’ nations. The USNational Wildlife Property Repository receivesthousands of forfeited wildlife products ayear. Its shelves are lined with the gruesomespoils of the conservation war: an orangutanskull covered with decorative carvings,taxidermied animals posed in grotesqueimitations of their human killers, entire flocksof birds reduced to bags of bones.

The US is one of the world’s largest importersof exotic pets. If you attend the CarolinaReptile & Exotic Animal Show, or watch theNational Geographic channel’s ‘AnimalIntervention’ programme, you’ll see evidenceof a thriving exotic pet culture in the States.Plenty of legal animal acquisition channelsexist, but the numerous reports of Americansbeing injured by captive animals every yearusually involve illegally sourced bears, bigcats and even capybaras.

Closer to home, in Singapore, the StraitsTimes reported in December 2012 that atleast 23 Singapore-based web sites wereillegally touting exotic pets – which includedthe threatened military macaw – and animalparts, with approximately 1300 new listings

appearing in six months. Many of these werefraudulent listings, but their numbers suggesta substantial underground market. Stingoperations carried out by the AnimalConcerns Research & Education Society inthe past decade confirm this.

It’s not just big cat-loving farmers andmisguided hobbyists keeping squawkingmenageries in tiny high-rise flats who getinvolved. In 1999, for instance, dozens ofAmerican socialites were summoned to courtover their possession of Shahtoosh shawls.Shahtooshes are banned by the Conventionon International Trade in Endangered Speciesof Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but continueto be sold worldwide, with buyers typicallyfed false stories of naturally shed goat chin-hairs painstakingly collected and spun intoprecious wool.

CRISIS AND RESPONSESUnsustainable industries are usually markedout by their long term consequences, butfor the wildlife trade the eventual catastrophiccollapse looms alarmingly close. The AmurLeopard, for instance, backed into anecological corner by both the fur trade andhabitat destruction, lost 80% of its endemicrange from 1970-1983. Three out of ninetiger subspecies have disappeared in thepast century, thanks to poaching, and theBlack Rhino is now extinct in West Africa.

World Bank reports suggest that wildlifeproducts account for as much as 22% ofrural households’ incomes, but the growthof trade far outstrips the environment’srecovery rate. The resulting ‘empty forestsyndrome’ – described by scientists asstanding forest stripped of its faunalinhabitants – ironically means suffering forboth the exploited (ecosystems) and theexploiters (the very people who depend onforests).

We can already see the destabilising effectof population decline in the wild: coral reefsare dying in the absence of sharks (whichare predators responsible for controlling thenumbers of other species, and maintainingequilibrium).

Countering the effects of the illegal wildlifetrade is a delicate juggling act. Elephantnumbers in South Africa, for example, have

recovered so well after a centuryof conservation efforts that the20,000 strong elephantpopulation in Kruger NationalPark is now trampling nearbycrops, felling centuries-oldbaobabs and straining localresources. The government hasbeen forced to consider cullingelephants, even as continent-wide elephant numbers remaindangerously low.

In most other trading hotspots,enforcement of international andregional conventions restricting wildlife tradeis difficult. Endemic corruption makes itnearly impossible for honest law enforcementofficers to achieve anything, when informantsfrom within the police system often alert

suspects before investigationseven begin.

The case of Vixay Keosavang, aformer soldier with ties theVietnamese and Laotiangovernments, illustrates theimpotence of law enforcement.Accused by South Africa ofrunning an international wildlife‘laundering’ operation –disguising poachers as touristslegally hunting trophy animals,falsifying documents and passingoff trafficked animals and partsas legal goods – Keosavangremains free thanks to his

government connections.

Sadly, the wildlife trade has growndramatically in the past decade, thanks thecombination of skyrocketing demand andweak legal restrictions – shockingly, 400rhinos were killed for their horns in 2012, amassive increase from a mere 13 in 2007.

Of all the elements in the wildlife tradeindustry, consumers, at least, seem to bemaking small victories for conservation. Theearly 2010s saw the increasing presence ofanti-shark’s fin voices in Singaporean andregional media. Serving shark’s fin at weddingbanquets now seems passé and insensitivewithin educated (and highly vocal) circles.Regional airlines like Korean Air Lines, CathayPacific Airways and Air New Zealand haveofficially refused to carry shark fin cargo onboard their planes, and in June this yearBrunei became the first Asian country to banshark finning.

And while these developments show thereis cause for hope in the fight to save wildlife,it also shows we’re only touching the verytip of the iceberg in terms of challenging theforces – legal and illegal – driving thisdestructive industry.

To learn more about how you can make achange for good, visit sites like www.wwf.sg,www.wcs.org or others.

The endangered chiru

Elephant tusks hauled

09

Tiger partsTransported from Indiato wildlife tradinghotspot in SoutheastAsia, where parts areprocessed and furtherdistributed to smallermarkets.

IvoryMost of continental Africa is primepoaching ground for ivory traders.Tusks are moved to the SoutheastAsian transit area, processed andthen distributed to Chinese andThai markets. Within the Africancontinent ivory crosses multipleborders before reachingconvenient ports.

ChiruTibetan Chiru antelope fur iswoven into shahtoosh shawlsin the Himalayas, makes itsway into Indian city markets,where shawls are purchasedby agents to be sold in NorthAmerican and Europeancities (e.g. New York andLondon) or directlypurchased by tourists.

Big Cat SkinsBig cat skins go through a‘laundering’ process: large groupsof poachers disguised as touristshunt ‘trophy animals’ legally in SouthAfrica, and then illegally send thedead animals off on an internationaltrade route that passes throughtrafficking operations along theMekong River in Southeast Asia.

Rhino HornsPoached mostly from South Africaand central Africa, transported toSoutheast Asian markets (whereboth middlemen and consumersare situated) and MiddleEast/northern Africa (where theyare made into ornamental objects).

Madagascan WildlifeMadagascan animals (includingploughshare tortoises): flown intoSoutheast Asia to be distributedto Asia, European and NorthAmerican consumers.

Illegal ChannelsThe Wildlife Trade’s

Bear Bile/GallbladderHarvested in SoutheastAsia, transported toChina where it isprocessed and soldaround Asia.

TRADINGHOT SPOT

Big Cat Skins

Ivory

Ivory

Ivory

Ivory

Tiger parts

Exotic Birds

Exotic Birds

Chiru

Rhino Horns

Rhin

o Ho

rns

Bear Bile/Gallbladder

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Illegal wildlife products and live animals often take roundaboutroutes across the globe, stopping at convenient ports withlax law enforcement, processing centres, regional distributionnetworks and market hotspots (Southeast Asia and UAE),before reaching consumers. The map below (for referenceonly) indicates the flow of the illegal wildlife trade.

Exotic BirdsExotic birds from Surinamemake several stops inBarbados, Cuba and Russia,changing hands andtransportation methods,before they are distributed tomarkets in Europe.

Exotic BirdsExotic birds arealso taken fromthe Philippines.

TigersCaptured in India or producedthrough ‘backyard breeding’ andtransported to the USA, wherethere are currently more tigers incaptivity than exist in the wild.

Bear Bile/GallbladderHarvested in NorthAmerica, transported ona large scale to Asia whereit is processed and sold,or brought back to NorthAmerica and Europe insmall amounts for thesmaller western markets.

EXOTIC PETSMadagascan WildlifeTigersCentral American Birds

TRADITIONAL MEDICINESRhino hornsBear gallbladders/bileTiger parts

FURS/SKINSTibetan ChiruBig cat skins

IVORYAfrican elephants

REFERENCE

Tigers

Bear Bile/Gallbladder

Exotic Birds

Exotic Birds

Ivory

For more detailed information, refer to these bodies:

Wildlife Conservation Society | www.wcs.org

World Wildlife Foundation | wwf.panda.org

AVA Singapore | www.ava.gov.sg

ACRES | www.acres.org.sg

Exotic Birds

BATTLEOF THE SKIESSingapore Airlines (singaporeair.com)

Singapore Airlines’ Two-To-Go promotion includes

China (Guangzhou from S$89, Beijing from S$232

and Shanghai from S$252), Australia (Perth from

S$179 and Sydney from S$250) Japan (Tokyo from

S$325 and Osaka from S$319, Nagoya from S$428),

and USA (Los Angeles from S$899 and San Fran-

cisco from S$938).

Thai Airways (thaiairways.com)

Thai Airways has special fares to Thailand, with

Bangkok from S$188, Phuket from S$344, Ko Samui

from S$389. International promos include Macau

from S$353, Taipei from S$373, Hong Kong from

S$390 and Beijing from S$442. Their long-haul

promos include Sydney from S$831, and Europe

(London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Rome) from S$1,024.

Qantas (qantas.com.au)

Qantas has promo fares to many destinations in

Australia, including Perth from S$115, Sydney from

S$171, Brisbane from S$190, Melbourne from

S$324 and Adelaide from S$326; with New Zealand

fares (Auckland and Wellington) from S$377.

Emirates (emirates.com)

Emirates’ Economy Class Special Promotions in-

clude Dubai from S$533, as well as Europe, with

London from S$619, Amsterdam from S$690, Bir-

mingham from S$745, Manchester from S$796,

Paris from S$716, Venice from S$894, Vienna from

S$946, Rome from S$1,047, Barcelona and Milan

from S$1,098 .

Malaysia Airlines (malaysiaairlines.com)

MAS is now offering promotional fares for direct

flights from Singapore to Kuching from S$137 and

Kuala Lumpur S$185. Other deals include Osaka

from S$474, Tokyo from S$576, Taipei from S$524,

Seoul from S$576, Hong Kong from S$275,

Guangzhou from S$300, Beijing from S$320 and

Shanghai from S$320.

*terms and conditions apply for all

As of 1 July this year, the Government of Japan has

abolished the requirement of a short-term visa for Malaysia

and Thailand passport holders visiting Japan. This is only

applicable to biometric passports and for those planning

to visit for no longer than 3 months (for Malaysians) and

15 days (for Thais).

Visa-free to Japan

Sri Lanka recently opened their second international

airport – the Mattala Rajapakse International Airport –

located about 270km south of the capital Colombo.

National carrier Sri Lankan will focus on bringing in

tourists to nearby wildlife sanctuaries like Yala,

Udawalawe and Bundala.

Sri Lanka is also encouraging local families to open their

homes to foreign visitors. Their homestay scheme is

backed by monetary incentives for locals to upgrade

their homes, while providing them training and publicity.

Homestay prices start from US$20 a night including

breakfast, with list of homes available at Sri Lanka’s

tourism site at www.srilanka.travel.

SRI LANKA’S TOURISM EFFORTS

Citing irreconcilable differences, AirAsia and ANA Holdings

have officially terminated their agreement for the joint AirAsia

Japan venture. Flights on AirAsia Japan up to October 31

will continue as planned, and AirAsia X flights Haneda or

Osaka remain unaffected.

AirAsia Japan axed

Visitors to the Philippines can now enjoy longer stays in the

country with the launch of their Long Stay Visitors Visa

Extension, which enables stays of up to 6 months after the

expiry of the standard 21-day visa. The current option for

long-stay visitors is to obtain a 38-day extension after the

standard visa expires. This new extension overrides the

previous scheme, and can be applied for twice in Manila or

at major provincial offices at US$302.

Longer stays in the Philippines

Wired with free Wifi

According to research from a mobile advertising platform,

the number of global Wifi hotspots have tripled since 2009,

but only 20% are free to use. Among the most connected

countries include South Korea (with 83% connectivity) where

LG subsidises a nationwide free network, and Taiwan, where

visitors can register for free Wifi by presenting their passports

at the airport and train stations.

