Used Apple Holidays travel agent last April for a trip to Japan. It is a 7D6N tour that cost around RM5000++ per pax. Nice itinerary, nice hotel and moderate food. We went to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Hotel range from 3 stars to 4 stars. For sure you can't afford to stay at those hotel on free and easy with that budget. Average 1 room per night will costs around RM1,000.. So, tour package usually can cater some simple luxury at moderate price.

The tour guide is a nice and funny guy who is a Malaysian but stay in Japan for his studies and work there afterward. So, after the nomal sight seeing tour in the morning and afternoon, we have some private tour with the guide around places eating nice jap foods and drink beer. . Really a wonderful experience.

Other than the tour package, i had spend extra RM5000 pocket money for the trip that include foods, train ticket, entrance fees, hotel (i extend my trip for 3 days. Around RM500 per night for a room of equivalent 2 stars hotel ) Damn expensive.

Cheers!

If per pax, i only spend RM7500 for 10D9N trip.
RM5000 for the tour package and RM2500 for pocket money.
As i mentioned RM5000 pocket money if for 2 pax. Me and my gf. So, as for 1 person, it would be RM2500. Basically mostly the pocket money is spend during the 3 days extension for my trip.

Just to make it clear for you. The RM5000 tour package is only for 7D6N. I myself had extend for 3Days that make it 10D9N.

As for the daily expereince, can't really explain in details. If you want a complete itinerary, you better contact the rtavel agency for it. Follow are some brief description on where i go and what i did for my Japan trip.

Since i went there during April that is the spring season for Japan, so basically hanami (Sakura Viewing) will be the main highlight of the trip. We went quite a few spot for this and the most fasinating one will be the Shinjuku Gyoen at Tokyo. It is a very big park full with sakura. Family and friends are all there enjoying themselves there. Having picnic, having thier lunch or lying on the grass sleeping. Very wonder epxereince. Different type of sakura can be seen there. That can differ from number of petals and color. Nrmal one will be of white, yellow and pink in color. (Mostly is white though) We visit some other park somewhere (can't remember the place, maybe peace park?? ) but too bad the sakura had not bloom yet. Since the blooming of sakura actaully varies from place to place. So, it kindna depend on you luck though. However, do visit some website where they do provide forecast on the full bloom of sakura at places in Japan.

Basically spend around 2 days each at Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Then i further extend a 3 days stay in Kyoto. During one of the day, we staied at an onsen (japanese style hotel) where you can enjoy the hot spring bath. (indoor only). Where you need to take off all your cloth. Not the first time i'm doing that, so nothing really special for me but still enjoyable. The room is of tatami and you sleep on a futon (japanese matress). The onsen that we stay is very near Mt Fuji and in the morning with clear sky, we can see the mt. Fuji right from our window. (We did to realise it until we accidently saw it when i tried to take photo out of the window).

As for amusement park. We went to Tokyo Disneyland of couse and Universal Studio at Osaka. Both the entrance tcket is covered in the tour package. Btw, each ticket cost around RM150. Make sure you plan beforehand what ride you want to go for since 1-2 hours queue will be a norm. Make sure you prioritize!! If you follow tour, basically you will only have around 6 hours time at Disneyland. To be honest, it not even close to enough!!! Try to get fast ticket (where you can skip the queue when it is your turn where the time is indicate on the ticket), on some of the ride to fully utilize your time. You can only take one fast ticket at a time.

.......... kindna write a lot already. Continue next time! It would be better if you specify some specific things that you would like to know. Then i can skip all the crap that you already know....

Cheers!!

This post has been edited by claran: Nov 6 2007, 07:00 PM

Food is great as i am big fan for japanese food.
Sashimi (raw fish) might be familair to you but how about Raw Chicken???
Ever tried that before???
We had went to one restaurant in Osaka where it is famous for the raw chicken.
Actually the outter layer is cooked (10%) but the rest is still raw.
Woundn't say it taste superb but it is one great experience.
We ordered some other dish that is of cheicken as well.
Fried chicken, Chiken bone (soft bone that is fried and with some herb), chicken with raw egg and few other dishes.
With some beer and share with 6 other peoples. It cost around RM70 per pax.

Another not to be missed in Japan is Ramen. No local ramen (Local Japanese Restaurant selling ramen) can compared with their. Generally it cost around RM21 for the most basic cha siu ramen. As for other, it cost more, than goes up to RM40 per bowl. Try to eat at the stall along the street that where you have to eat standing. Like those we usaully see in Japanese drama. Real wonderful experience!!

That all for now. Gtg!

Cheers!

I would say yes. Some might disagree with me.
But consider in the hotel you stay and the places you need to go(For transportation). Again, i would definitely say YES YES YES.
There is always pros on cons in going with travel agency.
With a travel agency, your travel will be relaxing (in term of you do not have to think on how to go and what to eat) and thus convenience. But since they arrange everything for you, then you lost the flexibility. Can't go where you want to go and can't eat what youy want to eat. BUt yoiu staying a some good hotel and got tour guide serving you. Therefore, it would definitely depend on what you want.

So, back to the topic. Is going Japan by travel agency cheaper?
By going with a travel agency, for sure you can get a much better hotel. Range from 3stars - 4 stars hotel. (Strictly speaking, hotel in Japan does not categories into star star thing, just that easier for our imagaination what class of the hotel is). For that hotel, per night per room might have cost you at least RM500. I mean minimum. !!! Easily goes up to RM1,000. Be aware that some hotel in Tokyo charge per head not per room. So, it going to be very expensive!!!!

So, if you going to have a 7D6N in Japan like most of the tour offer, you will need to spend
RM500x6 = RM3000 on accomodation alone. Again, RM3000 is minimum. Unless you gonna stay in the hostel which i think cost around RM100. But it is a different story again. How can you compare hotel with hostel. Even it just 'S' that differentiate them. So, by using a tour agency, you can enjoy some simple luxury where you can't get on free and easy.

So,
Hotel = RM3,000 (minimum)
Airfare (return) = RM2,000 (apox)
Transport +admission +food + others = RM2,000
So, in total your travel expenses must be not less than RM7,000

As for me, a good hotel is also one of the important part in your travel. It will simply spice up your enjoyment there. Just my opion though....

Cheers!

This post has been edited by claran: Nov 12 2007, 06:41 PM

I used Apple Holiday for my trip to Japan. I bought this package during MATTA fair last march. During the Matta fair, i had survey all the booth/travel agency and Apple provide the best package that value for money. Good Itinerary and Good Price! (not sure for now..)

At first im not so confident in Apple as how can they provide a price that is lower than others. Maybe there some hidden charges or something. Or other agency actually provide better package as provide by Apple.

So, i bring along the Apple itinerary and head to Reliance booth to have some comparison. I talk to one of thier senior sales person as why the tour provide by Apple can be of this price whereas Reliance have to be RM400-RM500 more expensive than Apple . He try to argue a bit but in the end he himself admit that he do not know how they can provide such a cheap price as both of them are having almost the same itinerary (90%). So, that why in the end, i opt for Apple!! Btw, both travel agency are using Thai Airway...

And i never regret using them. An enjoyable trip!!

Beware: This is not an advertising!!! It is from my personal experience. TQ very much!!

Dun worry. Japan is a very safe country. Enjoy ur holiday.

Cheers!