Onsen season has descended upon us once again and there's nowhere better to soak in minerals than in Japan and i swear that Kurokawa Onsen is the best place to do that. It's an amazingly beautiful town, and their onsens and ryokans are impeccable. From open air baths with a starry night sky view, or by the gushing river, or something in the middle of a forest, travelers are spoilt for choice here. 

If you stay at a ryokan, certainly they would have a hot spring for your use. Even still, you should, like the day trippers, go on a Rotemburo Meguri a.k.a. a tour of outdoor baths. Trust me, it's the only thing to do at Kurokawa onsen. Get your hands on the onsen pass for 1300Y which gives you access to 3 onsens, otherwise, the typical single entrance fee is 500Y. 

There are more than 20 participating ryokan and the pass is valid for up to 6 mths. It's a bit crazy to do all 3 onsens in a day but 2 days would be just right. You can get your pass at the tourist info center or at your ryokan. Too many onsens to pick from? Well I'm gonna highlight a couple of the really good ones that you could consider checking out. 

1. Yamamizuki

8.30am - 9pm

Accommodation: From 16,000 yen per person including 2 meals

Yamamizuki has one of the best outdoor riverside baths in Japan. It took us a while on foot, because i insisted on wearing the yukata and geta. It's a must ok. 

It's a long and winding road that took us through lovely forests and fields. It's surreal. 

The baths are mainly outdoors here and are separate gender baths. I was greeted with lush greenery and the sound of the running river. I could sit here and meditate to the sound of the rushing waters all day. 

After the really hot soak, take a walk through the rock path (also aptly called the naked path), which will lead you to the smaller indoor baths. 

The water isn't as hot inside so it was a little more comfortable. Plus you get to see a mini waterfall beyond the trees. 

Love this spot. The facilities are quite bare though with open wooden shelves for you to store your belongings and a simple onsen shower inside. Cool yourself down with some ice cream at their little cafe before heading off!

2. Hozantei

8.30am - 9pm  

Accommodation: From 16,000 yen per person including 2 meals

Another outstanding riverside bath you may want to check out is Hozantei. It's surrounded by forests and has a rustic atmosphere but the downside is that it's the farthest from the town center. I don't suppose anyone would want to be walking 3km in those clogs. 

3. Iyashinosato Kiyashiki

I remember this as the starry night onsen because of its name and also their special mixed gender pool which is a wade out from the private pools. It's much closer to the trees and i'm pretty sure it would be dark enough for you to enjoy the starry night in the open. 

This is the female only pool. It doesn't look like much actually though the falling water is good for back massages. Stay here if you're not comfortable with naked bodies of the opposite sex. 

See that opening in the rock? That's the entrance to the mixed gender pool. It's quite a treacherous path and requires some maneuvering to get to. Did not get pictures outside because i was afraid of getting the camera wet. Anyway, the pool is quite deep so your modesty would still kinda be protected. HAHA.

4. Ikoi Ryokan

Ikoi Ryokan is located in the city centre, just some flights of steps down from the bus stop. We first noticed it because it's next to our ryokan and it looks like a lovely place. We only visited because we didn't have enough time to visit another one that is far out and i was pleasantly surprised by their onsens.

Ikoi takes pride in their special pools, which are touted to give you better skin. Perfect for the ladies!

One of the deeper pools pools. The bamboo pools calls for some gymnastic action (only for vertically challenged ones like myself). I ended up doing some core workout on that. I'm not sure what's the actual purpose but i may just be right. 

There are many pools around actually and it's interesting because they are located on different levels. So yea, you gotta climb around a bit in the cold, naked and all but it's all fun! There are some steam rooms/sauna here as well. For in house guests, Ikoi has some pools that are reserved for them so there is some privacy as well.

So head on over to Kurokawa Onsen for the ultimate onsen experience in Japan. Trust me it doesn't get better than this. For more information on Kurokawa Onsen, you'd definitely want to read on here.

XOXO
Travelerintransit

What is your criteria for the perfect beach holiday? Well my must haves include a monochrome fine sand beach (yes black is cool like at Alila Villas Soori Bali), clear aqua-marine waters, and of course a luxurious villa with the full works, and food of course. The Jumeirah resorts in the Maldives crosses all the boxes and my stay at the Jumeirah Vittaveli resort was nothing short of perfect. 

Jumeirah Vittaveli is located a short 20-minute speed boat ride from Malé, which makes it a convenient destination. While a sea plane ride is part of the quintessential Maldivian experience, i find it over hyped and honestly unnecessary, since you can get the same piece of clear blue ocean with gorgeous views practically anywhere in Maldives. Ok granted that not all house reefs are great but JV's reefs were quite amazing. Plus, it saved us a lot of time and pain and we got to spend more time exploring the gorgeous island.

From their Bolifushi location, JV offers 43 beach villas and suites, 46 lagoon villas and suites, with four restaurants and a beach side cocktail bar. All villas come with their own swimming pool and direct access to the beach or lagoon, perfect for snorkeling trips any time you fancy (snorkeling gear provided for free). Connect with high speed complimentary Wi-Fi around the island, or be a couch potato with the free on-demand movies on your Apple TV. Disconnect by exploring the outdoors on the Vittaveli bicycles parked right outside your doorsteps or out at/under the sea with the myriad of water sports available.