Tokyo and Kyoto are offering free 14-day Wifi cards to visitors

when they present their passports, and Tokyo Metro is

currently testing free Wifi at selected stations. Further afield,

Niue island in New Zealand is blanketed with free Wifi, as is

Tallin in Estonia.

The latest report from TripIndex Cities 2013, a cost comparison

of an evening out and overnight stay for two in key tourist cities

around the world, indicates that while Europe tops the list for

being most expensive overall, cities like Sofia, Warsaw and

Budapest buck the trend, with Sofia offering the most affordable

night out overall. Oslo tops the list as most expensive, at nearly

4 times the cost of Sofia, while 4 cities in Asia (Hanoi, Bangkok,

Kuala Lumpur and Riyadh) make the top 10 cheapest list.

Travellers can enjoy 2 dinners for 2 in Taipei for the same price

as 2 cocktails in Seoul, while the biggest price difference is in

the cost of taxis - London is 20 times more expensive than KL.

World’s Most Expensive & Cheapest Cities

Nestled on the northwest coast of theMalaysian peninsula, Penang’s charismalies in its medley of cultures, speckledwith colonial charm, eastern influencesand streams of modernity peekingthrough the corners.

The eclectic architecture and culturemay be the island’s draw card, butthanks to its relatively small size,Penang’s lush green nature is never toofar away. With plenty of white sandybeaches nuzzling the coastline, forestparks canopying the north and peaksrising in the east, Penang offers a mixedbag of experiences for any traveller.

TEXT BY Samantha PereiraIMAGES BY Penang State Tourism

GEORGE TOWNSitting on the northeast end of the island,Penang’s capital of George Town is a flurryof colour and vim.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage sitethanks to its profusion of colourful ethnicand historic landmarks, Penang is dottedwith ornate edifices, whitewashed colonialmonuments, and rows and rows of pastel-coloured shophouses bracketed by a warrenof side streets and alleys.

Located on the outskirts of George Town isthe waterfront enclave of Weld Quay, a 6ha.area which includes 6 clan jetties that are

home to Penang’s living heritage and areminder of one of South East Asia’s mostimportant maritime ports. Built at the turn ofthe 20th century, these stilted buildings wereonce topped with atap roofs. The best timeto visit the jetties is during the festivals ofThee Kong Seh (Jade Emperor’s birthday),Phor Tor (Hungry Ghost Festival) and KewOng Yeah (Nine Emperor Gods), when youcan see colourful performances, spiritualacts and explosive fireworks.

Arts in the CityComplementing the smorgasbord of diversearchitecture is the dynamic arts scene thatthrives within Penang’s archaic lanes.

Introduced as the new addition (in 2012) tothe island’s well-known existing festivals,‘Mirrors George Town’ encompasses muralpaintings covering the marred walls ofGeorge Town’s backstreets.

Other annual events that continue to drawinternational audiences include The PenangIsland Jazz festival (to be held at the BayviewBeach Resort from December 5-8 this year)with plenty of jazz-related activities at BatuFerringhi, and the George Town Festival, anarts festival that isn’t just an ode to theisland’s cultural offerings, it pays homage tothe international acts that are deeply-rootedin the arts scene.

PENANG’S OFFERINGS

© Arthur Teng

An annual international running event thatsees a slew of entries from both novice andveteran runners, the 2013 Penang BridgeInternational Marathon will be held at theold Penang Bridge.

Although the race was supposed to be onthe Penang New Bridge this year, its recentcollapse has led the organisers to hold themarathon on the older bridge instead.

The route will be the same as last year’s,with a kick off at Queenbay Mall. Runnerswill cover parts of the Jelutong Expressway,George Town and Villa Emas before returning

to Queenbay.

Dominating the top spot of the men’s openmarathon last year was Kenyan runner, IsaacKiplagat, with a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes.In the women’s open category, FischerMonika from Germany took the leadingposition with 3 hours, 25 minutes.

Similar to the previous year’s format, the2013 Penang Bridge International Marathonwill be divided into 4 categories: full marathon

(41.25km), half marathon (21km), 10k runand the fun run, which has reduced itsrunning distance from 10km to 7km. A newaddition to this year’s marathon is theWomen’s Veteran Category which has nowbeen included in the full marathon category.

The 2013 Penang Bridge InternationalMarathon is scheduled to take place on 17November this year. For registration, visitwww.penangmarathon.gov.my.

PENANG HILLA group of peaks tucked away in Air Itam (atown 6km from George Town) and envelopedin lush green hues, Penang Hill (830m) is theisland’s highest peak, and a heritage areaoffering a bird’s-eye view of the island’s vista.

Generally cooler than the rest of the island,the hill’s summit encompasses a range ofhistorical places to visit, from Malaysia’s firsthill station to several temples and impressivecolonial bungalows dotted throughout thehill.

Apart from the historic buildings, PenangHill is covered in large swaths of rainforest,which makes it ideal for outdoor activities.Trekking and hiking is best left forintermediate-level hikers as the hill’s terrainis fairly steep. Some cyclist can also bespotted tackling the punishing uphill roads.

There are several well-marked trails like the

Moongate Trail, which starts from Air ItamDam to Tiger Hill (one of the peaks in PenangHill). All of the peak’s trails are open to thepublic, but getting around would require amap, as some of the trails are not signposted.There are also a number of guided toursavailable.

An easier access to the hill is possible viaPenang Hill Railway, giving you access tothe colonial bungalows on top of the hill inless than 5 minutes.

PENANG NATIONAL PARKCanopying the northwest tip of PenangIsland, the Penang National Park (25 sq.km)may be small, but the varied terrain – whichincludes rainforests, mangrove swamps,coral reefs and turtle-nesting beaches – arenot usually found in other parts of the island.

With 8 pristine beaches, and most of itaccessible only by hiking, visitors can chooseto trek across the densejungle cut by the well-marked trails (and guidingropes) to reach them. Thereare 2 major trails in the park– leading to Muka Headlighthouse and PantaiKerachut – and thanks tothe size of the park, eithertrail can be completedwithin 2 hours (one-way).

You can also explore thepark with a bird’s-eye viewalong the Canopy Walkway

(1,034m, 20 mins) which linksthe 2 major trails in the park. Youcan walk amongst the treetops(15m high) along the coastlineof Sungai Tukun to reach thevarious beaches that dot thispint-sized park.

Monkey Beach is one of themore famous beaches inPenang; its crystal-clear watersare pristine, while PantaiKerachut – arguably Penang’smost picturesque beach – is aturtle sanctuary for theendangered Green Turtles.

For those looking for a scenery change forthe return trip, there are the options of takinga boat back to the entrance of the park fromeither Monkey Beach or Pantai Kerachut.

PENANG BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL MARATHON (17 November 2013)

© Liu Tat Mu

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Eighty years into its existence and theAlpenpark Karwendel continues tomesmerise its visitors. Covering an areaof 727sq.km., it is not only the Tyrol’slargest nature reserve but also one ofthe most impressive landscapes of theregion stretching all the way to the cityborders of Innsbruck.

The park is characterised by wild riversand primeval forests, comprising almostthe entire Karwendel mountain chainand the area from Innsbruck to LakeAchensee.

The nature park comprises a total of 11protected areas, all of which can beexperienced along special hikes andtours. These protected landscapesinclude cultural treasures, as well assome natural conservation areas andquiet zones.

ABUNDANT NATUREAlpenpark Karwendel is home to ancientforests, pristine creeks and gorges whichare dotted with fixed-rope routes. It is alsowhere you can find rare plant species andunique botanical rarities such as orchids,the Eurasian smoketree and the hop-hornbeam.

There are also lots of opportunities to witnessnature in flight with birds like the commonsandpiper, rock ptarmigan, eagle, and thelargest lammergeier in the Alps. On theground, local wildlife like chamois and alpineibexes sometimes venture very close tohikers.

A veritable natural gem is the small – butquite unique – nature reserve Martinswandand Fragenstein in the Zirl-Innsbruck areawith its fascinating botanical variety. Anunusually hot microclimate provides perfectconditions for the so-called “foehn flora”,consisting of thermophile shrubbery and drygrasslands.

Another highlight of the nature park is theAhornboden in the rear Risstal valley, whichis characterised by the most impressivesycamore forest of Europe. Sycamores haveexisted in Europe since the Ice Age, howeverpollution has pressed this tree species tonear extinction. At Ahornboden, this foresthas found a protected ground.

CYCLINGMountain biking is permitted on all toll roadsthroughout the Karwendel which areaccessible by car; in addition to this, a further14 routes have been opened up to cyclingin the Tyrolean sections. The Karwendel isalso known as an Eldorado for alpinists andmountain climbers, with pristine peaks thathave not been conquered yet.

For freeriders, the Nordketten Singletrailis one of Europe’s steepest, longest andmost difficult mountain bike descents,located amidst picturesque mountain sceneryat 1,900m. Accessible via the Nordketten-

bahn in Innsbruck, the trail features 4.2kmof technically demanding paths and 1,030mof difference in altitude with banked turns,rock drops and root passages to provide atechnically-diverse range of rides forexperienced bikers.

To experience this, you can rent your bikefrom BikeBörse (www.dieboerse.at), whichoffers comprehensive packages from Mayto October including bike delivery and pickupyour hotel. If your prefer to watch experts inaction, you can attend the spark7 NordketteDownhill.Pro (July 20, 2013).

KARWENDEL MOUNTAINSPHOTOS FROM Innsbruck Tourismus

HIKINGOne of the best aspects of hiking in theKarwendel is its convenience – the trails areeasily accessible by public transport (whetherit's by cable car or bus) and there are plentyof mountain huts for refreshments and/orovernight stays.

Near InnsbruckThe closest and most accessible protectednature reserve to the city of Innsbruck is theNordkette, which is the traditional localrecreation area for its citizens. Here you canfind ample opportunities for hiking, rockclimbing and mountain biking; there are alsonumerous alpine lodges or chalets likeHöttinger Alm, Rumer Alm, Thaurer Alm orEnzianhütte, all of which are easily accessible,offering a comfortable place to rest andsample tasty local fare.

Recently a direct link was added, connectingInnsbruck city centre with the higher reachesof the Alps. Once you reach the top, theHafelekar is a starting point for severalrewarding walking tours, hikes and fixed-rope climbing.

Another protected nature reserve close toInnsbruck is the Vorberg reserve, situatedon the southern edge of the Karwendel rangeand is a hiking region known for its easytracks. A nature trail through the forest,impressive gorges and waterfalls – such asthe Fallbach waterfall – along with distinctiverock formations, ensure this reserve providesa breathtaking backdrop for hikingadventures.

Multi-day hikesThe Alpenpark Karwendel is not only idealfor leisurely day trips, the Karwendel alsoplays host to several long-distance hikingtrails, including the Adlerweg, parts of theVia Alpina trail, the tour from Scharnitz toPertisau (Achensee lake), and the route fromMunich to Venice.

For a scenic hike, you can tackle the mostattractive sections of the Adlerweg trail, ahiking track stretching through the entireprovince of Tyrol, leading from the Hafelekarcable car station along the Goetheweg trailto the remote Pfeishütte.

This challenging alpine hike for the more

experienced visitors is amongthe most beautiful hikes in thegreater Innsbruck region. You setoff in the city centre, taking theNordkette cable car up toHungerburg station, continuingup to the Hafelekar, leading youpast numerous mountain lodgeswith ample refreshment stops.From the Hafelekar summitstation, continue east, followingthe well-secured Goetheweg trailacross the Mandlscharte ridgeall the way to the Pfeishütte.Once you've reached yourdestination after a 5-hour hike, you can enjoythe culinary delights of this mountain lodge,before returning along on the same path.

