Nestled among Oahu’s suburbia is the rainforest Manoa Falls.
You will experience many ecosystems in this arborous rainforest. It rained on and off throughout the 0.8 mile hike to the waterfall. Note: Bring an umbrella and wear appropriate clothes.
Despite the stairs, the incline is gradual and the hike is an easy one.
The trail does get muddy so wear appropriate shoes.
It took about 45 minutes to reach the 150 feet waterfall.
Next to Tenryuji Temple is the infamous Sagano Bamboo Forest. I was very excited to check this out as I was expecting never ending columns and columns of bamboo as the word forest implies. However, it was only approximately two blocks of bamboo and was polluted with people. It was not as calm and peaceful as I hoped it to be.
This guy did a great job of portraying the nature of the bamboos.
Admission: free
(Sagano, Kyoto, Japan)
Arashiyama monkey park is a park like no other. Fun for kids, teenagers, and adults.
It was my favorite Japan experience.
To get to the heart of the park, you have to hike up steep and sometimes broken terrain. Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and bring water as the trail is mostly in the sun.
After 20 minutes of strenuous uphill, you will forget about the hike once you spot the free roaming Japanese macaque monkeys.
At the top, there is a feeding hut, which is the only place you are allowed to feed the monkeys. If you feed them outside the hut, they can become aggressive.
For 100 yen, you can buy a bag of peanuts or apples to feed the monkeys.
The fatty on the left kept stuffing his mouth with peanuts until he became a chubby bunny. I was shocked to see the monkeys knew to reach their hand out for more food.
Outside of the feeding hut, the monkeys roam around freely. However, you are not allowed to make eye contact with the monkeys or touch them.
This little guy was my favorite.
Instead of asking for food, he decided to hunt for his own.
Peace out homies. It’s naptime. Fun fact: The monkeys have red faces due to the blood rushing to their face.
Last but not least, don’t forget to turn around and enjoy the gorgeous view of Kyoto.
Admission: 400 yen
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