First Time in Asia Need Help With Shore Excursions

[shaycamp21]

We are booked on a 12 night Royal Caribbean cruise at the end of this July (traveling with my husband and our 11 year old daughter). It is our first Royal cruise (though not new to cruising having previously cruised on Disney, NCL and Carnival) and our first time in Asia. We thought that doing a cruise would be a less intimidating way of seeing a number of different Asian ports (we are from Canada), however Royal has been very slow to release Shore Excursions for many of our ports (only for Vietnam and Mt Fuji so far) and of the excursions they have released the details are quite vague. In one of the FB cruise groups I belong to someone contacted Royal on the lack of excursions for the ports and the Royal representative replied that they may or may not release more excursions which seems odd? 

 

Here is the itinerary:

Singapore (we are flying in 5 days prior)

sea day

Nha Trang, Vietnam (I think our daughter would enjoy going to the beaches.)

sea day

*Hong Kong, China 2 days in port (*Since we have our daughter we were thinking of doing HK Disneyland for the first day though some have been speculating that the ports for Hong Kong or Taiwan may be removed and replaced and that's why they haven't released any excursions yet.)

sea day

*Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan 

sea day

sea day

Kobe, Japan (hoping to see Kyoto)

Mt Fuji (Shimizu), Japan

Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan (5 nights in Tokyo post cruise 2 days will be at Tokyo Disneyland / Sea).

 

I think I have a good handle of what we are going to do in Singapore prior to the cruise (also have our hotel booked) and an idea of what we are doing in Tokyo post cruise (have booked our hotel but still need to figure out transfers from the cruise port to our hotel). However I am feeling quite lost and overwhelmed of what to do in the other ports. On past cruises we would rarely do ship excursions but I would get an idea on what excursions were offered and then try to plan on our own either finding a reputable tour company or even exploring using public transit. If anyone can provide any suggestions for the ports or names of reputable tour companies you've used it would be greatly appreciated.

[Lobbylin]

We are currently in the Queen Elizabeth in Nha Trang - today we did a Viator tour and had a blast. It’s not a beach tour, so if you head to Sentosa Island in Singapore before you embark, your daughter will love the beaches and various water activities there.

Today we did a Viator cooking class in Nha Trang 
 

This is the review I just posted on our activities today: saves me re typing it all!:

Today we enjoyed a fabulous day with Dat of the Viet Garden Cooking Class. It truly was a real "field to fork" experience.

We visited the herb and vegetable growers, watched the coconut milk being extracted from coconuts, shredded the rice noodles; then went to the local market to buy the rest of the ingredients.

At the cooking school, the facilities are clean and very welcoming, and being outdoors, there is a nice natural breeze and ceiling fans to keep you cool.

We got to prepare the ingredients, cook the food (and of course eat it!) : pork & prawn spring rolls with chilli dipping sauce, marinaded fish in lemongrass, shallots & fish sauce, coconut chicken curry with rice and noodles.

We really loved that we got to see the origin of every aspect of the ingredients we were using.

Highly recommended - Dat is such a warm and welcoming person, even my husband who normally does not cook absolutely loved the whole experience.

 

In a few days time we will be in Keelung Taiwan. I will post pack then on our Viator booked tour to Chiufen then😊 Taiwan is actually a very interesting place, we have docked there before a few years ago

 

In Singapore be sure to do the free light and music show in the Gardens by the Bay at 7.45pm & 8.45pm every day. It’s magical!

[shaycamp21]

Thank you so much for your detailed post (amazing pics--thanks for sharing--spring rolls look delicious). I look forward to hearing about your experience in Taiwan.

 

Were you picked up at the port for your Shore Excursion or did you meet elsewhere? I have looked into other tour companies but none seem to list the port as a pick up point (just hotel pick up)  so I wasn't sure about booking.

 

We are staying at the Shangri La Rasa on Sentosa Island for 5 nights pre-cruise so daughter will definitely get her beach fix there (it's right on Siloso Beach). Gardens by the Bay (both day and night) are on our to do list for Singapore.

[Lobbylin]

6 hours ago, shaycamp21 said:

Thank you so much for your detailed post (amazing pics--thanks for sharing--spring rolls look delicious). I look forward to hearing about your experience in Taiwan.