Those who want to explore more of themountain can extend this trek to 3 days. ThePfeishütte provides fine shelter for the firstnight, and the tour from the Hafelekar to thePfeishütte provides an opportunity for themore experienced hikers to conquer threefurther summits: Kaskar-Spitze,Praxmarerkar-Spitze, and Rumer-Spitze. Onthe following day, the trail will lead you alonga 3-hour trek across the Wilde-Bande-Steigto the Hallerangerhaus. Secured with steelcables and iron hooks, this is a trail wherea secure step is required.

The last section – with a walking time ofabout 3.5 hours – runs from theHallerangerhaus to Herrenhäuser across theLafatscherjoch (or alternatively across themore picturesque Isstal) before ending atthe village of Absam from where there ispublic transport back to Innsbruck.

GETTING THEREWhile there are no direct flights to Innsbruck, there areconnections via cities across Europe, including Frankfurt,London and Vienna. Innsbruck is also easily accessibleby rail and bus from any major European city.

For more on Innsbruck and its surrounds, visitwww.innsbruck.info.

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When it comes to beach or island holidays, Koh Samui often tops the list of Thaidestinations thanks to its pristine beaches, an abundance of marine life and easyaccess. While most tourists tend to congregate at popular areas like Chawengand Lanai, there is a lot more in Samui than just beaches and bars.

Most of the accommodations are spread along the coast, while the interior ofthe island is made up of mostly hilly jungle. There are plenty of jungle tours thattake visitors to the interior, and activities include 4WD, elephant trekking, andeven canyoning.

For more offshore adventures, there are plenty of islands and national parks toexplore, each with its own attractions. Wherever you go in the area, there’salways opportunities to snorkel or dive.

ISLANDS AROUND KOH SAMUIISLANDS AROUND SAMUIKoh Samui is a good base to explore nearbyislands like Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and KohTaen, each with its own attractions.

Koh Tao is synonymous with diving andsnorkelling, and the island is a populardestination to learn diving thanks to itsprofusion (and reputation) of dive schools.The profusion of nearby dive sites ensuressightings of turtles, stingrays, barracudas,reef sharks and reef fish at famous dive siteslike Chumporn Pinnacles and SouthwestPinnacles. Those wanting to challengethemselves can opt for a freediving courseat one of 2 schools on the island.

Inland, Koh Tao has a burgeoning rockclimbing scene, where trad-, sport- and toprope routes (in addition to bouldering) areavailable.

Koh Phangan is famous for its full moonfestivals at Haad Rin. Snorkelling and divingare popular activities, along with a bit ofhiking in the jungle where you can accesspanoramic viewpoints and dip in waterfallswhich can be found in Phaeng National Parkand Than Sadet-Ko Phangan National Park(once visited by several Thai kings). Offshoreis Koh Maa, a marine national park that isaccessible from Haad Mae Haad beach.

Koh Taen is a small island just off Samui’ssouthwest with limited tourist facilities. Hometo about 30 villagers, the island is ideal forthose looking for a quiet island time, whereyou can take a mountain bike through theback roads or explore the mangrove forestalong the wooden platforms where you maybe able to spot giant monitor lizards as theylounge near the bays.

ANG THONG NATIONAL MARINE PARKFor those looking to get away to moresecluded spots, a trip to nearby Ang ThongNational Marine Park – a protectedarchipelago of 42 islands – promises toweringlimestone mountains, thick jungle,subterranean rivers, emerald marine lakes,secluded white sand beaches, fertilemangroves and hidden coves to explore.

Well-known for its exotic limestone cliffformations, the 100 sq. km. park offers bothterrestrial and underwater attractions, andmain activities include snorkelling, hiking,sea kayaking, diving, sailing and wildlifewatching. You can get around the islandsvia a sea kayaking tour, speedboat charteror a liveaboard.

At 28km from Koh Samui, boats to AngThong depart from Na Thon and Bo Phut,taking about 2.5 hours. Most visitors to AngThong arrive on a day-trip tour or boat charterfrom Koh Samui or Koh Phangan, and thepark does get busy during the peak summerseason. Those wishing to stay overnight canopt for one of the simple bungalows or renta tent at the Park Headquarters on Koh WuaTalab, where there is a simple restaurant.

LandAmong the 42 islands, only a handful arepopular with visitors, where activities includehiking (some requiring a good level of fitness)and kayaking. The park is home to 16 speciesof mammal, including langurs, leopard cats,fishing cats, otters and flying foxes, inaddition to 52 species of birds.

The main island in Ang Thong is Koh WuaTalap, which is home to the park’sheadquarters and a number of bungalows.It has white sandy beaches, 2 marine lakesand a cave that is home to a lotus-shapedstalactite formation.

Koh Mae (Mother Island) features a stunningbeach with a 20m-deep saltwater lagooncalled Thale Nai (Emerald Lake) that isconnected to the sea via a cave. You canclimb up a wooden staircase to a nearbymountain from where you can get a 360ºview of the archipelago.

Koh Sam Sao (Tripod Island) has a beautifulcoral reef, and is home to a large naturalstone arch along with some great hikinggrounds, while Koh Paluay is home to acommunity of sea-gypsies that still maintainsits traditional fishing lifestyle.

WaterAs the islands of thearchipelago rise steeply fromthe water, only narrow coralreefs occupy areas close tothe shores. These reefs -which include brain corals -are home to a variety ofmarine life, includingparrotfish, stingrays, black-tipped sharks, as well as seacucumbers and crabs.

Away from the shores, seafans and sea whipsdominate, and soft coral isabundant, making them ideal nurseries forvarious marine life. The area offers manysnorkelling and diving sites, and you candive the area with liveaboards.

The best time to visit is when the seas arecalmer between March and October.

GETTING THEREThere are daily direct return flights fromSingapore to Koh Samui via BangkokAirways, which takes about 1.5 hours.

The airline also has direct flights from KohSamui to international destinations like SiemReap, Tokyo, Vientiane and Yangon.

Bangkok AirwaysThailand’s first privately-owned airline,Bangkok Airways operates scheduled flightsto over 20 different major routes, coveringnearly all major resort destinations inThailand. It also has international links to

Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Abu Dhabi, HongKong, India, Bangladesh and Maldives.

In addition, it also maintains its privately-operated airport at Koh Samui.

Recently, Bangkok Airways has been votedthe 3rd place in the category of World's BestRegional Airline and the 2nd place in thecategory of the Best Regional Airline in Asiaby more than 18 million airline passengersfrom around the world as part of SkyTrax’s"World Airline Awards 2013".

For more on Bangkok Airways, visitwww.bangkokair.com.

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FOOD STORAGECommon sense precautionsto keep animals from be-coming habituated to humansand prevent an unwantedvisitor to your tent includenever feeding a wild animal,keeping your campsite/wildareas clean and adhering to

proper food storage. Food should be about100m from your campsite and downwind wherepossible. Use a sturdy stuff sack and a scent-proof bag to further dissuade bears and rodentsfrom finding your goodies. Take about 30m ofrope to suspend the bag 3-5m off the ground,2m from the trunk and 1m below any branches.The quickest method is to tie one end of thecord to a small stick or a bag with a rock in it,and toss it over a thick branch. Haul up thefood bag and tie it off to the tree. Where thereare no trees it may be possible to suspend thebag over a steep cliff.

Scent-proof bags like Loksak Odour ProofBarrier Bags, Bear Vault’s Bear Resistant FoodContainers, Garcia Machine Backpacker’sCache and Ursack’s bear resistant bags alsohelp out rodents and other animals.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHYMany times when you see animals you onlyhave a few moments to get a shot before theyrun off or fly away. So be ready. If you’re usinga DSLR, have your telephoto lens on and yourcamera set up for an action shot (either pickan appropriate shutter speed or have as lowa number in aperture priority mode, set ISO ataround 800). Most people don’t have lensesgoes beyond a focal length of 200mm, so asolution is to get a lens extender; you’ll likelylose some sharpness, but they’ll double yourfocal length at a fraction of the cost.

BINOCULARSWhen looking at binoculars, the first numberrepresents the magnification and the second

represents the objective lens diameter. You’llwant a magnification of around 8 or 9 for wildlifeviewing (going higher than that will usuallyrequire a monopod or tripod to stay steady).In general, the higher the objective lens number,the brighter and sharper the image but willalso make it bigger, heavier and more expen-sive. You’re better off going into a store whereyou try a few out and see what the differencesare for yourself.

BEAR SPRAYA few things can help you make yourdecision as to whether to carry a bearspray when going into bear country: howprevalent are bears in the area that you’reheaded to, and how common bear en-counters are. If you’re going to polarbear territory, don’t even bother. If you’regoing to take bear spray with you, it’dmake sense to get a holster for it – if it’sin your pack, it’s useless to you.

Animal encounters can be certain-ly be a highlight of a trip into theoutdoors or (in rare cases) it canlead to disaster for you and/or theanimal. Here is some gear thatyou can bring with you to makethe most of the encounters thatyou have. ENCOUNTERS

Ken grew up on thedoorstep of theCanadian wilderness,backpacking, pad-dling and rock climb-ing in this ruggedland. Armed with a

degree in recreational studies, he hasbeen working at Canada's premier out-door retailer for the last 10 years, puttinggear to the test whether it's cycling in-35ºC winters, running marathons ortravelling to the far reaches of the planet.

GEAR GUY: Ken Berg

More than a century of ecological misman-agement by colonial and Malagasy govern-ments, a recent political crisis, the influenceof foreign money and a failing economy inMadagascar have together posed a massivethreat to one of earth’s most biodiverseregions. We’ll take a look here at one majoraspect of Madagascar’s deforestation crisis– the rosewood trade – and unearth somesurprisingly close links between Asia andMadagascar’s environmental problems.

THE CONTEXT : A PERFECT STORMDeforestation in Madagascar has a longhistory. The Malagasy have been slash-and-burn farmers for centuries, but runawaydeforestations rates only truly set in whenFrench colonial rule between 1896 and 1960saw more than 70% of the island’s naturalforest cover destroyed and replaced in manyplaces with coffee crops.

Since independence, the exhaustion of majorrosewood sources elsewhere in the world(such as China and Myanmar) has focusedgrowing international demand for luxurywood on Madagascar, with little effectiveresistance from the Malagasy government– logging is now the main cause of deforest-ation in Madagascar.

Members of the Chinese business commu-nity (whose presence in Madagascar datesfrom the 18th century) provide links to man-

ufacturers and retailers in China, and supportlogging with revenue from their legal import-export operations.

Almost all of the rosewood harvested inMadagascar is exported to China; Chineselaws regulating wood focus on protectingconsumers rather than on wood sources.

In 2009, a military coup led by Andry Rajoe-lina removed president Marc Ravalomanana,ushering in a state of administrative chaos.Park rangers and police deserted their posts,and opportunistic poachers and loggersaccelerated their looting of forests in defianceof previous government’ s already weak anti-logging stance.

The pieces of Madagascar’s ecological night-mare were falling into place.

THE PROBLEMIn the aftermath of the political crisis, theinternational community largely withdrewforeign aid (which accounted for most ofMadagascar’s public spending), and the USrevoked substantial trade privileges.

Many industries collapsed, including tourismwhich suffered from travellers’ security con-cerns. This desperate economic situationcoupled with coercion by armed gangs fund-ed by logging businesses, pushed manyunemployed locals into the timber trade.

