This article pretty much sums up the available options:
In terms of personal experience, Narita Express will get you there fastest. They have racks for your luggage, but it could be a hassle to lug it all down to the train platform if you really have that much.
The shuttle bus is also a good option. The platform is right outside the arrival terminal. There’s plenty of room in the luggage compartment at the side of the bus for all your luggage. Ditto for any of the limousine buses.
Yet another option, an one I use frequently, is to have a delivery service like Manekineko ship all your luggage to the hotel so you can travel hands free. Take what you need for one day and it’ll all arrive the next day.
Taxis are an option but they’d be really expensive. There is no Uber taxi service in Japan.
Thanks. I had read that exact article and I was still not sure what to do. I would still need to get from the where the express drops me off to the hotel. It will be me and my wife and two kids who will be super tired and we will be lucky if we get them to carry their own backpacks. Two more backpacks and 3 large suitcases. So then the question becomes how do we get from the train stop to the hotel?
This has got to be one of the weirdest, tensest areas of the world. Everything left of the river is North Korea. There is one Russian village right near where the three borders meet. According to the map the road running down the middle crosses back and forth between China and Russia multiple times. I assume that can’t be right?
I’d watch a documentary just about this whole area.
China has a national scenic area at the bend on the river in the middle of all this. Maybe I’ll go for a hike there some time!
Like if you adventured there, you’d have to worry about North Korean guards coming across the river to grab you, as they reportedly did with Laura Ling (although I believe the river was frozen as the time). And of course you’d have to worry about Russia throwing you in jail to use as a political pawn. I wonder if that scenic area will ever be open to normal tourism in my lifetime.
Once you reach your station (presumably Shinjuku?), your only reasonable option will be to grab a taxi. There are some larger-sized taxis roaming around so you should be able to manage from there.
Even the photos on Google maps for the Scenic Area are pretty cool. Some of it is pretty river landscapes, some of it is barbed wire fences with discount brand North Korean guard towers.
Thinking about going there in August. Missed out on that whole tricity area up north when I went to Poland years ago. Just found out that RyanAir does a once per week direct flight from Prague to Gdansk and back.
We liked Gdansk, both museums we saw were awesome (1 on WW2 and other on Communist Solidarity Uprising), it’s also where WW2 kicked off, so they have some type of memorial/museum that also looked interested. Then you’ve got the tri-city stuff, beaches, etc. Just know that it will probably be hella packed during that time. The weather in that area isn’t great, so everyone takes advantage of the few warm months for the beach. Nothing you’re not used to living in Prague, but Gdansk is basically a handful of main streets so must be a bit rough with that many people.
At LAX, water is off to the whole terminal. So no bathrooms, and no restaurants because workers can’t wash hands. To use a bathroom you have to walk to the next terminal over, which is a solid 10-15 minute excursion. People are pretty surly about it.
Bogota first impressions: I love it here. Vibrant, bustling city. But people seem happy and are ridiculously friendly - amused and encouraging with my loose collection of Spanish words. We’re staying in a super nice neighborhood which I’m sure helps, but even people at the airport were great.
Which area you stating? Usaquén? Zona T? Parque 93?
Chapinero?
Bogota is pretty solid, just wish it had Medellin’s climate or comparable. Maximum temps usually being like 20 and grey ish many days is not for me. Also public transportation is bad for a city of that size and the food is god awful in all of Colombia.
I stayed in a couple different areas of Bogota: Chapinero, el centro, downtown, Usaquén, Zona T, and there was something to like in all of them.
Funny side note, I played PLO in their casino 5 days in fairly soft games, and lost each day. FU live poker.
I’m guessing, you’re doing or have done Monserrate? Obligatory visit if not.
Are you doing anywhere else in Colombia? Tayrona and Eje Cafetera were probably my favorites.
We’re in an Airbnb in Chapinero right in the restaurant zone. Seems like the perfect spot for home base. Went to La Candelaria today, Plaza de Bolivar and the immediate surroundings were a (wonderful) shitshow, but we really liked the area north of there near the Botero museum. Doing Monserrate tomorrow.
My breakfast and dinner in Chapinero were good. Believe it or not, some pretty good pizza.
We’re doing a quick 2-night trip to Cartagena, and a 2-night wildlife adventure in Los Llanos, flying to Yopal from Bogota for that. Super stoked for birds, capybara, anaconda, etc.
The people here really seem legit great. Our Uber driver from La Candelaria back to Chapinero in Friday rush hour traffic was a goddamn commando, it was complete insanity yet I felt totally safe.
And holy shit is it cheap. Had a full breakfast in an upscale restaurant with two americanos and a bottle of water this AM for $7.50.
Can’t use a neck pillow, don’t work for my anatomy. I’m always uncomfortable as hell on planes. Can never sleep unless I happen to get 2-3 seats in a row to myself.
I could write more than anyone wants to hear about Colombia, but to sum it up we’re in love. Highly recommend.
Bogota is incredibly bustling and alive. It’s huge and the traffic is total insanity, but we’re from LA so that made it feel more like home. We stayed in Chapinero and visited Usaquen and La Candelaria. Contrary to @Fossilkid93 ‘s experience, we had some really good meals here. Most of all, the people are really incredible. Our Spanish is VERY poor and most people don’t speak English, but it was fine. I only wish I could communicate better with the people we met because they were all so cool. I could go on and on.
We did not love Cartagena. We stayed in the walled city and it was very crowded and touristy. Lots of street hustlers, definitely felt less safe than Bogota. And good lord it was hot as balls. Had some bad meals at well-recommended restaurants. Had a better experience in Getsamine a short walk away. Much chiller and picturesque. Overall I would not return here - it felt like a spring break destination like Daytona Beach or something.
This is a must-do for nature/bird lovers. We stayed in a hacienda on a nature reserve and were surrounded by animals, birds, and beauty. Rode horses for the first time ever, through water, at night. And again the people are amazing. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We spent a night in the “frontier town” of Yopal, which was super interesting. It is pretty rough around the edges but is clearly a place in transition. I would love to return here, and to other smaller cities in Colombia. I have 1000 nature pictures, here are a few.
I really don’t want to write a book here, so if anyone has any questions about safety or anything else, feel free to ask. We’d come back here in a heartbeat. My wife and I always do this when we like a place, but we would definitely consider living here or just having a place we visit often (cost of living is VERY low).