 

Were you picked up at the port for your Shore Excursion or did you meet elsewhere? I have looked into other tour companies but none seem to list the port as a pick up point (just hotel pick up)  so I wasn't sure about booking.

 

We are staying at the Shangri La Rasa on Sentosa Island for 5 nights pre-cruise so daughter will definitely get her beach fix there (it's right on Siloso Beach). Gardens by the Bay (both day and night) are on our to do list for Singapore.

When I booked on Viator I listed the pick up as Nha Trang Port - after making the booking you can message the operator and they will tell you to walk out of the port gate (2mins from where you tender in): then for my cooking class, he told us to wait outside the Institute of Oceanography ( again literally just outside the port gate). He was waiting there with a board with my name.  We connected by WhatsApp before the day.  If your cellphone has ESim capabilities, you can download a very cheap ESim from the Airalo app to cover all Asia port days. I bought the USD37 for 13 Asian ports for 30 days with 10GB of data
 

Always book tours that are fully cancellable as then you can cancel if the operator doesn’t appear helpful about meeting with you at the various ports.

 

here’s a pic of the evening light show too👍

The Singapore MRT is very easy to use to get about. Just tap in and out with a credit card. Or download the GRAB taxi app, which is again easy

[shaycamp21]

Thank you again for all your detailed helpful information. Planning this trip has been quite overwhelming and it's wonderful to get firsthand information and tips. I appreciate you taking the time to share you experiences and love the photos. Seeing them just makes me more excited to go. Can't wait!

[ROCruiser]

Hong Kong and Taiwan should be fine. They have reopened their ports to receive cruise ships. We were the first cruise that was welcomed in ports after the reopening in March. If interested, you may check out our videos here (work in progress.)

[louise999]

We are also going on this cruise and also not sure about the excursions ! We plan to go to Victoria Peak in Hong Kong by ourselves. My understanding it is possible to take public transit from the cruise terminal in Hong Kong to the star ferry. Once on the other side of the harbour, they sell tickets and transportation to the tramway up to the Peak. As for Vietnam, the bus ride is a about 90 minutes one way to the city, so must likely we will stay on board or close to the ship. I think we will do the same for the port of Keelung. I think you can walk around Keelung and there are interesting shops to see.  As for Kobe we would like to see Kyoto but haven't signed up for anything yet.

 

Would anyone know if you need to get visa's for Vietnam or any other ports? Also do you know if there are any vaccination(typhoid, cholera, etc)  requirements to visit countries on the intinerary?

[Zach1213]

On 5/18/2023 at 9:38 AM, louise999 said:

We are also going on this cruise and also not sure about the excursions ! We plan to go to Victoria Peak in Hong Kong by ourselves. My understanding it is possible to take public transit from the cruise terminal in Hong Kong to the star ferry. Once on the other side of the harbour, they sell tickets and transportation to the tramway up to the Peak. As for Vietnam, the bus ride is a about 90 minutes one way to the city, so must likely we will stay on board or close to the ship. I think we will do the same for the port of Keelung. I think you can walk around Keelung and there are interesting shops to see.  As for Kobe we would like to see Kyoto but haven't signed up for anything yet.

 

It's possible to take public transit pretty much anywhere in Hong Kong...probably the best system in the world, at least least right up there with Tokyo. Google Maps provides a really great snapshot of public transport in Hong Kong (and most other cities), so you can type in your origin and destination, and even your day and time, and they'll plot the path. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Zach1213

[Expat Cruise]

Have done these ports many times. Lived in both Singapore and Hong Kong Singapore, over the last 25 years in South East Asia. Singapore is a great place to tour, the MRT will take you almost everywhere, taxis are also cheap. I would recommend a taxi to the port as the MRT Station is a little walk away, rain happens in Singapore, and it is hot, so walking with bags not really an option. 

 

Nha Trang, Vietnam (I think our daughter would enjoy going to the beaches.)  Nha Trang, is a tender port, the tender landing is right in the city, maybe 150 yards to outside the port and wonderful beaches within 2 miles. You will find lots of transportation just outside the port gate.  But if you want to do a tour, Pham Tours is wonderful, have used them many times for both cruises and when we visit by airplane. 