Export of precious woods was banned bythe government in 2000, but multiple amend-ments creating loopholes and governmentindecision on the issue turned the ban intoa toothless, merely symbolic gesture by thetime it was repealed in 2009. Timber barons,funded by advance payments from Chinesetraders and buyers, took the repeal as asignal of government weakness. Subse-quently, rosewood trade volume increasedby 340% between 2009 and 2010.

The logging of Madagascar’s 47 species ofrosewood trees seriously harms the island’secosystems. Over 100,000 precious woodtrees have been illegally felled in protectedareas, destroying more than 20,000 hectaresof the world’s most diverse forests, and thecollateral damage – an estimated half amillion non-timber trees to float rosewooddown rivers – has been massive.

Moreover, deforestation drastically decreasessoil fertility, intensifies flooding and erosion,and removes ecotourism incomes, loweringlocal residents’ living standards and bringingon food and resource shortages. All this isalready happening in Madagascar.

Perhaps the biggest price the world will payis the loss of the island’s unique species –over 80% of which exist nowhere else in theworld. In the past 10 years over 600 newspecies were discovered on Madagascar,some (like several new types of coffee plant)harbouring great pharmaceutical and eco-nomic potential.

Isolated from the rest of Africa, and split intotwo distinct biomes by a central mountainridge, Madagascar’s bizarre and incrediblelife forms have been shaped over millennia,but could be wiped out in just a few moreyears by habitat destruction. The iconic silkysifaka, for instance, lives amongst rosewoodtrees and is now one of the world’s rarestmammals, with an estimated population of100 remaining in the wild.

THE FUTURE?While the political and economic situationin Madagascar can only be solved by theMalagasy themselves, demand for preciouswoods is a crucial driver behind the problem,and it’s the one thing that we can change.

Rosewood is most commonly used in Chinafor furniture, and smaller quantities end upin Europe and North America (recently, theheadquarters of Gibson Guitar was raidedand investigated for illegal wood use).Successful education programmes havedecreased demand in Europe and NorthAmerica, and if the Asian market shrinks too,a major force undermining conservationefforts might finally be tamed.

Forests Under Attack TEXT BY Teng Jing Xuan

Silky Sifaka

Bois the Rose

CAN MADAGASCAROVERCOME THE ODDS?

Illegal logging

Unique among North Americandestinations, Quebec’s fully-preserved French heritage sets itselfapart from most of its English-speaking neighbours. Beyond itscultural heritage, the province featuresa multi-faced geography, diverselandscapes and a rich historyspanning 5 centuries.

CYCLING QUEBECThe best way to explore Quebec’s charmsis from the saddle of a bicycle, especiallyalong the 5,000km-long Route Verte thatstretches from the banks of the St.Lawrence to scenic mountain-side routes,past various attractions and scenic sights.

Some highlights include the Véloroute desCantons which extends for some 225kmacross the Eastern Townships, allowingyou to discover the region’s villages,natural parks and rolling landscapes. Ifyou’re into historic rides, the P'tit train duNord linear parkway (200 km) path wascreated on what used to be theLaurentides railway, taking you past forestsand small villages.

For some coastal riding and adventure,the Route Verte travels along the coast ofthe Gaspé Peninsula, a region that’s dottedwith rolling coastal mountains, smallseaside villages, plenty of pristine nationalparks, and about 500kms of bike laneslined with cyclist-friendly hotels. Locatedsouth of the Lawrence River, it can beexplored in a week.

GASPÉ PENINSULAOne of 5 maritime regions of Quebec, therugged coastline is not only synonymouswith coastal Acadian villages, panoramicocean vistas, misty mornings and steep cliffs,there are also opportunities for wildlifewatching, fly fishing, hiking, canoeing andtaking in a little culture. Possessing passableFrench is an advantage, as this is a mainlyFrench-speaking region.

While the loop around the entire peninsulais about 900km, the 500km that belongs tothe “Route Verte” is decidedly the bestsection. The most common starting point isfrom Mont-Joli, where you can rent a bike(bringing your own is best). From here, thefull-length loop follows Route 132 clockwisearound the peninsula to take advantage ofthe headwind from the west.

The ride starts easy along the north shorepast pretty French villages until the Chic-Choc mountains – the northern end of theAppalachians – where the landscape is akinto the Rockies. Halfway through the loop isForillon National Park, where Route 132continues to the southern coast.

The easier Route Verte portion follows the

southern portion of Route 132, running anti-clockwise and ends halfway at ForillonNational Park, avoiding the mountains.

Chaleur BayThe first portion of the route takes youthrough forests past small towns beforereaching the protected Chaleur Bay. The rideis pretty easy along this stretch of coast,where Basque, Norman and Jerseyimmigrants colonised what’s considered oneof the most beautiful bays in the world.

The bay is lined with a number of townsincluding Miguasha and Carleton-sur-Merwhere you can enjoy kayaking in the bay.

From here, you can ride inland to ParcNational de Miguasha, a World Heritage site,where you can ogle at 380-million-year-oldfish fossils which display a crucial time duringthe evolution of life on earth. Further alongthe bay at the mouth of the BonaventureRiver, you may be able to sight some whalesjust offshore or paddle along the river on acanoe tour.

The route flattens out here all the way toPercé, passing Port-Daniel – a century-oldrailway port that’s now speckled with fishingboats – along the way.

QUEBEC’SGASPÉ PENINSULA

© TQ / Bouchard, Claude


PercéPercé is a popular attraction where artgalleries, comfortable lodging and fine diningcan be found.

Percé is home to the peninsula’s mostfamous icon: Percé Rock, an 88m-talllimestone monolith that rises dramaticallyfrom the ocean. Close to the rock isBonaventure Island, which together withPercé Rock form Parc National de l'Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé.

The park is a migratory bird sanctuary forthe Northern gannet, with a population ofover 110,000 nesting birds (the secondlargest in the world). In addition, you canalso find other seabirds like puffins, razorbills,Black guillemot and kittiwakes.

You can walk up to the rock at low tide (ortake a boat tour to include BonaventureIsland) and explore the flora and fauna.Access is restricted between May 28 andOctober 12 (the top of the rock is notaccessible at all times).

From May to December, some species ofblue whale, humpback whale, minke whaleor fin whale can be seen along the coast.

GaspéThe final leg of this route rolls past limestonecliffs to Gaspé, a famous artist’s enclave.While it is a city, there are plenty of smallcommunities dotted around. From here, youcan opt for sea kayaking just off the coast,go salmon fishing (a popular summer activity)or ride further into neighbouring ForillonNational Park.

Forillon features pebbly beaches, moss-covered waterfalls, and sheer cliffs that dropfor hundreds of feet. Although essentially amarine park, Forillon is also home to anumber of land mammals including themoose, which is very much at home in thepark’s rugged wooded terrain. Seabirds areabundant here, and during each springmigration, birds like cormorants,kittiwakes, gulls and razorbillsbreed en masse on the sea cliffsof the Bon Ami Cape area.

The park is also home to Canada’stallest lighthouse at Cap-des-Rosiers, and offers opportunitiesfor diving and snorkelling,kayaking and whale watching.

The Route Verte portion of the

Gaspé peninsula ends here,where you can opt to leaveby rail or air, or continuenorthwards along the coast(although the headwinds canget pretty strong in thisportion).

With its Acadian and Frenchroots, attractions like PercéRock, as well as parks like theForillon National Park andMiguasha National Park, it isno wonder that the Gaspépeninsula remains a classicdestination for touring cyclists. For thosenot into the saddle, the trip can also be donein the comfort of a car.

GASPÉ PENINSULAOne of 5 maritime regions of Quebec, therugged coastline is not only synonymouswith coastal Acadian villages, panoramicocean vistas, misty mornings and steep cliffs,there are also opportunities for wildlifewatching, fly fishing, hiking, canoeing andtaking in a little culture. Possessing passableFrench is an advantage, as this is a mainlyFrench-speaking region.

While the loop around the entire peninsulais about 900km, the 500km that belongs tothe “Route Verte” is decidedly the bestsection. The most common starting point isfrom Mont-Joli, where you can rent a bike(bringing your own is best). From here, thefull-length loop follows Route 132 clockwisearound the peninsula to take advantage ofthe headwind from the west.

The ride starts easy along the north shorepast pretty French villages until the Chic-Choc mountains – the northern end of theAppalachians – where the landscape is akinto the Rockies. Halfway through the loop isForillon National Park, where Route 132continues to the southern coast.

The easier Route Verte portion follows the

southern portion of Route 132, running anti-clockwise and ends halfway at ForillonNational Park, avoiding the mountains.

Chaleur BayThe first portion of the route takes youthrough forests past small towns beforereaching the protected Chaleur Bay. The rideis pretty easy along this stretch of coast,where Basque, Norman and Jerseyimmigrants colonised what’s considered oneof the most beautiful bays in the world.

The bay is lined with a number of townsincluding Miguasha and Carleton-sur-Merwhere you can enjoy kayaking in the bay.

From here, you can ride inland to ParcNational de Miguasha, a World Heritage site,where you can ogle at 380-million-year-oldfish fossils which display a crucial time duringthe evolution of life on earth. Further alongthe bay at the mouth of the BonaventureRiver, you may be able to sight some whalesjust offshore or paddle along the river on acanoe tour.

The route flattens out here all the way toPercé, passing Port-Daniel – a century-oldrailway port that’s now speckled with fishingboats – along the way.

GETTING THEREThe province of Quebec has 2 majorinternational airports – at Quebec City andMontreal – that are easily accessible fromSingapore.

The most common starting point of GaspéPeninsula’s Route Verte is Mont-Joli, fromwhere there are air, rail and road connectionsto major Canadian cities like Montreal andQuebec City. At the end of the Route Verteat Gaspé, you can return to Mont-Joli orMontreal by train or air.

As Route 132 is essentially a highway that

connects the towns along the coast, havinga mirror on the bicycle is a good safetyfeature, as traffic can get pretty hairy(especially when trucks drive by).

The best time to tackle the Gaspé peninsulais during the busy summer between Juneand September when campgrounds are fullyopen (most sites are perched over cliffs withsea views) and the bird migration season isin full swing.

For more on Gaspé and Quebec, visitwww.bonjourquebec.com.

© TQ / Baronet, Robert


© TQ / Baronet, Robert

© TQ / Hurteau, Paul, Parent, Claude

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JUL-AUG 2013 plusplus

4 NightsStay (Niseko)

in a Luxury 3-Bedroom House

+ Car Rental5 Days with English GPS

See page 08 of ourJapan Special!

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JAPAN SPECIALJAPAN SPECIALHokkaido | Shiga | Toyama | Chiba | Kanagawa

Mt. Fuji © JNTO

SETA RIVER RAFTINGFlowing through the scenic mountainousregion in southern Shiga is Seta River, theonly river that originates from Lake Biwa. Itsclear blue water snakes through thick woodsand rugged rocks, providing enough rapids(around Class II) to make it the mostaccessible whitewater rafting spot in theKansai region.

Friendship Adventures organises half-daysessions for whitewater rafting, tubing andriver bugging trips along the Seta River,which are available twice a day from 1 Aprilto 30 November.

Whitewater rafting sessions (¥5,000, 2.5hours) are limited to 6 participants per raft,and a minimum of 3 participants is requiredper tour. Each session includes a briefing

session followed by a group practice, sothey can be done by anyone with or withoutexperience.

In addition to rafting, Friendship Adventureis the only company offering water tubingtrips in Kansai and river bugging in Japan.

