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Growing up in the islands of Batanes in the Philippines, I am no stranger to natural terrains and formations that can easily take anyone’s breath away. In fact, I’m quite hard to please when it comes to such things; but of course, this does NOT mean that I do not appreciate nor acknowledge the beautiful sights that I see in my travels — because I do! However… in order for me to be in utter awe and wonder, the landscapes must be far incredible. To date, there have only been a few places that has made me felt this way and on top of that list would have to be the far-flung yet stunning Faroe Islands.

Right from the moment that I landed there, I have felt as if I was sucked into a grand fairy tale — every where I looked, there would be something that will draw my breath in awe, as I constantly question myself if I was still on Earth!

Yes, it was that majestic and surreal.

It might still be an understatement to say that the Faroe Islands are a natural masterpiece; but either way, it is my hope that you will see the outstanding beauty of this place in the flesh!

I bet that you have this now on your travel bucket list and surely, it would be my pleasure to help make your travel planning easier… and so, with this post, I give you the ultimate travel guide for the Faroe Islands — complete with infos, tips, resources, and itinerary that you’re free to customize depending on the length of your stay or the style of traveling that you will do! Enjoy! .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Faroe Islands : 5-Day Itinerary

» PRE-TRAVEL GUIDE

But before we go on, let me give you some quick and basic facts about the Faroe Islands…

It’s a self-governing small group of islands under the external sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Faroe Islands or Føroyar are quite far from Denmark; truth be told, its 18 rocky and volcanic islands are closer to Iceland, Norway and Scotland. But one important thing to mention is that though Denmark is part of the European Union, the Faroe Islands are not.

TRIVIA: One of the inhabited islands, Koltur, has only one resident! (…Or two, because I keep seeing conflicting info online; but some of the locals said that there’s only one left there. Maybe they were talking about 1 family which are these 2 residents.)

TRIVIA: The Faroese language is said to be one of the North Germanic languages and it is closely related to Icelandic and the now extinct Old Norse Language. Anyhow, English is widely spoken especially by the younger ones.

TRIVIA: The name of the islands first appeared as Faereyjar (in 1225) which means “Sheep Islands” that was given by the Viking age settlers from Norway in the 9th century.

When is the best time to visit the Faroe Islands? Weather here can be quite unpredictable. It’s common to somewhat experience all 4 seasons in just one day! But yes, generally, sunny days here are rare because the islands are mostly windy, cloudy and chilly. For starters, expect cool summers (with an average temperature of 13°C) and mild winters (with an average temperature of 3°C). I went here in the summer around end of June and the days can really have long hours of sunlight with the sun setting after 11PM or even later! (The longest day will be in June 21 spanning at almost 20 hours). As for winter, it can be as short as 5 hours — imagine that…

With all that said, it’s best to visit the archipelago around June to September to enjoy the green scenery. Don’t forget to pack your jacket! ;)

How to get to the Faroe Islands? By air. There are currently 2 airlines that fly to the Faroe Islands. First is Atlantic Airways that has 2 flights per day from Copenhagen, Billund, Aalborg, Bergen and Reykjavik. Flighs cannot be booked through travel websites so you’ll have to book directly on Atlantic Airways website here. The other one is Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) that just started having daily flights to the Faroes.

By sea. Smyril Line’s ferry, M/S Norröna, sails to the Faroe Islands from Hirtshals in the north of Denmark and from Seyðisfjørður in Iceland. It doesn’t sail as frequent though so make sure to check by its website for the scheduled departures.

What kind of clothes should I pack? If you’re coming around May to September to the the Faroe Islands, you should pack for chilly weather so your bare essentials should be a sweater, a raincoat, and a set of good comfortable (hiking) shoes. If you’re like me who can get cold quite fast, go and pack a warm hat or even some gloves just in case!

Of course if you visit around winter or the colder months, your clothing essentials will be different.  The same goes for when you’re coming here mainly to camp or hike.

Where to best stay (for accommodations)? The central city of Tórshavn is where you will find most of the accommodations and it’s a strategic place to base yourself in for all your adventures around the islands. (Of course it can get cheaper if you get places outside of  Torshavn, but for the best capital picks, they would be the following). Luxury: Hotel Foroyar / Mid-Range: Hotel Hafnia or AirBnB / Budget: Kristjanshavn or AirBnB

How can I go around the islands? By car. Driving your own car is highly recommended (to make the most of your time!) and you can arrange a rental online before your arrival on the islands. Rest assured, you can rent a car (from small cars to SUVs) on-the-spot when you land at the airport since there are stalls there by Sixt, AVIS, HERTZ, and Unicar. Once you start driving around the Faroe Islands, be mindful of the driving conditions and rules because for instance, there are one-way tunnels in the islands and you have to make way for incoming vehicles (you can find all the details in here).

