Kyushu Trip

[luvenergy]

hi all, i planning 11d10n trip to kyushu with 6 adults and 2 kids in june.places i plan to go:fukuoka,nagasaki,beppu,yufuin,mt aso,takachiho..
1. understand that fukuoka and nagasaki do not require me to self drive.at which point of the trip,shld i start to self drive? from fukuoka,shld i self drive down to nagasaki or take train?
2. for hotel booking, beside fukuoka, where shld i based in, in order to travel to those places i wanna go

 

[VD]

The route to takachiho shld be the most useful with a car. Perhaps you can consider, fukuoka to be Beppu/Yufuin then Mt Aso, Takachiho and Nagasaki or visa versa. For beppu and yufuin, you can choose either depending on budget, beppu should be cheaper and it’s a popular hot spring city.

 

[KyushuWoozy]

hi all, i planning 11d10n trip to kyushu with 6 adults and 2 kids in june.places i plan to go:fukuoka,nagasaki,beppu,yufuin,mt aso,takachiho..
1. understand that fukuoka and nagasaki do not require me to self drive.at which point of the trip,shld i start to self drive? from fukuoka,shld i self drive down to nagasaki or take train?
2. for hotel booking, beside fukuoka, where shld i based in, in order to travel to those places i wanna go

About #1, it's easy to take train Fukuoka to Nagasaki and takes about same travel time

About #2, Yufuin and Beppu are so close you can stay either and travel between. Yufuin has more nice but more expensive ryokan, Beppu has lots of less expensive city hotels and 'minshuku' (small local accommodations, less expensive than ryokan). You can also stay Mt Aso area and take day trip from there to Takachiho

Hope this helps.

 

[luvenergy]

About #1, it's easy to take train Fukuoka to Nagasaki and takes about same travel time

About #2, Yufuin and Beppu are so close you can stay either and travel between. Yufuin has more nice but more expensive ryokan, Beppu has lots of less expensive city hotels and 'minshuku' (small local accommodations, less expensive than ryokan). You can also stay Mt Aso area and take day trip from there to Takachiho

Hope this helps.

Hi Albert Onizuka Lam, thanks for the suggestion. Here's my revised itinerary.

Day 1: Fukuoka to Nagasaki via Ltd express Kamome or pick up car at Fukuoka and drive to Nagasaki.stay Nagasaki
Day 2: Nagasaki
Day 3: Nagasaki to Uzen to Shimabara to Kumamoto via car ferry.Stay Kumamoto
Day 4: Kumamoto to Takachiho.stay Takachiho.
Day 5: Takachiho to Mt Aso.stay Mt Aso
Day 6: Mt Aso to Kurokawa.stay Kurokawa
Day 7: Kurokawa to Beppu.stay Beppu
Day 8: Beppu to Yufuin.stay Beppu
Day 9: Beppu to Hakata. Day trip to Dazaifu.Stay Hakata
Day 10: Day trip Itoshima or Uminonakamichi seaside park.drop car at Fukuoka
Day 11: Home sweet home

Is this itinerary too packed or rush? Any car rental company to recommend? Any hotels/ryokans to recommend for my trip? Seems like my trip has quite a few onsen places, it is too onsen-overloaded?

 

[luvenergy]

Some hotels charge 1200 yen per day for parking,is the charge reasonable for overnight parking?not easy to find hotels that offer free parking in Kumamoto

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Some hotels charge 1200 yen per day for parking,is the charge reasonable for overnight parking?not easy to find hotels that offer free parking in Kumamoto

Yes, in rural areas usually free parking but in cities often have to pay. When you calculate total cost of your hotel that night for your group I guess ¥1,200 isn't too significant. You could spend so much time trying to research hotels that have free parking but I guess your time more valuable than that. Enjoy your trip.

 

[princessreiko]

Hi Albert Onizuka Lam, thanks for the suggestion. Here's my revised itinerary.

Day 1: Fukuoka to Nagasaki via Ltd express Kamome or pick up car at Fukuoka and drive to Nagasaki.stay Nagasaki
Day 2: Nagasaki
Day 3: Nagasaki to Uzen to Shimabara to Kumamoto via car ferry.Stay Kumamoto
Day 4: Kumamoto to Takachiho.stay Takachiho.
Day 5: Takachiho to Mt Aso.stay Mt Aso
Day 6: Mt Aso to Kurokawa.stay Kurokawa
Day 7: Kurokawa to Beppu.stay Beppu
Day 8: Beppu to Yufuin.stay Beppu
Day 9: Beppu to Hakata. Day trip to Dazaifu.Stay Hakata
Day 10: Day trip Itoshima or Uminonakamichi seaside park.drop car at Fukuoka
Day 11: Home sweet home

Is this itinerary too packed or rush? Any car rental company to recommend? Any hotels/ryokans to recommend for my trip? Seems like my trip has quite a few onsen places, it is too onsen-overloaded?

I bought the 5 day North Kyushu Rail Pass and 2 day Fukuoka wide pass.
I drove when I was in Yufuin to Beppu cos I visited Kokonoe Yume suspension bridge which is only accessible by car.
You could do a rail and drive option by renting the car from JR Rent- a - car which offers discount if you have the JR Kyushu pass.
Their office is just next to the station, so it is very convenient.

Uminonaka seaside park has very beautiful flowers and is accessible by JR rail as well.
Itoshima got good seafood but you will need a car for that sector.

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Itoshima got good seafood but you will need a car for that sector.

Yes, if you go in winter you can get oysters fresh off the boat for insanely cheap prices, grill them yourself at your table and lots of other seafood too.

 

[princessreiko]

Yes, if you go in winter you can get oysters fresh off the boat for insanely cheap prices, grill them yourself at your table and lots of other seafood too.

Really cheap, fresh and yummy!

 

[KyushuWoozy]

Really cheap, fresh and yummy!

This is the one we like:

https://goo.gl/maps/q9h4dNrY26QvXKPDA

https://www.facebook.com/kyushujourneys/posts/2368375673383878

.... but lots of other options available too. You can see from pics it's so messy they even issue protective plastic jackets to protect you from the exploding oysters