For those who prefer navigating the riversolo, water tubing (¥5,800, 2.5 hours) tripsallow you to glide down the rapids in a largerubber tube. As you are in direct contactwith the river, the thrill of sliding down theriver is more intense. When you approachthe rapids, you may be spinning a lot, soavoid big waves if you don’t want to flip over.

The latest addition river activities is riverbugging (¥6,700, 2.5 hours), which wasinvented in Europe and brought to Japanexclusively to the Seta River. The ‘river bug’

looks like an inflated chair that resembles abug on water (hence its name), andnavigation is achieved via the hand strapsattached to the chair with the aid of flipperson the feet. Reclining on the backrest of the‘river bug’, you tackle the rapids face-forward.

While these activities last half a day, thereare packages available for those who wantto combine rafting and tubing for a full-dayaffair.

Friendship Adventures (www.friendship-adventures.com) provides or rents all thenecessary gear. Online reservation is required,and English-speaking staff are available uponrequest.

There are hot spring resorts nearby whereyou can soak and warm up your body tocomplete the day.

Located east of Kyoto and tucked withinvast mountains and forests, Shigaprefecture is Kansai’s (Western Japan)green heart. The main draw of Shiga isLake Biwa which is surrounded by 5mountains – it’s Japan’s largest lake (at670 sq.km.) located in the centre of thiswooded prefecture.

Shiga is also home to some 800 ofJapan’s historic treasures, including thecanals of Omihachiman to Azuchi thatdisplays Japan’s eclectic collection ofhistoric architecture, the castle town ofHikone, as well as Otsu which is hometo ancient temples, most notablyEnryaku-ji which is a UNESCO sitelocated atop Mt. Hiei.

Even with its abundance of nationallandmarks, Shiga is overshadowed byits famous neighbour Kyoto; for visitors,it means less crowds to jostle with. Also,its pristine natural landscape meansthat in addition to cultural tours, youcan also indulge in plenty of outdooractivities, including watersports (rafting,canoeing, swimming, windsurfing, etc),camping, as well as ziplining.

TEXT BY Miho Ota

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN SHIGA

BIWAKO VALLEYA vast grassy hill that spreads from the footof Mt. Hourai to the western edge of LakeBiwa, Biwako Valley is a hotspot for outdooractivities; hiking, camping and grass sleddingare popular from late spring to autumn, whileskiing can be done from winter through toearly spring.

Many visitors come here for the spectacularview of Lake Biwa, which can be seen fromany corner of this hill, and a panoramic cablecar (Biwako Valley Ropeway) up to Mt. Houraitakes advantage of thisscenery.

There are 3 hiking coursesat Mt Hourai, each of whichfeatures a differentattraction lasting about 3hours from the ropewaystation. The Kojoroga-ikeRoute goes through anexposed mountain ridgewith views of Lake Biwaand ends at a 6,300 year-old pond, while the shadedMt. Hira Route takes youthrough a lush forest full of

wild birds, dotted with some steep hillportions. A popular spot along the route isa slim path between huge rocks where onlyone trekker can pass at a time. Theundulating Fufu-daki Route meanders alongmountain streams, ending at a 35m-highwaterfall (named ‘couple’ waterfall as thereare 2 streams falling side by side).

ZiplineFor more of an adrenaline rush, you canactually zipline down Mt. Hourai. Once you’restrapped to a harness and attached to apulley, you’ll slide down a series of cables,

giving you the feeling of flying down themountain towards the lake. There are 7 ziplines set up around the valley (the longestline is129m long) overlooking the lake.

Each organised zipline session with BiwakoZipline Adventure lasts 2 hours (¥3,000),taking you around the entire course with anexperienced instructor, and takes place 5times daily (available until November 4).

Biwako Valley is accesible from Shiga Stationby bus (10 mins). For more on Biwako, visitwww.biwako-valley.com.

GETTING THEREThe main gateways to Shiga are theMaibara Station (2 hrs 20 mins from TokyoStation) in northern Shiga and the city ofOtsu in the south where most of Shiga’spopulation resides, which is easilyaccessible from Kyoto and Osaka viahigh-speed trains (10- and 40-minutesrespectively).

Most of Shiga’s ancient towns andattractions lie along the shores of LakeBiwa, meaning you can easily take in acultural tour and enjoy the great outdoorsat the same time. For more on Shiga,visit http://en.biwako-visitors.jp.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE IN SHIGA

©Yasufumi Nishi/JNTO

03JAPAN SPECIAL

While Toyama is not a glamorous citylike Tokyo or Osaka or a historical bigshot like Kyoto, it is a place to unwindand take in the subtle beauty of itstraditional culture, hospitality and vastnature. Toyama is home to the famousShirakawa-go (a collection of UNESCO-listed thatched-roof farmhouses) andthe dramatic Kurobe Gorge, which isdotted with hot springs and accessiblevia the scenic Kurobe Gorge Railway.

Tucked between the soaring Tateyamamountain range (at over 3,000m) andToyama Bay, the prefecture of Toyamais blessed with natural resources. Theregion experiences one of the world’sheaviest snowfalls, resulting in plentifulwater sources from the Tateyamamountains that has cradled its rich

agriculture and marine life. Toyama’sself-sustainable nature has alsomanaged to preserved its culture andindustry for centuries.

However, the exodus of many of itsyounger residents to nearbymetropolises like Tokyo and Osaka hasmeant that Toyama’s natural bounty mayhave been underappreciated. This hasled young business owners and civilworkers of NPO Toyama Style to designunique “sightfeeling” (instead of“sightseeing”) tours that let visitorsexperience the unspoiled charms oftheir native land.

ADVENTURE FOODIE TOURSOne such tour is the “Nippon TravelRestaurant in Toyama” series. Despite itsname, these tours are more than just agourmet tour – they create an opportunityfor a face-to-face connection betweenconsumers and regional producers, a vitallink to protect and sustain the industry forthe generations to come. Participants willalso get to experience genuine regionalculture and entertainment to make theexperience more meaningful and memorable.

As Japan prides itself on seasonal foods,these tours are run throughout the year tofeature different seasonal produce accordingto the time of the year.

TEXT BY Miho Ota TOYAMA’S HANDS-ON DINING

NIPPON TRAVEL RESTAURANTNippon Travel Restaurant’s tours usuallyaccept up to 20 people and are organisedirregularly throughout the year. Most toursare 2 days long and cost ¥20,000, excludingthe transportation to Toyama and lodging.

For more, visit toyamastyle.jp (Japaneseonly) or their FB site at fb.com/toyamastyle.If you don’t speak Japanese, you can emailthem ([email protected]) andrequest for their English-speaking staff tocome along.

GETTING THEREToyama is accessible by air, rail and roadfrom Tokyo. Toyama’s airport has connec-tions to Tokyo as well as internationaldestinations like Shanghai and Seoul, andits railway station has frequent connectionsto Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, with a journeytime of about 3 hours.

© JNTO

©Tateyama Kurobe Kanko/JNTO

©Gokayama tourist office/JNTO

Farm Fresh FoodRice produced in the expansive Toyamaplains puts the beautiful Nanto city at theheart of the rice producing region, with acolour palette that changes throughout theyear. The vibrant green stretches all the wayto the ridges of the mountains in earlysummer, and in a few months, the entirevicinity becomes a golden carpet ready tobe harvested.

A popular stopping point along the tour isMr. Yoshida’s pad situated in the middle ofthe Toyama plains. The local farmer treatsguests to his homegrown products, fromfreshly harvested vegetables to rice, cookedin a local style. Some tours even combinethe hike up a nearby trail to cook freshlyharvested rice on the mountaintopoverlooking beautiful paddies that stretch allthe way to Toyama Bay.

Combining Craft with TastingAnother popular tour is one that combinesToyama’s renowned sake brewing industryand the country’s largest and oldest metalcasting industry. There is a tour that involvescustom-making your own 100% tin sakecup, followed by a visit to a brewery whereyou get to taste sake with it.

At a 3-hour workshop at Takata Seiki(www.imono.com), a local tin castingcompany, you get to experience the entirecasting process from sand casting topolishing. Takaoka city (where Takata Seikiis located) has a 400-year history of aflourishing metal casting industry – mainly

for copper and brass Buddhist ornaments –and continues to be innovative; soft, pure tinproducts, including the sake cup which isbelieved to make sake taste mild and clear,is an example of their latest innovation.

During the tour, not only will you get toexperience the oldest methods of casting,you can also taste fresh sake from your veryown handmade cup. For more on these tincups, visit www.japanstore.jp (in English).

Hiking ToursA trip to Toyama is not complete withoutvisiting the Tateyama mountain range in thesoutheast edge of the prefecture. Althoughit is most famous for the popular alpine route’ssnow corridor which resembles a 20m tallcrevasse (open from mid-April to late May),trekking in the summer and autumn has itscharms as well.

In collaboration with Travearth(www.travearth.jp), experienced local climbingguides provide trekking and camping tourswithin the Tateyama ranges, enabling NipponTravel Restaurant to provide interesting andlocalised treks with specialist knowledge andopportunities to taste local delicacies.

Squid FishingThe tours also take you to Toyama Bay,known locally as the sea of “mystery” and“prosperity”. The bay goes down as deep

as 1,200m, and is home to a wide variety ofcold- and warm-water, surface- and deep-water marine life, as well as the world’s oldestsubmarine forest.

It is here, from March to June, that the surfaceof the sea is carpeted with thousands of

firefly squid, both a famous delicacy of theregion and the creatures behind themysterious illuminations that etch the baywith an enigmatic glow. If you’re in the vicinity,you can jump aboard one of the many squid-fishing ships for a night-time cruise to harvestthese illuminated morsels.

05JAPAN SPECIAL

Hakone is the closest hot spring resortfrom Tokyo, at only a 90-minute trainride away from Shinjuku station.

This little onsen town is surrounded bythe high peaks of the Hakone mountainranges, which was created as a resultof ancient volcanic activity along withthe beautiful crater lake, Lake Ashi,which lies along the western edge ofthe town. The volcanic activity has alsocreated countless sources of hot springsaround the town with a wide spectrumof spring quality.

Hakone has long been a popular hotspring spot, first appearing in historicdocuments in 757, but it blossomedespecially since early 1600s when thecountry’s capital moved from Kyoto toEdo (current Tokyo).

The abundant hot springs of Hakonewere initially valued mainly for medicinal

use, but after the launch of the Odakyurailway connecting Tokyo and Hakone,tourism started to blossom. Its naturalbeauty – with views of the Hakonemountains, Lake Ashi, Mt. Fuji and thePacific Ocean – has made it into oneof the most popular destinations fromTokyo, especially since the area wasdesignated as Hakone National Park in1936.

Popular tourist destinations in Hakoneare located mostly inside the Hakonebasin, which is a local train ride andadditional funicular ride away fromHakone-Yumoto station (the gatewayto Hakone). These spots let you enjoya variety of hiking and trekking routesin the rugged mountains, scenic rideson the ropeway overlooking themountains and lake, as well as cruisesaround the lake.

BY Miho Ota

HIKING AND HOT SPRINGS IN HAKONE

GETTING THEREFrom Tokyo, the Odakyu line from Shinjuku stationtakes you direct to Hakone-Yumoto in 90 minutes.Alternatively, you can take the local train to Odawaraand transfer to Hakone-Yumoto station.

© Kanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association

MT. KINTOKIThose who prefer a more laid back, lesstouristy day trip from Tokyo can opt to gohiking on Mt. Kintoki (1,231m). This relativelyeasy half-day hike lets you enjoy views ofall of Hakone’s highlights including thebeautiful mountain ranges, Lake Ashi, theSuruga Bay opening into the Pacific, andthe spectacular view of Mt. Fuji from the topof Mt. Kintoki.

There are 4 routes in the Mt. Kintoki area,including the Kintoki Shrine Course, AshigaraToge Course, Otome Toge Course and theKintokiyama Course.

The Otome Toge (4.7km, 2.5 hrs) route takesyou through a wooded area for the first thirdof the trail before it suddenly becomesexposed. In the middle section, a trail is cutthrough a dense forest of arrow bamboo, asif shaved from a thick green carpet (similar

patches of arrow bamboo cover theneighbouring mountains). The last stretch ofthe trail gets quite steep, and the section isequipped with ropes in some parts, sincethey are rocky and bare. There is a view ofthe town spread below the mountain.

The summit of Mt. Kintoki is deep in thismountainous region, and you have to ascenda few peaks before reaching it. At Kintoki’ssummit is a symbolic axe (which is a popularphoto spot) of a legendary local hero, KintokiSakata (for whom the mountain is named),who is said to have been the strongest manin Japan during the Heian period.

There are two cabins at the top of Mt. Kintokiwhere you can purchase snacks and enjoywarm udon and soba noodles at the picnictable or on one of the large rocks aroundthe peak when it’s warm out. On a clear day,the view from the top is worth the entire hike,

encompassing the magnificent Mt. Fuji, LakeAshi and Sengokuhara which is famous forits patch of Japanese silver grass.

Access to the route is slightly tricky withoutlocal knowledge, so it’s essential to take amap with you. The trailhead is about a 5-minute walk from “Otome-toge” stop alongthe Hakone-Yumoto station to Myanoshitabus route. The bus winds through mountainroads which are carpeted in lush green insummer and vibrant foliage in autumn,making this slightly bumpy 40-minute rideworth the trip alone.

The Kintoki-yama (Mt. Kintoki) Hiking Passincludes a 1-day pass for buses betweenHakone-Yumoto and Miyanoshita stations(a cheaper alternative to return tickets) anddiscounts on some merchandise at themountain cabin on top of Mt. Kintoki.

HOT SPRINGSHakone has been one of Japan’s mostpopular hot spring (onsen) destinations forcenturies. Over a dozen springs havebecome a source for the many hot springbath houses in the Hakone region, stretchingall the way to the shores of Lake Ashi.

Located at the entrance to the Hakone area(near Odawara station), Yumoto is Hakone’smost famous hot spring zone with aparticularly long history and high waterquality. This has led to the profusion of bathsand inns (ryokan), many of which are alsoopen for daytime visitors (fees are typically500 to 2,000 yen).

After a long day’s hike, it has become a ritualto soak in Hakone’s famous therapeutic hotsprings. One of the newest resorts is HakoneYuryo, which is a day-use hot spring spa.

The whole complex is relatively compact,but it offers great views from the baths which

are situated on a wooded hill. The spa isdesigned in an authentic traditional style,decorated with genuine antiques collectedfrom all around the country to give it the feelof a rustic yet modern farm house in thecountryside.

The clear spring water is ideal for easingjoint pains and fatigue. There are a numberof private outdoor baths and shared indoorand outdoor baths, all connected via gardenpaths. The collection of shared outdoor baths(rotenburo), placed at different levels on theslope, is surrounded by woods and evokesthe feeling of bathing in the middle of a forest.

You can end the day with a meal cooked onthe restaurant’s open hearth grill.

Hakone Yuryo (www.hakoneyuryo.jp) isaccessible by a free 3-minute shuttle servicefrom Hakone-Yumoto station. There are 19private outdoor baths (from ¥3,800/hour),each with its own relaxing space.

©Odakyu Electric Railway/JNTO

©Odakyu Electric Railway/JNTO

07JAPAN SPECIAL

Hokkaido is a nature lover’s paradise withwide open areas, pristine national parks anda huge selection of topographies to explore.

There are six national parks in Hokkaido andfive quasi-national parks. Shikotsu-ToyaNational Park is the area surrounding thetwo pristine lakes of Toya and Shikotsu. Thisnational park has some amazing mountainsto hike including Eniwa-dake and Tarumae-zan, as well as the two beautiful lakes.

Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park is also the quasi-national parkthat surrounds the coastline from west ofNiseko in Iwanai, all the way around to thecoastline north of Niseko in Otaru. There aremany beautiful places to camp along therugged coastline, including some nicebeaches.

A little further from Niseko is the DaisetsuzanNational Park, which is Japan’s largestnational park. The heart of the park is thegiant Daisetsuzan mountain range, with ahost of peaks that stretch above 2,000m.There are numerous hiking options that rangefrom a few hours (with a cable car), to agrand traverse that visits many of the peaksand spans several days and over 55kms.

Even further from Niseko is the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park that has the beautifuland remote islands of Rishiri and Rebun,perfect for hiking and enjoying nature.

Last but not least is the beautiful and pristineShiretoko National Park in east Hokkaido.It’s known as being the most remote area ofJapan (notably in winter) and is refuge forlarge populations of deer and bear.

HokkaidoTravelling in GETTING THERE AND AROUND

Hokkaido’s wide open spaces are bestexplored either on self drives or on coachtours. An international driving permit isneeded when hiring a car in Japan.

Hokkaido is blessed with extensive wideroads, coupled with lack of traffic congestion,making it perfect for a leisurely drive. Youcan explore the coast of Shakotan, theflowers of Biei or the enchanting Shikotsu-Toya National Park either as day-trips or partof a multi-day circuit. For driving itineraries,visit www.hokkaido-drive.jp.

Coach tours take the hassle of driving awayand are available as 1, 2 or 3-day options.These include Furano and Biei’s Lavender1-Day Tour (¥6,500) where you can sampleHokkaido’s signature foods, and the Furano-Asahiyama 2-Day Tour (¥13,000), whichincludes a trip to the famous Asahiyama Zoo.The more extensive 3-Day Noboribetsu-Toya-Hakodate (¥19,800) tour incorporates historicsites and breathtaking natural parks. Visitwww.access-n.jp for more.

© JNTO

© Niseko Promotion Board

PRODUCED BYRoomBoss andPowderlife

NEW CHITOSE AIRPORTThe main point of entry into Hokkaido, theNew Chitose Airport is 50km from Sapporo.Apart from car rental (and bus and trainconnections), the airport complex offersshopping, dining and entertainment facilities,including the Royce Chocolate Factory andOnsen Manyonoyu, a hot spring bathhouse.

NISEKOOne of Japan’s most popular all-seasonresorts, Niseko is centered around MountNiseko-Annupuri and has excellentmodern accommodation options, inaddition to a wide variety of food,activities and nature tours. It’s a goodbase from which to explore surroundingareas, like Shikotsu-Toya National Park,Sapporo and Hakodate.

SHAKOTANThe rugged coastline of the Shakotanpeninsula is surrounded by clear bluewaters, where you can enjoy a varietyof outdoor sports like hiking upShakotan-dake and sea kayaking (thearea is also Hokkaido's only sea park).The area is renowed for its seafood(don't miss Katsuei Sushi in Kamoenai)as well as its hot spring resorts.

LAKE TOYAPart of Shikotsu-Toya National Park,this caldera lake is within eyeshot ofthe active volcano, Mt.Usu. The hotsprings here are well regarded – atKohantei ryokan, there are superbviews of the lake and mountains fromtheir outdoor bath that’s 32m abovethe lake. Forests, waterfalls andcampsites dot the lake’s edge, andfishing is a popular activity here.

NOBORIBETSUOne of Japan's most famous onsentowns, a large amount of Noboribetsu'smany types of hot spring watersurfaces in the Jigokudani (Hell Valley)where yellowy gray volcanic gas spewsfrom the surface of the rocks. Otherattractions include Edo Town and theJikoku Festival (23-25 Aug). Part ofShikotsu-Toya National Park, it is alsohome to Noboribetsu Primeval Forest.

FURANOFurano (and neighbouring Biei) are locatedin the centre of Hokkaido, known for theirpicturesque rural landscapes. In July thelavender fields are in bloom, while in winterFurano turns into a popular ski resort.Outdoor activities include rafting down theSorachi-gawa River and hot-air ballooning.Every summer, Furano hosts a “belly button”festival, when participants draw funny faceson their bellies and dance in the street.

Hot SpotsA popular base for exploring Hokkaido’stop spots is Niseko, from where it’s withina 2-hour trip to many attractions,including Sapporo, Shakotan, Lake Toyaand Noboribetsu. In addition, Niseko hasplenty of attractions to offer in summer,including hiking, biking and rafting tours.

The following 6 destinations are easilyaccessible by self drive or coach tours.A 4-5 day itinerary would allow you tocover most of these sites.

© Farm Tomita

© Yasufumi Nishi / JNTO

© JNTO

© Toyako Tourist Association © Noboribetsu Tourism

09JAPAN SPECIAL

While Niseko is known as a premier winterdestination, the summer season brings noshortage of outdoor activities.

ACTIVITIESHiking & RunningNiseko is surrounded by mountains dottedwith a variety of walks and hikes suitable forall abilities. For strong climbers there arecourses up Mt. Yotei (including the popular4.5km Makkari route at 8 hours round trip),courses that traverse the Niseko mountainrange, as well as Mt. Iwaonupuri, Mt.Asahidake and Mt. Tarumae.

For less experienced climbers, there areplenty of trails around Lake Shinsen-numaor around the upper wetland area.

Hokkaido has seen a growth in runners inrecent years, thanks to the growth in trailrunning and tabi-run (destination running).Runners based in Niseko can explore popularroutes along lightly travelled roads surround-ed by fields sewn with summer produce.

For wildlife enthusiasts, various kinds ofanimals, birds, and flowers can be foundalong nature tours with experienced natureguides on early-morning and night tours.

Rafting and CanoeingRafting and canoeing can be done along thefairly gentle Shiribetsu River. However, fromApril to May, the meltwater from nearbymountains transforms the river into a ragingtorrent for those looking for a thrilling descent.Plenty of outdoor adventure companies inthe Niseko area offer rafting and canoeingtrips, which are ideal for all abilities.

CyclingFrom relaxed, meandering rural roads tochallenging mountain roads (like the looparound Mt. Yotei), Niseko is dotted with avariety of cycling courses. Hokkaido has agood mix of flats, rolling hills, and steeperclimbs, and a road cycling trip can be hadwithin 30-40km loops throughout the island.

There is also a profusion of cross-countrytrails and downhill courses around Niseko;located at the base of the Annupuri Ranges,it’s an ideal location for setting up north-shore style ramps and jumps, with newsections built on a regular basis.

For established trails, many ski resorts opentheir doors (and lifts) to mountain bikingenthusiasts. Hanazono, Niseko Village andthe Niseko Annupuri area maintain bike trails.

Further afield, Furano and Otaru also offeraccess to their high-speed lift and designatedtrails for riders of all ability levels.

Offroad tours are available in Niseko from anumber of providers, with several optionsexploring the Mt. Annupuri and Mt. Yoteifootlands. Rhythm Cycles offers tune up andrepairs if travelling with your own gear.

OthersSummer is also ideal for a spot of canyoning,hot-air balloon rides, as well as horse riding,where you can saunter through Niseko’sbeautiful natural surroundings.