By bus. The main inter-town bus that they have is called Bygdaleiðir (they’re easy to spot since they’re big and in the color of dark blue). To see the complete timetable of the buses, go here. It helps to note, however, that public transportation is expensive in the Faroe Islands, so it’s best to buy a travel (multiple-ride) card beforehand with Strandfaraskip Landsins (the mother company of Bygdaleiðir) at the airport or at the main bus terminal in Torshavn. This travel card already covers busses and ferries around the islands (except to Mykines Island) and can cost 500 DKK ($70~ / Php 3,500~) for 4-days or 700 DKK ($100 / Php 4,900~) for 7 days.

By ferry or by helicopter. Since this place is made up of islands, some are not connected by roads so you’ll sometimes need to hop on a ferry. The schedules for this can be found on Strandfaraskip Landsins.  Now if a helicopter ride seemingly sounds expensive to you, don’t worry! Here in the islands, the service is subsidized by the government so it’s quite cheap and it is serviced by Atlantic Airways (see timetable here, and remember, booking in advance is mandatory). With these affordable helicopter rides, I say take advantage of it!

By bike. Some districts like the capital, Tórshavn, can be explored on city or sports bikes. You can rent these from Visit Tórshavn that is located in Steinatún in the city centre. The cost for a day can start at DKK 150~. To book, just send an e-mail to [email protected] or call (+298) 302425.

What tour operators can I contact? In case you don’t like to DIY your trip and want to have someone take care of everything for you, I suggest that you book through local operators in order to help support the local economy. Some of them are as follows:

62°N Tours

GreenGate

MakeTravel

MICE

Should I get a visa to visit the Faroe Islands? Even if the Faroe Islands are connected to the Danish immigration policies, like I’ve already mentioned above, there are some differing factors to take note of. So…

If you come from a Nordic country: showing off your document of identification with photo is enough to enter the islands.

If you come from an EU (European Union) or Schengen country: if you’re an EU citizen, you may enter with just your ID card with photo. However, EU residents are not part of such scheme because you must be a citizen (so for instance, it follows that if you have a Danish residence permit, you still need a visa to the Faroes). If you have a Schengen visa or Danish visa, it is NOT applicable for entry to the Faroe Islands — you still need to apply for a separate visa that is specific to the islands (the requirements will be similar to obtaining a Danish visit visa).

If you are of any other nationality: naturally, you need to apply for a Faroe Islands visa (remember: NOT a Schengen visa) at the Danish embassy in your country of residence — unless your nationality is exempted from getting a Danish visa then you can enter the Faroe Islands.

Helpful Faroese phrases the official language of the faroe islands is faroese which is a Germanic language that descended from Old Norse. Since they are within the Kingdom of Denmark, the locals also speak Danish. Rest assured, most of the people can speak English (sometimes even German and Norwegian). All in all, it doesn’t hurt to learn a few of the local phrases.

Hello: Halló (hahloh) Thank you: Takk fyri (Takk fi-reh) or Takk (Takk) Yes: Ja (Ya) No: Nei (Ney) Goodbye: Farvæl (Far-vyel)

I’m sorry: Orsakið meg (Or-sha-kee mey) Excuse me (getting attention): Orsaka (Or-sha-ka) Excuse me (begging pardon): Umskylda (Um-shil-da) How much does that cost?: Hvat kostar tað? (Kvat kost-ar tay?) Is there someone here who speaks English?: Dugir nakar her eingilskt? (Du-cheer nak-ar her ain-gilsk?) Help!: Hjálp! (Yolp!) Cheers!: Skál! (Is-kol!)

Now, before I begin with the itinerary guide, if in case you’re more of a visual person, you can already watch my video below to get a ‘ brief peek’ into what the islands can offer.

» Day 1

» Day 2

» Day 3

» Day 4

» Day 5

Explore parts of Vágar and Streymoy Islands

After you land and pick up your rental car at the airport, I highly advise that you don’t go straight to Tórshavn yet (which is likely where your accommodation will be) because there are some nearby spots around the airport that are worth looking into!