 

*Hong Kong, China 2 days in port (*Since we have our daughter we were thinking of doing HK Disneyland for the first day, though some have been speculating that the ports for Hong Kong or Taiwan may be removed and replaced and that's why they haven't released any excursions yet.)   Yes, you can do Hong Kong Disney, but in my opinion Ocean Park is a much better choice. It is much larger and has so much more. With 2 days, you can do both, but Disney is a let down if you have done US Disney. Both have direct MRT stops. Ocean Park, has many rides, has a mile long sky tram, has a railway underground, has great aquariums and much more. But really the big added draw is that have one of the best Panda presentation I have seen, you will be a few feet away from these wonderful animals. 

 

*Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan  Understand you're about one hour by car from Taipei, when you dock in Keelung. Again, just outside the terminal you will find may tour operators. If you do not want to go to Taipei, but most do wanting to see Taipei 101, you will find Keelung is just outside the cruise terminal. 

 

Kobe, Japan (hoping to see Kyoto)   About 1 1/1 hours away by car from the port. Train is much longer for the trip. 

 

Mt Fuji (Shimizu), Japan   By car/taxi about 1 1/2 hours away, train really does not work. Ships tour or many private tours offered. 

 

Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan (5 nights in Tokyo post cruise 2 days will be at Tokyo Disneyland / Sea).   

 

Hope this helps you. Have a great cruise. 

[louise999]

Thank you Expat Cruise ! That is great information about the ports. Thank you very much for sharing this information !!!🙂

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 3/26/2023 at 6:54 PM, shaycamp21 said:

 

Actually, this question is for Lobbylin on anyone else who knows about the Gardens.  I'm just curious, can I assume that the free light shows in Singapore at the Gardens by the Bay are just walk in, no reservations or fuss needed?  And is there much of a walk from the closest Metro stop to where they're held?  Also, is it possible to go up to the top of the famous hotel in Singapore (Marina Bay Sands) to just take a look? Or what about buying just one expensive drink?  And when flying into Singapore, is it easy to see or visit the wonderful "things" in that airport?

Edited June 3, 2023 by IWantToLiveOverTheSea

[shaycamp21]

On 5/20/2023 at 11:11 AM, Expat Cruise said:

Thank you so much for all the detailed info, I appreciate you taking the time to write all this. Our ship finally released excursions but of course they are all ridiculously overpriced. I do have some more questions if you have time to answer.

 

Have done these ports many times. Lived in both Singapore and Hong Kong Singapore, over the last 25 years in South East Asia. Singapore is a great place to tour, the MRT will take you almost everywhere, taxis are also cheap. I would recommend a taxi to the port as the MRT Station is a little walk away, rain happens in Singapore, and it is hot, so walking with bags not really an option. 

We are staying on Sentosa Island (at the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa) for 5 days prior to the cruise so hoping to recover from the jetlag and explore all the wonderful sights in Singapore and eat at the Hawker centres (would love recommendations) . We will definitely take a taxi from the airport (our flight doesn't get in until after midnight) and one to the port on embarkation day.

 

Nha Trang, Vietnam (I think our daughter would enjoy going to the beaches.)  Nha Trang, is a tender port, the tender landing is right in the city, maybe 150 yards to outside the port and wonderful beaches within 2 miles. You will find lots of transportation just outside the port gate.  But if you want to do a tour, Pham Tours is wonderful, have used them many times for both cruises and when we visit by airplane.  

Thank you for the recommendation for Pham Tours I was able to find the perfect tour from them.

 

*Hong Kong, China 2 days in port (*Since we have our daughter we were thinking of doing HK Disneyland for the first day, though some have been speculating that the ports for Hong Kong or Taiwan may be removed and replaced and that's why they haven't released any excursions yet.)   Yes, you can do Hong Kong Disney, but in my opinion Ocean Park is a much better choice. It is much larger and has so much more. With 2 days, you can do both, but Disney is a let down if you have done US Disney. Both have direct MRT stops. Ocean Park, has many rides, has a mile long sky tram, has a railway underground, has great aquariums and much more. But really the big added draw is that have one of the best Panda presentation I have seen, you will be a few feet away from these wonderful animals. 

