16 Countries from Canada to Cambodia, Japan to USA, Scandinavia to Indonesia, Iceland, Finland, New Zealand, Thailand, (and God-willing many more 'lands'!). Cities include: Bali, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Osaka, Penang, Queensland, , Reykjavik, Siem Reap, Tokyo. Activities include: Ski lessons in Hokkaido, Self-Drive Iceland, Self-Drive Hokkaido, Farm stays in Taiwan, Northern-lights and Santa Claus Park in Finland. Theme Parks include: Disneyland (Anaheim); Tokyo … [Read more...]
Learn Skiing in Niseko – Journey of a Beginner Skier
“I like Coach Iku…she stayed with me to help me and makes sure that I learn.” Just like that, Buddy, all 5 years old of him, summarized his ski experience at Hanazono as we were having dinner on our final night in Niseko. It’s obvious that this has been on his mind. We enrolled our kids, Buddy and Dana in the children's ski programme at Niseko International Ski School (NISS) in Dec 2019. Our cautious little guy is not as gung-ho as his older sister. As parents, we know that … [Read more...]
Skiing with NISS – Diary of a Ski Girl
When we first started our daughter Dana in skiing 4 years ago in 2015, we had no idea she would come this far. After all, coming from sunny Singapore, our kids only get a chance to ski once a year perhaps (if we can afford a trip to a snowy country that year). However, we were pleasantly surprised. What started out as a recreational activity for our daughter then has turned out to be a sport she has taken to quite seriously. She last skied in Hokkaido two years ago in 2017, where she … [Read more...]
Hokkaido Ski Resorts – A Comparison
'Niseko', ‘Rusutsu’ or ‘Tomamu’ Which one? Hokkaido is one of the top Winter destinations for many families. Travellers come from all over the world to experience a white winter filled with ‘Jap Pow’ – the famous fine powder-like snow in Hokkaido. Top among the ski resorts in Hokkaido are Niseko Village, Grand Hirafu, Rusutsu and Tomamu. Since we have many readers writing in to ask which is the ‘best’ place to ski, we have summarized our recommendations of 3 resorts which we've stayed in this … [Read more...]
WhereTo Eat in Niseko, Hokkaido
In 2016 December (yes Winter), we did our very first free and easy, self-drive trip to Hokkaido with 2 young kids (age 8.5 and 2.5 years old)). As it’s a DIY trip, knowing where to get food is important. Moreover as it’s Winter, where to get WARM cooked food is even more critical. Unlike Singapore, eateries in Niseko are not located near each other and one has to sometimes brave sub-zero temperatures to drive/catch a shuttle bus/walk there. Some eateries require reservations while others … [Read more...]
Ki Niseko Hotel Review
Relieved: “Finally!” I told myself, giving a sigh of relief as I saw the sign of the hotel after driving for 3 hours in what was Hokkaido’s heaviest snowfall in 50 years. Visibility was poor and a route which the GPS directed us to on was temporarily closed, forcing us to detour. Read about our 1st self-drive experience in Hokkaido here. I was even more relieved when help in the form of 2 ladies and a man, impeccably dressed in uniform, came forward even before my car was parked, … [Read more...]
GoSnow Niseko: Ski School for Kids
This post is dedicated to the instructors at GoSnow, particularly Mel, Alexandra and Connor whom we are indebted to for initiating the love for skiing in my daughter. It’s not everyday that this happens – me standing in sub-zero temperature with snow blowing in my face, fingers frozen but standing mouth wide open, in awe as I saw my 8 year old daughter skiing down unaided on the ski slopes of the Grand Hirafu in Niseko – one of the top ski slopes in Asia no less… AND WAVING AT ME! 4 days … [Read more...]
Packing for a Winter Holiday (Kids’ Edition)
All Mommies will concur that packing for vacations for the entire family is no laughing matter, much less packing for winter holiday. How are we supposed to pack light for cold weather travel when we need so many items to keep us toasty? We’re leaving for Hokkaido this week for our first snow trip and after several weeks of planning, I've finally completed my packing list. The Key to Packing Light The key to packing light for Winter holiday is layering. Always start with a base … [Read more...]