You might be thinking, “I can visit those later!” — sure you can, but the thing is… they’re quite far and to save time, I think it’s best that you visit them ASAP while you’re in the vicinity. (Otherwise, you can visit them on your last day on your way to the airport, depending on your scheduled flight back.)

If you want to see one of nature’s mind-blowing ‘optical illusions‘, make sure that you drop by Lake Sørvágsvatn (also called as Leitisvatn). It is the largest lake in the Faroe Islands and it has been dubbed as the “lake over the ocean” — this is because if you go up a certain angle, it will appear as though the lake is floating directly above the ocean! The lake is just 40 meters above sea level with a magnificent waterfall at the end of it that’s called as Bøsdalafossur.

To get here, set your GPS and near the location or by the church in Miðvágur, you will find signs to “Trælanípa/Bøsdalafossur”. Follow these signs until you find a parking spot. You will then find a gate and you must start walking from here to the south towards the ocean by following the gravel path. The hike takes about an hour (one way) and in order to get to the spot that shows the iconic ‘illusion’, you must go to the southern tip (not on the southwest end of the lake). You will know if you’re in the right place when you see 3 small sticks sticking up or if you see a steep hill. (Doesn’t matter if you end up at the wrong vantage point because every angle is stunning here! But if you really want some more specific instructions, go to this page and scroll to page 36 to 37.)

• • •

This is yet another iconic landscape in the Faroe Islands which is just an 18-min ride away from Vagar Airport. As you will see from the photo above, the Mulafossur Waterfall is a grand sight! It is nestled within this small village of Gasadalur and there are 2 ways to see it: with minimal effort and with some effort. What do I mean by this? You can see this glorious spot by car as you do some short walking from the main road; or if you’re a dedicated hiker, you can do a hiking trail that the villagers used to take before the car tunnel was built.

TRIVIA: Gasadalur used to be one of the most isolated places in the islands. Residents had to hike through 700-meter mountains just to get in and out of the village! After the car tunnel was built, access to the town got a lot better, but to date, the residents here still number at only 18!

Since I didn’t have much time (and a bit tired from my flight), I opted to just drop by here with my car as I enjoyed the waterfall and do a bit of strolling in the village itself. If you want some more detailed tips for this place, like how to find the trail that leads to this vantage point and how to do the longer hiking trail itself, check out my guide found here: Gasadalur & its Mulafossur Waterfall

• • •

The central city of Tórshavn is where you will find most of the islands’ accommodations and it’s a strategic place to base yourself in for all your adventures around the islands. But of course it can get cheaper if you get places outside of  Torshavn, but for the best capital picks, they would be the following. Luxury: Hotel Foroyar / Mid-Range: Hotel Hafnia or AirBnB / Budget: Kristjanshavn or AirBnB

I stayed over at a guesthouse with a local though and unfortunately, it’s not really a place you can book — but I wish it was because the house was in the traditional style and it was so cozy with a great view of the sea and a river!

• • •

Like a natural amphitheatre, Saksun is a splendid remote hillside village that is known for its serene atmosphere. The place where it lies now used to be a deep inlet in the sea (fjord) and during low tide, you can walk along the lagoon’s sandy shore which is found at the foot of the village.

Whilst here, make sure you check out the village’s church and Dúvugarðar, a farm that houses 300 ewes — which also functions as a museum.

• • •

This is the largest waterfall in the Faroe Islands at a hight of 140 meters. Located near the village of Haldarsvík, this waterfall has two cascades that falls down to the sea. If I may share a tip, it’s best to come here after some heavy rainfall because that’s when it becomes even more spectacular!

TRIVIA: Fossá in Faroese means “river with waterfalls”

• • •

As the night falls, you can choose from an array of restaurants that speckle the city of Tórshavn; but if I may suggest, go and dine at Barbara Fish House! It has a great menu that consists of Faroese seafood dishes; plus, the place itself is quite charming given that it is built into the rocks.

Kalsoy and Gjógv

Rev up your car,  wear good shoes, pack up some food and sail to the nearby island of Kalsoy! You can spend a whole day here to explore its various sights. If you still have time by the end of the day, you can drop by the charming village of Gjógv.

Kalsoy is like a flute-shaped island due to its thin shape. You can reach it by ferry along with your car by driving from Tórshavn to the port of Klaksvík (this is a 1-hour drive). It’s best to catch the first or earliest ferry to Kalsoy’s Syðradalur port so that you’ll have enough time to explore the island. To check the timetables, see this page (take note of the departure times as well so you can time when you will have to drive back to port). Take note: it’s not possible to book in advance so you have to pay on the spot (DKK 160 for one vehicle), and if you’re coming with your car, make sure you arrive there 15 minutes before departure.