We are big Disney fans so it's more about getting to experience another Disney in a different park of the world than actually going to an amusement park for us (on my bucket list is to be able to do all the Disney's and after this trip--only Shanghai will be left).  The zoo where we live in Canada (Toronto Zoo) hosted a panda exhibit many years ago where cubs were born so we fortunate enough to be able to see the little ones and their parents.

 

For our second day in Hong Kong we were wondering if doing one of those hop on hop off big bus tours would be a good way to see the city. Also we were hoping to do Dim Sum so if you have any recommendations of where to go that would be helpful.

 

*Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan  Understand you're about one hour by car from Taipei, when you dock in Keelung. Again, just outside the terminal you will find may tour operators. If you do not want to go to Taipei, but most do wanting to see Taipei 101, you will find Keelung is just outside the cruise terminal. 

We were thinking of going to the Yehliu Geopark so hoping to take a taxi there from the cruise port. Not sure if it's possible to just hire a driver for the day from the port. We do also have time to go into Taipei as we are in port until 11 pm and hoping to have dinner at the Keelung Night Market.

 

Kobe, Japan (hoping to see Kyoto)   About 1 1/1 hours away by car from the port. Train is much longer for the trip. The ship only released one excursion to Kyoto which is very pricey-- I did contact Shore Excursions Japan which seems to have better itinerary and am waiting to hear what their pricing is.

 

Mt Fuji (Shimizu), Japan   By car/taxi about 1 1/2 hours away, train really does not work. Ships tour or many private tours offered. We ended up booking a ship excursion here that  goes to Shizuoka Sengen Shrine, the grounds of the Sumpu Castle, and Miho no Matsubara. It was over $400 (CAD) for the 3 of us so wondering if we could just do better by taking a taxi from the port. This port has the most limited time as we don't arrive until 12:30 pm and are only in port until 7 pm maybe it's best to keep the ship excursion.

Important details

 

Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan (5 nights in Tokyo post cruise 2 days will be at Tokyo Disneyland / Sea).   

We have our hotel in Tokyo booked and are also staying at Disney's Ambassador Hotel for the last few nights of our trip.

Hope this helps you. Have a great cruise. 

 

[Lobbylin]

Lau Pa Sat is a great hawker food center in Singapore & very easy to get to on MRT 

Edited June 3, 2023 by Lobbylin
Typo

[Lobbylin]

7 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

Actually, this question is for Lobbylin on anyone else who knows about the Gardens.  I'm just curious, can I assume that the free light shows in Singapore at the Gardens by the Bay are just walk in, no reservations or fuss needed?  And is there much of a walk from the closest Metro stop to where they're held?  Also, is it possible to go up to the top of the famous hotel in Singapore (Marina Bay Sands) to just take a look? Or what about buying just one expensive drink?  And when flying into Singapore, is it easy to see or visit the wonderful "things" in that airport?

You have to pay an entrance fee to go to the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, so it’s not the price of a drink…

 

Singapore airport does offer a few touristy things, but it’s not really a destination for me. 
 

If you like wine and don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it, head to ‘Wine Connection’ at Cuppage Terrace - they do western food there too. Be warned that ordering Alcohol in any hotel is mega expensive!  Beers are much cheaper than wine.  
Lau Pa Sat is a great hawker food center.

 

The evening show in Gardens by the bay is free - head to the area right by “Super tree Grove” which is a cluster of around 12 “trees” and find a place on the floor to lie down and look up!! Bring something to lie on😉😂. We got a taxi there and ate at the Satay by the Bay food stalls first, before walking over to the SuperGrove.

 

Getting a taxi after the show was a bit of a nightmare, but we did eventually get one. I use the Grab taxi app in Singapore.

 

The Gardens by the Bay light show or the “Garden Rhapsody” as it’s called, takes place daily at The Supertree Grove at 7.45pm & 9.45pm. It is made up of massive tree-like structures complete with 12 technologically advanced iconic trees.

 

Lobbylin

[shaycamp21]

Looks like a great tour in Taiwan, Lobbylin unfortunately the date we are in port is not available so  wondering if it is already sold out.

[Lobbylin]

4 hours ago, shaycamp21 said:

Looks like a great tour in Taiwan, Lobbylin unfortunately the date we are in port is not available so  wondering if it is already sold out.