DAY TRIPSAn ideal (and very traditional) way to relaxafter a long day on the roads/trails is to hitan onsen (hot spring) to soak your muscles.Onsen resorts are available in Niseko, but ashort drive away will bring you to 2 ofHokkaido’s famous hot spring areas:Noboribetsu and Lake Toya. The former hasup to 9 sources of hot spring water and anabundance of large-scale hot spring resorts,while the latter is located along thepicturesque Lake Toya where you can havea view of the lake and Mt. Usu from theoutdoor baths.

ActionHokkaido Summer

Top PicksNISEKO ADVENTURE CENTRE

NAC is Niseko's originaloutdoor tour company andoffers a range of summeractivities. Including guidedriver rafting, river and seakayaking, MTB, canyoning,trekking and trail runs. Indoorrock climbing and‘bouldering’ facilities take uppart of the NAC building, offering the unique experience ofclimbing while diners in the upstairs cafe JoJo’s look on.

T 0136-23-2093 | W www.nac-web.com

NISEKO VILLAGE “PURE”

Walking through elevatedboardwalks and ropewaysthrough trees, flying out oftrees on a zip line, games ofmini-golf, beach volleyball,horse riding and more.Niseko Village has theseactivities and more as a partof its "Pure" activities, whichare available during the summer months from late April tomid October.

T 0136-44-2211 | W www.niseko-village.com

NISEKO HANAZONO RESORT ACTIVITIES

Niseko Hanazono Resortprovides a variety of outdooractivities. Take a spin ontheir purpose-built bike park,designed by competitionriders and catering to ridersof all levels. Follow up withan adrenaline fueled,physically challengingcanyoning session, or a cruisy day tour to Lake Toya, Otaru,Sapporo or Noboribetsu.

T 0136-21-6655 | W www.hanazononiseko.com

SELF DRIVE

The freedom to do whateveryou want, whenever. HikeMt Yotei, bike Mt Annupuri,visit Shakotan, Lake Toya,Noboribetsu. Ask youraccommodation provider forhelp on sites and activitiesaccessible by car. From aday trip to a 3D/2N coursecovering half of Hokkaido, getting around by car makes itpossible for you to discover hidden spots.

W www.hokkaido-drive.jp

© Niseko Village

© JNTO

© Niseko Adventure Center

© Niseko Hanazono Resort

11JAPAN SPECIAL

Japan's most famous ski resort internation-ally, Niseko is renowned for having tons oflight powder snow (last season sported 16mof snowfall) and great facilities for travellers.

The majority of Niseko services (such asaccommodation, ski schools and ski hire)have English-speaking staff on hand, whichis important for beginners for whom goodadvice is essential to a good holiday.

RESORTSNiseko's ski resorts are all located along theslopes of Mt. Niseko-Annupuri (1,308m).Four major resorts – Grand Hirafu, Hanazono,Niseko Village and Annupuri – cover mostof the southeastern half of the mountain.These neighbouring resorts are connectedat the top of the mountain (you can ski be-tween them) and at the base (connected byshuttle buses). Access to all is possible withthe Niseko All Mountain Pass.

Grand Hirafu is the largest area with a dozenlifts including a new high-speed 8-persongondola, and easy access to peak runs andNiseko's legendary "slack country" (lift ac-cessible backcountry). It’s home to the mostrecent ski field developments (on and off themountain) with the widest variety of accom-modation, restaurants, bars and services.

Hanazono offers the best free ride and terrainparks in Niseko with hip hop thumping inthe background. Paradoxically Hanazono ishome to arguably the best facilities in Nisekofor first-timer skiers and snowboarders.Hanazono doesn't have many accommoda-

tion options or night spots, but it's a greatplace for daytime activities and lunch.

Antithesis to the eclectic variety of Hirafu,Niseko Village is a one-stop resort with 2large hotels. Ski-in ski-out accommodationand in-house services (e.g. rental equipmentand snowsports school) make it a convenientresort, with shuttle buses and taxis availableto reach Hirafu’s restaurants and bars.

Annupuri possesses wide, open ski trailssuited to beginners advancing to intermediatelevel. Advanced skiers are also catered forby Annupuri's popular back bowls. Accom-modation options are fewer than Hirafu butone benefit of this being less contention forfirst tracks in the morning.

SKI EXPERIENCEThe same plethora of snow that draws seri-ous powderhounds also provides an idealstarting point for first-timers and beginners.Hokkaido ski slopes are consistently softerand more forgiving than other areas, animportant attribute for new skiers and riders.

Ski schools are available at the base of themountain on all sides, however the largerEnglish-speaking schools are located inHirafu, Hanazono and Niseko Village. It's agood idea to book lessons in advance ifyou're travelling during peak winter dates.

In addition to kilometres of ski trails, Nisekooffers easy access to slackcountry and back-country areas – a level of flexibility that'srelatively uncommon in Japanese ski resorts.Out-of-resort areas can be accessed via anumber of gates located within Niseko’s skifields. Gates are closed during unsafe con-ditions, but even when they’re open, cautionand experience (or a guide) are essential. Anumber of local companies run tours inslackcountry and backcountry areas.

WHEN TO VISITNiseko’s ski fields typically open from theend of November until early May. The mostsnow falls from mid-December until mid-to-late February. The second half of February(outside of main holiday periods) is ideal foruncontested access to fresh powder snow.The best deals are had during March whenthe snowfall slows down (by Hokkaido stand-ards; there's still a lot of snow) and givesway to more frequent blue sky days andpanoramic views from the mountain.

GETTING THERECoach and taxi are more convenient thanrail and are readily accessible from Decemberto early April. Coach fares are competitivelypriced (¥2,300 per person one way) andservices run frequently between New ChitoseAirport and Niseko.

Fun inWinter

PHOTOS BY NACHokkaido

Snowmobiles give you access to remoteareas that would be impossible to reachotherwise. There are different types of "sleds"and terrain for every level of ability. Thereare also 2-seater snowmobiles for those whojust want to hitch a ride.

Zoom up hills, down hills and traverse alongflats, floating through the powder in a fashionakin to riding a jet ski or a motorbike. Ifyou’re more of a speed seeker, sleds are

available that can manoeuvre through deeppowder at speeds that exceed legal speedlimits on roads in Japan.

Smaller, easy-to-ride snowmobiles are alsoavailable for those that prefer to go arounda course in a calmer fashion.

Hanazono Resort offers a range ofsnowmobile tours from ¥6,500 and areavailable to those 13 years old and above.

One of the latest winter activities is Ice andSnow Biking offered by Niseko AdventureCenter (NAC). Their range of mountain bikesare fitted with studded tires, allowing you tocycle on snow and ice.

A guide will take you to explore some of themost beautiful and remote trails in the area.Breathe the fresh air and enjoy great viewsof Mt. Yotei and Mt. Annupuri on a clear day.

Guides match course difficulty to a level thatsuits each group, with routes ranging frommostly flat 6 km rides to challenging 10 kmtrails.

NAC claims that if you can ride a bike in thesummer, you can snow bike – the onlylimitation being that you have to be tallerthan 150 cm. Tours run every day from 9amto noon and cost ¥6,000.

SNOWMOBILING

SNOW BIKING

Ski Alternatives Niseko’s snowy landscape offers a range of activities for non-skiers,and for those having a day off. Explore on snowshoes, or a snowmobile,or take the relaxing option of reindeer sledding.

13JAPAN SPECIAL

HappeningsHokkaido Winter

As winter season settles in, Hokkaidotransforms into a pure white landscape fromsea level up. In addition to becoming aplayground for snow sports and outdooractivities, it also plays host to a variety ofinteresting and unique events and festivals.

WITHIN NISEKOFor those looking for a community-basedevent, Kutchan’s Yukitopia features a hostof events right in the Niseko area. Held from

18-19 February 2014, the weekend is packedwith events ranging from the rather odd nabe(hot pot) making and gumboot kickingcompetitions, through to snowball fights,and a crazy contest involving riding or skiingacross an impossibly long pool of icy water.

For a more relaxed experience, enjoy a

reindeer sled ride at Niseko Village. The120kg reindeer can easily pull twice theirweight, their large broad hooves act likesnowshoes, emitting a clicking sound asthey walk. Reindeer sledding is availableover certain holiday dates includingChristmas and Chinese New Year.

OTARUAn easy day trip from Niseko by train is the port city of Otaru,well worth a visit for its historic architecture, fresh seafoodand handicrafts.

A town that grew from fishing and trade, the city’s mostfamous landmark is the canal, which used to be thetransportation hub for tugboats. The canal is adorned withVictorian-style street lamps on its walkway and lined withwarehouses – once used for storage in the days when thecanal was crowded with jostling barges – that have beenconverted into souvenir shops, workshops and restaurants.

When night falls, oil lamps on the cobbled streets are lit, andthe town evokes a gentle, nostalgic mood. Otaru is alsofamous for its sushi and sashimi and supplies high-qualityseafood across Japan, so make sure to try some. You canalso explore the large 19th century wooden building of NishinGoten (so called 'herring mansion') to learn about the fishingindustry.

Another major industry in Otaru was glassware. The glassfactories across the city supply glass buoys and lamps forfisheries (some are historical) as well as homewares – acolourful option for souvenirs.

SAPPORO CHRISTMAS MARKETThe Sapporo Christmas Market is inspired by the biggest andmost traditional Christmas market in the world, which is heldin the sister city of Munich in Germany.

The Christmas Market is scheduled from 26 November to 24December. One of the market’s main attractions is being ableto visit a wide range of Christmas vendors, where you cansource Christmas gifts and souvenirs that are that arehandcrafted works rather than being mass-produced.

From wood-carved toys and nativity figurines to authenticGerman mulled wine and baked cinnamon apples, it’s notdifficult to find something from the dozens of stalls. There arealso official souvenirs that you can buy, including mugs andpins that are exclusive to each year.

This year’s event will also feature performances from nativityplays to puppet theatre.

After the market shuts on December 24, you can visit theChristmas-light-esque ‘White Illumination’ that runs untilFebruary across snow-covered Odori Park, where dozens oflandmarks are adorned with thousands of lights which cometo life after dark.

© Kutchan Town Office

© Niseko Promotion Board


Top PicksNAC CAT SKIING

Cat skiing is for those whowant a mountain tothemselves. Literally. NACruns tours from Niseko toWeiss ski resort which isreserved for cat skiingoperations. The terrain is notoverly steep, and tours aresuitable for intermediate andadvanced skiers and riders. A popular activity, it's worthbooking in advance.

T 0136-23-2093 | W www.nac-web.com

NISEKO HANAZONO SNOWMOBILE TOURS

Take a ride through Niseko’sfamed powder snow on yourvery own high performancesnowmobile. Your guide willtake you via forests trails,through snow coveredpastures, to spectacularviews of the Niseko rangeand (weather permitting) thesea beyond.

T 0136-21-6655 | W www.hanazononiseko.com

THE BARN

For French fare prepared withfresh Hokkaido produce,meat and seafood, The Barnis a top pick for a night outin Niseko.

The Colonial Dutch archi-tecture, modern sculpture,and a vibrant crew makes forgreat atmosphere. Afterdinner, head upstairs for a drink at the bar. Open summerand winter.

T 0136 23 0888 | W www.nisekobarn.com

TSUBARA TSUBARA

Another must-try isHokkaido’s famous soupcurry. The base is a lightbroth in which meat,seafood and lightly-cookedvegetables are immersed.Located in Niseko Izumikyo,Tsubara Tsubara serves thisHokkaido delicacy. Choosea number between 1 and 20 for level of spice, and don'tunderestimate multi digits. Open all year round.