Once on the island, there’s no need for maps because there is but just one highway with lots of tunnels — make sure that you watch out for sheep because they can come up anywhere and block the road, seemingly seeking for some sort of showdown.

First, I recommend that you go straight to the north to Trøllanes not only to see the surroundings of the village but to also hike up the mountains to see Kallur lighthouse because the view here is superb. I actually had a hard time finding the trail that leads to this place because there are no signs that lead me to it. Thankfully, my companion and I saw a tour group by the road who were headed to the lighthouse and they gladly invited us to join them.

Basically, somewhere on the road before the village, you will find a small red gate along the fence. This is closed but you can open it — most of the gates in the island are closed not for people, but for sheep. Once inside, you just have to climb up the hill toward the north direction until you see the white Kallur lighthouse. With this in mind: make sure to wear good and comfortable hiking shoes! Rest assured, the climb up isn’t that hard but it can get a bit steep.

On the way back, make sure that you stop by the village of Mikladalur to visit Kópakonan, or the “Seal Woman”, which embodies one of the popular folktales in the islands. Made of bronze and stainless steel, it stands above a rock near a waterfall with a great backdrop of the mountains and the sea. The legend that surrounds this is quite sad and dark though and you can read all about it here.

TIP: Pack your own lunch and snacks because I personally had a hard time looking for a restaurant in Kalsoy. There was a canteen in Mikladalur but it only served snacks.

• • •

Just an hour away from Tórshavn, this is the northernmost village in Eysturoy island. Nominated by the Nordic Council for the Nature & Environmental Award in 2014, this well-preserved town is nestled by mountains on all sides and filled with traditional houses that are made of timber and turf roofs. For those who are fond of hiking, there are also several trails for you to do here! What’s one thing that you absolutely must NOT miss? it would be the natural harbour that they have which is a picturesque gorge.

• • •

Once you’re back at the capital, have some more classical Faroese dishes — but this time around, try some fine dining at Aarstova!

All about mountains

The way I see it, the Faroe Islands is a hiker’s dream paradise! In fact, almost all of the best landscapes can be seen via hiking.

But for those who don’t have the stamina for such things (like me), don’t fret because there are hiking trails that are at an easy level. …Yet if you could push yourself — by all means, do so! I have personally done a difficult hike up the mountain of Villingardalsfjall, and I was so glad that I pushed myself to do it even if my legs were about to give way because the view that I saw up high was one of the most jaw-dropping landscapes that I’ve ever seen in my life!

» READ: Hiking Trails in the Faroe Islands

Anyhow, if you think you can’t really do any moderate to high level hikes, you can spend this day visiting the villages of Saksun or Gjógv if you haven’t managed to do so in the past days. You can even revisit the past spots I’ve mentioned if the weather became a lot more favorable for this day.

(Hiking difficulty: medium) Towering at 880 meters, Slættaratindur or “flat summit” is the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands so it’s an absolute must-see! According to Guinnes World Records, this is the world’s longest sight line because due to the light bending effects of the atmosphere, the largest glacier in Inceland called as Vatnajökull can be seen from here on a clear day (aside from the fact that you can have awesome views over the whole Faroese archipelago). For complete hiking instructions, go to this page and scroll to page 22 to 23.

• • •

This is the hike that I was talking about — as a non-hiker, this has been one of the most difficult hikes of my life but also one of the most rewarding (together with Norway’s Trolltunga)! The whole hike to the top takes 3 to 4 hours with a distance of 6 kilometers yet at a steep height of 841 meters. I can talk on and on about this place, but I think it’s best that you read my blog post below to read more about my experience as well as to see the other views you will witness from its summit:

Hiking Faroe Islands’ Stunning Mountain of Villingardalsfjall

• • •

Good news: this does NOT involve hiking. The top of this mountain plateau near Hotel Føroyar can be reached by car and reaching its amazing viewpoint will only take you a 30-meter walk.

A Mykines kind of day

Mykines island is a favorite in the Faroe Islands! You need a whole day for this mostly because the transportation to the island usually only happens in the morning, and the ride back in the afternoon. Regrettably, when I visited here, the weather wasn’t good. In fact, once we arrived at the island, we were stranded in a small cafe together with other tourists as we waited for the heavy rain and strong winds to pass.