I think you can message the operator via the tour link and ask about availability… we very much enjoyed that tour and it is very reasonably priced. Good Luck!

 

This is their direct website, say you know someone who toured with Vincent Lee and recommended the tour to you.

 

https://www.yolo-taiwan.com/service-page/5-seat-private-northern-taiwan-tour?referral=service_list_widget

[Expat Cruise]

shaycamp21 The way that you copy and pasted your reply, it cannot be quoted. 

 

But here is some more information based on your reply. 

 

shaycamp21  We are staying on Sentosa Island (at the Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa) for 5 days prior to the cruise so hoping to recover from the jetlag and explore all the wonderful sights in Singapore and eat at the Hawker centres (would love recommendations) . We will definitely take a taxi from the airport (our flight doesn't get in until after midnight) and one to the port on embarkation day.

 

I would consider changing hotels, no MRT on Sentosa Island, you're really handicapping yourself staying on the Island for 5 days. You can see the Island in one day. A better choice in the same price range would be Marina Bay Sands. This is a great area and has an MRT Stop, also  next to Gardens By the Bay. 

 

Chinatown is an interesting stop Two Hawkers have earned Michelin Stars,  Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle Stall (Chinatown) & Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle  (Newton Food Centre). The movie Crazy Rich Asiansis features,  Newton Food Centre.

 

Taxis are available always, but the MRT is a great choice. Singapore is very safe and has no crime issues. The interesting thing is you can spend lots of money on food here or go the cheap route, and both are great. You may also way to look at the Singapore Flyer, great way to see an overview of the city. The Flyer also overlooks the Grandstands, Starting/Finish Line, and Pits for the Grand Prix F1 track.  

 

shaycamp21  We are big Disney fans so it's more about getting to experience another Disney in a different park of the world than actually going to an amusement park for us (on my bucket list is to be able to do all the Disney's and after this trip--only Shanghai will be left).  The zoo where we live in Canada (Toronto Zoo) hosted a panda exhibit many years ago where cubs were born so we fortunate enough to be able to see the little ones and their parents.

 

For our second day in Hong Kong we were wondering if doing one of those hop on hop off big bus tours would be a good way to see the city. Also we were hoping to do Dim Sum so if you have any recommendations of where to go that would be helpful.

 

OK I understand wanting to do Disney here, take the MRT as it is far away from the city center, Disney has their own MRT Line & Stop. You can do Disney in a single day. I would really consider also Ocean Park for a day. Also take the Peak Tram to the top of Hong Kong, for local shopping the Ladies Market and Temple Street Night market are both great. 

 

shaycamp21 We were thinking of going to the Yehliu Geopark so hoping to take a taxi there from the cruise port. Not sure if it's possible to just hire a driver for the day from the port. We do also have time to go into Taipei as we are in port until 11 pm and hoping to have dinner at the Keelung Night Market.

 

When you get off the ship, lots of taxi waiting for fares and tours. Do not take the first price, negotiation is always part of the transaction.
 
shaycamp21 The ship only released one excursion to Kyoto which is very pricey-- I did contact Shore Excursions Japan which seems to have better itinerary and am waiting to hear what their pricing is.

 

Non Ship tour is a much better choice. 
 
shaycamp21  We ended up booking a ship excursion here that  goes to Shizuoka Sengen Shrine, the grounds of the Sumpu Castle, and Miho no Matsubara. It was over $400 (CAD) for the 3 of us so wondering if we could just do better by taking a taxi from the port. This port has the most limited time as we don't arrive until 12:30 pm and are only in port until 7 pm maybe it's best to keep the ship excursion.  

 

If you do a private tour, you need to set your return time to the ship for 5:30 or 6pm. This really is a very short port call. If it can be done by the cruise line, you can do it with a private tour. 

 

shaycamp21  We have our hotel in Tokyo booked and are also staying at Disney's Ambassador Hotel for the last few nights of our trip.

 

Disney Japan is a very interesting Disney, I think you will enjoy it.   Hope these answers help, let me know if any other questions. 

[shaycamp21]

Lobbylyn thank you for that link I did contact the tour company in Taiwan and a private tour is available-- we are just waiting to hear if Vincent Lee is available to be our guide. Thanks again🥰. 