Expect great hospitality regardless of the accommodation you pick. Each villa has its own dedicated host who will ensure that your activities and meals run smoothly. The welcome snacks were a nice touch, bubbly included! We were greeted by smiles and engaging conversations everywhere we went and it was really comfortable. 

Introducing you to the hidden world of sake is Kakure, a boutique sake bar backed by the omakase powerhouse team at Ki-sho, both located in a beautiful black and white along Scotts Road. The setting provides an intimate environment for learning more about the art of Japanese cuisine and drinks. Kakure is specially kept small on the 2nd level of the house so that diners can interact with the two kikisake-shi or certified sake sommeliers John and Makoto-san. 

The sake list at Kakure, one of the largest in Singapore, has been carefully curated in a partnership between Ki-sho’s chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto and the 2 sommeliers. Expect handcrafted sakes, only in limited quantities, with over 50 different labels from multiple regions of Japan. If you want to get in on the insider secrets of Japanese connoisseurs, Kakure is the place to head to. 

For the full sake experience, Kakure presents an assortment of bar cuisine to accompany the sake. Crafted by Chef Hamamoto, the omakase is priced at $88 for 6 courses. Small plates are expected but we left feeling quite satisfied. The a la carte selection is sufficient if you wish to pick your own bar food (indiv prices stated). There's your usual tempura and tsukune and a good selection of oden.

Looking for an excuse to eat, drink and be merry? Then you gotta check out the big fat Italian brunch at Zafferano. Started in Sep 2015, the twice monthly brand new Saturday brunch by Head Chef Marco Guccio will have you feasting on an extensive menu of hearty Italian favorites.

Indulgence is the key to this brunch so be prepared to stay at the table for hours.

Thai Milk Tea is all the rage recently though it has been around like eh.. forever? Well that's the strange thing about fads and now that the late majority has come on board, everybardee is on the hunt for the insanely sweet and caffeine rich, heart attack inducing Cha Yen. Prior to attending another event, i was introduced to the newly opened Tuk Tuk Cha at Suntec City Mall.

Ethereal light Japanese-French desserts, you have my heart and tummy already. Flor Patisserie has been my go to for these delicious sweets since the days when Chef Yamashita was still heading Flor at Duxton. Well, the brand has grown over the years and the tiny shop at Duxton has now expanded into a full blown cafe with a more relaxing and softer vibe. 

The sweets menu has been revamped with many more new creations, using the only the freshest and highest quality ingredients sourced from Japan, Belgium, France, Malaysia, Thailand and locally. Let me start with my favorites! The Bara ($9.10) is a pretty rose cremeux piped on longan bavarois and sponge cake. This is the perfect sweet for your sweet. It's delicate, lightly sweetened, just like a rose.

The Mango Soufle ($7.50) is a light-baked cheesecake. Egg yolk is kneaded into the cream cheese for that smooth texture. I would love for more cheesecake flavor in this one though as it felt a bit more like a mango cream cake (there's a lot of cream) but still very tasty!

Finally Pince & Pints because i have been deterred by the insane queues (so i heard) BUT... Say goodbye to looooooong queues (just long ones) as Pince & Pints look to expand by mid Oct 2015, with another 30 seats added on the second level to their initial 46-seater space at their Duxton outpost. YAY. 

Some news on P&P in a bit but first, here's introducing their latest addition to their menu (currently only 3 lobster dishes), the Truffle Lobster Roll! They have just launched it on 14 Sep 2015 and i must say it is the best lobster roll that i've had in Singapore. 

The Truffle Lobster Roll ($68)  is a new variation of the signature Lobster Roll at Pince & Pints Restaurant and Bar. This roll is done hot, which elevates the aromatic and earthy truffles, as opposed to the regular cold mayonnaise tossed Traditional Lobster Roll ($58). 

So i'm going to let the cat out of the bag. Flagship. Whisky Dive Bar. Bukit Pasoh Singapore. Full stop. 

I kid. Ok not really. I'm going to let you in on some key details but the rest you're just gonna have to find out for yourself ok. So the Flagship is opened by F&B golden couple Indra and Guoyi, who also owns Sugarhall, Jigger and Pony, The Humpback (next door) and Gibson (upstairs). The whisky dive bar is meant to be an un-chi chi spot to enjoy whisky without any stress (especially for beginners). Prices of the shots are presented clearly on the tag of each bottle and indicates prices for 30ml and 45ml shots.

From 2 to 12 Sep 2015, the Fullerton Singapore presents the second instalment of the Flavours of The Fullerton Heritage, a unique dining experience that aims to provide epicurean delicacies at affordable prices. Expect gourmet menus from the five properties that are part of The Fullerton Heritage, namely, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, The Clifford Pier and tenants from One Fullerton and The Fullerton Pavilion.

You can expect special dining dining offers for lunches at $35/pax and dinners at $58/pax at the participating outlets, which covers a variety of cuisine and dining style including American Seafood, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, and Spanish. I would highly recommend you check out the offering by Catalunya, Pelican Seafood, The Clifford Pier and The Landing Point.

My latest favorite hangout has got to be Humpback for dinner and the Flagship for drinks and wings after. Humpback is the latest Seattle-style small plates seafood restaurant with its own craft cocktail bar by the Jigger & Pony/ Sugarhall folks, Indra and Guoyi.

The night starts young with Oysters Happy Hour at Humpback and the shells go for $2-3 from 5-7pm, Mon to Sat. Yes finally!!! Humpback is like the combination of 2 of my NYC favorites- The Mermaid Bar and Traif.