T 0136-23-1116

SAPPORO YUKI MATSURI (Feb 5-11, 2014)

Every February, Sapporo city centre is transformed into afantasy world of crystal-like artistic creations. From famousrock stars to giant royal palaces, house-sized cartoon figuresto tiny snowmen – hundreds of impressive snow statuesand ice sculptures line Odori Park, the grounds at CommunityDome Tsudome and the main street in Susukino.

W gosapporo.com

OTARU SNOW LIGHT PATH FESTIVAL (Feb 7-16, 2014)

The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival is a winter festival heldevery February in Otaru, during which the city becomesdecorated in lights and small snow statues for 10 days.Both Unga Kaijo and Temiyasen Kaijo areas are officially lit,but locals also put lanterns in front of their shops andresidences, further adding to the festival spirit.

W www.city.otaru.lg.jp



15JAPAN SPECIAL

KAMOGAWAWith its coast facing the Pacific Ocean,Kamogawa is a magnet for many Japanesesurfers who have moved to the city to liveand work. The surf scene here wasestablished in the 1960s by Americanservicemen, which led to Japan’s very firstsurfing competition in 1965. Since then,many surf clubs and shops have beenestablished in Kamogawa, giving it areputation as a hotspot for surfing in Japan.

While you will not find towering waves andgiant pipelines like you would in Hawaii, theexposed beach breaks here provide reliablesurf that come in the form of windswells withleft- and right-hand beach breaks.

There are 5 surf breaks in Kamogawa, allalong the same beach. The breaks are mostlysimilar, with different underwater contours.

The most popular for intermediate levelsurfers is Maruki, which is a sandy beachwith rocky reef bottom. Because of the easeof access from town, this beach can getcrowded, even in off season. However, itdoes offer lots of wind and swell (about 4m),with one of the most excellent left breaks inChiba.

A 5-minute walk from the Awa Kamogawastation, Seaside is another well-regardedsurfing point, dotted with beach shacks witha local vibe. Overall, Seaside has 5 breakswhich are consistent, making them ideal forbeginners. Beginner’s Point is a baby wavearea ideal for surf schools, while the protectedLong Board Heaven – as its name suggests– is packed with longboarders. The typhoonseason produces waves that are fiercer andsuitable for experienced surfers only.

In general, Kamogawa has a number of spotsfor surfers of all levels, while beginners canparticipate in trial lessons. More on surflessons can be obtained from the KamogawaSurfing Club ([email protected]).

Other AttractionsApart from surfing, Kamogawa also pridesitself on its local produce and a handful ofhistoric temples.

These include Seichoji Temple (or Kiyosumi-dera), which is home to the Thousand YearCedar and Asahigamori, one of Japan’s Top100 Most Beautiful Sunrise Spots; and Tanjo-ji Temple which features the world’s secondlargest onigawara (ogre tiles) on its roof.

After a long surf day, you can indulge at oneof many hot-spring resort; the springs fallmostly into the lower temperatures, manyof them iron-based.

Minami (Southern) Boso refers to anarea in southern Chiba prefecture andthe southern Boso-hanto Peninsula. Toits east and south, rocky beaches andprecipitous cliffs created by sea erosionface the Pacific Ocean, while its westerncoast – the gateway to Tokyo Bay – islined with many sandy beaches.

As the area is around 2 hours fromTokyo, plenty of urbanites visit thepeninsula to enjoy its warmer climateand myriad attractions, including hotsprings, local cuisine and famouslandmarks.

SOUTHERN CHIBA SURFING SPOTSThanks to Minami Boso’s geographicposition, it is also a favourite haunt forJapanese surfers who come to experienceChiba’s famous waves and surf beaches,which run along the east coast of thepeninsula. As a general rule, the crowds thinout as one heads further south (away fromTokyo).

The beaches of Southern Boso are less-trafficked, beginning with Awa Kamogawaand continuing southwards through Wada,Chitose and Chikura – all within 20 minutes’walk from stations along the Uchibo line.

SURFING CHIBA

Photo by Dave Yamaya


WADAWada, located south of Kamogawa, has acoastline that stretches for 6km. It has arelaxed, mellow atmosphere and constantwaves. Due to its rocky reefs, the water isclean and clear, with 3 main surfing pointsin the area.

Shirasuka is Minamiboso's main point. Thisspot, sensitive to the northern current, is atits best in the winter. The low air pressurebrings a hollow left-break that draws insurfers even in the middle of winter. Also,from spring to summer, a small river mouthcreates a sand bar where the waves aren'tas strong as winter, but you can fully enjoythe light waves.

Hakashita is characteristic for havingwonderful left breaks due to the north-eastswell. However, since it is sensitive to thecurrent, the waves close out easily, and whenthey're big, you need to beware of strongcurrents.

Surf Shop J'S marks this beautiful beachwhere the white sands form an arc. WadauraSwim Area to the south of this point waseven chosen as one of Japan's top 88beaches for swimming. The waves areconstant, but as there are extreme changes

in topography, the quality of the waves canvary by period. However, if the topographyis just right, top quality waves are assured.

CHITOSEA popular destination for Tokyo surfers, itssandy 500m-long beach provides the biggestswell window of the beaches in southernChiba. Sensitive to the current from the east,the bottom is reef and sand, and there areconstant waves; however, since the currentis sensitive, the waves close early, but youcan hold for about the first half.

CHIKURAWith a lovely contrast between the deepblue ocean, the white sandy beaches, andthe green pine trees making it an ideal pointfor surfing, many surfers visit during allseasons of the year (there are even fireworksin the summer). The beach, which is perfectfor taking a breezy walk, continues onendlessly, and in the summer it is bustlingwith swimmers.

From Wada heading towards Chitose, thesouthern swell drops one size, but if yousize up, you can also see powerful, tubeybreaks. When Wada is closed due to thestrong southern swell, the breaks that cutaround often come to this area with the

perfect timing. The waves here are popularfor long boarders; board rental (long, shortand boogie) and lessons are available andreasonably-priced.

TATEYAMA (HEISAURA)This 5 km stretch of bow-shaped beach runsalong the Flower Line in the southernmostpoint of the Boso Peninsula. A forest ofJapanese blank pine trees spreads out toblock the strong southwest wind, and theroad leading from the parking lot to the beachsomehow gives off a southern mood at thisbeautiful surf spot.

During typhoon season the southern swellcomes in, and the area is bustling, but youshould be able to leisurely enjoy your surfing.There is a reef located on both sides of thebeach, so you can get a taste of waves thatare different from regular beach waves. Manylocals await the waves here.

Other AttractionsIn addition to surfing, Tateyama is home toTateyama Castle and the impressive Daifuku-ji Temple (Gake Kannon), which is built intothe side of a cliff and accessible via a seriesof steps that lead to a deck on the precipicewhich has a fine view of the ocean.

SURF SCENEAs Japanese surfers are making waves at prosurf competitions worldwide, the burgeoningsport is growing fast in Japan. With the summerseason approaching, you can catch some ofJapan’s best surfers in action at local surfcompetitions throughout Japan. In Chiba,Chikura’s beach will host the “All Japan SurfingGrand Champion Games 2013” from October26 to 27.

Beginners who want to try surfing canparticipate at various surf schools. For more,visit www.nsa-surf.org.

GETTING THEREThe Minami Boso peninsula is easily accessiblefrom Tokyo by car and train. Both the Sotoboand Uchibo JR Lines run along the entirecoastline of the peninsula, connecting all thetowns along the coast to Tokyo.



17JAPAN SPECIAL

Inspired by “L’Eroica” in Siena, Italy, L’Eroica Japan is an official cycling eventthat aims to celebrate the rich Japanese heritage of the Fuji Five Lakes regionwhich is located at the foot of Mt. Fuji (Japan’s most prominent UNESCO site)in Yamanashi prefecture.

On May 19, 2013, about 120 cyclists rode vintage bikes along the region inboth the 50km and 100km legs of L’Eroica, with the starting and finishing pointat the traditional village of Iyashi-no-Sato.

FUJI FIVE LAKES REGIONAt about 1,000m above sea level, the FujiFive Lakes area is located at the foot of Mt.Fuji, where visitors can enjoy not only viewsof the mountain itself, but also the fivesurrounding lakes of Kawaguchi, Sai,Motosu, Yamanaka and Shoji all year round.

The area is a magnet for visitors especiallyduring the spring (for cherry blossoms) andautumn (for the orange hues of fall leaves).

Lake KawaguchiThe most famous of the five lakes, the townof Fujikawaguchiko-machi is the main entrypoint into the region and has the best vantagepoint for views of Mt. Fuji.

It is also a popular starting point for climbingMt. Fuji in July and August; from Kawagu-chiko 5th Station, ascent to the top usuallytakes about 6 hours.

Lake SaiLake Sai has a network of hiking trails to themountains and surrounding lakes, as wellas to the expansive forest of Aokigahara

Jukai. The area is known for its autumncolours (best in early November), in additionto several caves that are worth visiting.

On the south side is Iyashi-no-Sato village,where reproduced traditional residencesfeature traditional grass thatch roofing.

Lake MotosuLargely undeveloped except for its fewcampsites, Lake Motosu is famous as thesite of the Fuji Shibazakura Festival. Frommid April to early June, a carpet of brightpink shibazakura flowers are on display, withMount Fuji in the backdrop on clear days.

Lake YamanakaThe largest of the five lakes, Yamanaka hasa few hotels, minshuku and campinggrounds, dotted with a few public outdoorhot spring baths.

Lake ShojiSandwiched between Motosu and Sai lakes,Shoji is the smallest lake in the region andis largely undeveloped, making it popular foroutdoor activities like hiking and camping.

ABOUT L’EROICAL’Eroica began in Siena Province in 1997with the aim of safeguarding theenvironment and its landscape,especially the “Strade Bianche”, or WhiteRoads (dirt roads that are white becauseof the limestone in the Siena area), at atime when the area wasn’t considereda "heritage" to be protected.

Giancarlo Brocci, creator of L’Eroica,began the project with the principle ofriding vintage bicycles to reflect theregion’s history. By riding these bicycles– which have no fancy gears – one canadmire the landscape at a slower pace.

While the ‘vintage’ bikes in L’Eroica haveto be produced before 1987, L’EroicaJapan’s criteria allows New VintageBicycles (made after 1987) to be used,as long as it has a steel frame made ina classic style.

L’Eroica Japan shares the philosophy ofL’Eroica in Italy, with an aim to celebrateJapanese heritage and character.

L’EROICA JAPAN 2014The second edition of L’Eroica Japan(organised by L’Eroica Japan Committeeand the City of Fuji Kawaguchiko) willopen for registration on January 2014,with the actual ride happening on 18May (Sunday) from Fujikawaguchiko-machi along Lake Kawaguchi inYamanashi prefecture.

In addition to the 2 existing routes, alonger 150km-long run will be introduced.The course will also pass along LakeMotosu, with a beautiful panorama ofMt. Fuji in the backdrop (this scenery isprinted on Japanese banknotes).

In addition, cyclists can enjoy typicaldishes of the area at aid stations alongthe way. L’Eroica is not a race, but abicycle tour where cyclists get toexperience the story of the region. Whilethe roads aren’t easy runs, you get toadmire classic Japanese scenery – andits symbolic mountain – at each curve.

The participation fee is ¥10,000/person,and bicycle rental info will be updatedon their website. Next year’s participantnumbers will be increased to 300 riders.

For more on the ride and registration(with a video of the event), visitwww.eroicafan.jp.

© L'Eroica Japan/Photo by Ryosuke Kawai

©Akira Okada/JNTO

L’EROICA JAPAN

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