 

Expat Cruise I appreciate all the detailed advice and tips. I am working on my husband to shorten the stay on Sentosa island-- he really wants a tropical resort feel and likes how family friendly the resort is for our daughter's enjoyment (she loves swimming and the beach). I am trying to convince him to at least split the stay to have some time in the city. Unfortunately all but the most expensive rooms at Marina Bay Sands are sold out for our dates.

 

For places attractions in Singapore Garden's by the Bay, Art Science Museum, Night Safari etc.. would you recommend buying one of those multiple attraction passes on Klook or is there a better way to purchase attraction tickets?

 

Also can you recommend a good place for Dim Sum in Hong Kong that won't break the bank?

Thank you for your help.

[RFGuru]

Does anyone know immigration clearance process for Keelung, Taiwan? Does everyone need to bring their passport and go through passport control? Thanks. 

[Lobbylin]

5 hours ago, RFGuru said:

Does anyone know immigration clearance process for Keelung, Taiwan? Does everyone need to bring their passport and go through passport control? Thanks. 

When we arrived in Hualien (Taiwan) on the Queen Elizabeth, all paperwork was done by our immigration team on board - we didn’t have to meet any officials or so passport control. When the ship was cleared (promptly on arrival) we went ashore in Hualien & Keelung.  It may be that we had to carry our passports ashore - we visited so many countries that I can’t recall the rules for each one, but I had private tours in both Taiwanese ports and we had no delays or problems. Our ship arrived 6am-6pm, and my private tour was 8am

Edited June 9, 2023 by Lobbylin

[Lobbylin]

On 6/8/2023 at 1:01 AM, shaycamp21 said:

Lobbylyn thank you for that link I did contact the tour company in Taiwan and a private tour is available-- we are just waiting to hear if Vincent Lee is available to be our guide. Thanks again🥰

Glad you got sorted - if Vincent is confirmed for you, let me know with the date of your tour and your first names, and I will message him, as I’m still in touch via WhatsApp with him. Nice young man who takes great pictures. Their English accents are heavy but we understood what he was saying. 
 

He added in the Buddha visit for us (not described in the tour) and the bell ringing there, which I’m sure your daughter would love…

[shaycamp21]

 

13 hours ago, Lobbylin said:

Glad you got sorted - if Vincent is confirmed for you, let me know with the date of your tour and your first names, and I will message him, as I’m still in touch via WhatsApp with him. Nice young man who takes great pictures. Their English accents are heavy but we understood what he was saying. 
 

He added in the Buddha visit for us (not described in the tour) and the bell ringing there, which I’m sure your daughter would love…

 

Will do! Thanks so much.

[micruiser2002]

On 5/20/2023 at 11:11 AM, Expat Cruise said:

Kobe, Japan (hoping to see Kyoto)   About 1 1/1 hours away by car from the port. Train is much longer for the trip. 

From what I have seen the fast train from Kobe to Kyoto is only 34 minutes.  Also talking to tour operators it is faster to take the train than drive.

[ARandomTraveler]

We are on this cruise as well. I've been struggling to figure out whether I should just do the ports on my own or book tours. I don't want to miss out on seeing special sites because it's unlikely I'll ever come back to these places again. 
 

However, if there are things to do within walking distance of the port, I'd be ok exploring on my own. It's so hard to figure out because there's so little information on this cruise route. 
 

I did get an email today from Royal Caribbean with the links for applying for visas (you'll have also received it).
 

In Singapore, we're staying at the Marina Bay Sands. I booked it almost 10 months ago, and we'll have a view of the gardens by the bay and it cost almost $800/night, even booking way in advance. I also have a backup hotel booked, the Conrad Centennial Singapore (it's a Hilton branded hotel). It's quite a bit cheaper, not quite as centrally located, but gets good reviews. You might check that one out if Marina Bay prices are too high.
 

Thanks for starting this thread, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one having a hard time figuring out how the heck to plan for the ports. 

[Lobbylin]

Be sure to find time to visit Asakusa in Tokyo post cruise. This is where you will see lots of pretty ladies dresses in traditional kimonos, food stalls, trinket shopping stalls, stunning temples and great atmosphere - even for young people. 
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3004.html