It still ended up as a great day though because we met a lot of interesting individuals — one of which was a well-known harp player from Ireland who was on tour at that time and who gladly played songs for everyone. Still and the same, before leaving the island, my companion and I braved the rain so that we could at least glimpse at the cute puffins that live on the cliffs!

Anyhow, it’s my wish that you get a good day so that you can see the great sight below.

There are 2 ways to reach Mykines: by boat or by helicopter. Remember how I said that helicopters are subsidized by the government of the Faroe Islands? With that in mind, I highly suggest that you take a one-way helicopter trip to this island by booking in advance! I say one way because Atlantic Airways’ helicopters mainly service a round trip route to Mykines in the mornings only from Vagar Airport. To see the complete timetable, see this page. For the boat or ferry, timetable can be found here.

Once on the island, you can hike from the old turf-roofed-filled village to the lighthouse which is at the western end of the islet of Mykineshólmur. If it’s summer time, make sure to visit some clifftops to see an endless sea of cute puffins nestled in the burrows. After all, this is called as the “paradise of birds” so take advantage of this fact and do some birdwatching while you’re there!

As you wait for your ferry back to Torshavn, take your time exploring the small village. One important thing to take note of though is that if you take a helicopter to the island from Vagar Airport, the ferry will land somewhere else and it’s at the port of Sørvágur — so if you parked your car at the airport, you have to do a 20-minute walk back, or you can take the 300 bus. (Details here).

TIP: Much like Kalsoy, it’s advisable to pack your own lunch and snacks. There’s a small cafe in the middle of the village but it mostly serves light food.

NOTE: Just recently, a new policy has been set that tourists have to pay DKK 100 to travel to the Mykineshólmur lighthouse for maintenance of the birdlife and nature on the island. This fee includes a certified guide to ensure that everyone sticks to the path and not disturb any of the local fauna. For more information, you can contact the Visit Mykines office.

• • •

Assuming that it’s summer, by the time that you come back to the main island, it will still be light outside so if you could, make a stopover at Kirkjubøur. One notable attraction that you must see here is the huge black building at the center of the village that is called Kirkjubøargarður. It’s arguably the oldest inhabited wooden house in the world with over 17 generations of the same family that’s living there (there are sections that are turned into a museum). It even once housed the episcopal residence and seminary of the Diocese of the Faroe Islands.

You could also visit the old churches that they have such as Magnus Cathedral and Saint Olav. And if you go by the shore, you will see two old stone houses.

Before capping the night, while you’re already in the area…

• • •

I highly recommend this restaurant since I have dined here myself! What’s special about KOKS? Well, it has been awarded as the best restaurant in the Nordic countries in 2015 by the Nordic Prize; plus, it is also the first and the only Michelin star restaurant in the islands. The restaurant which only uses local ingredients is housed in a private house that has been turned into a guest room, and it has an open kitchen where you can watch the chef and his assistants cook (but there is a bigger kitchen in the back).

Dining here is obviously not cheap, but if you have the money to spare, I urge you to give it a try. I’ve dined all over the world and this is one of the best places I’ve ate in. Besides, they surely know how to do pairings!

Basically, dinner here is a tasting menu and you can choose to pick your own drinks or choose their wine pairing or juice pairing set — YES! You read that right, juice pairing! This might sound boring to you but their juice pairings were simply phenomenal. I never though that fresh juices can be mixed in such ways that would perfectly complement a dish. Aaaah… simply put: I hope you get to try it to experience a truly gastronomical feast!

Explore the rest of Tórshavn

We’re now on the last day and I think it’s time to fully explore and enjoy the main capital of Tórshavn. Let yourself get lost in the city’s small streets; if not, you can take your pick from the array of activities below…

Tinganes is an area where you can see a beautiful clutter of red wooden houses. These are one of the oldest parliamentary meeting places in the world that once functioned as a meeting place for Vikings. Today, it houses the office of the prime minister. You will rather find the Faroese parliament — the Løgting (‘Law assembly’) — a few streets down. What’s great about this area too is that there are enough signs and plaques to explain the history of the place.

• • •

Go over to the waterfront and you will this store that’s housed in an old factory building. They sell products made in the islands itself such as traditional clothes, wool sweaters, postcards, posters, and other design products. For sure, it’s worth looking into!

• • •

You can experience a magnificent horseriding experience in and around Tórshavn and you can do it with the tour provider, Berg Hestar, who uses Icelandic horses. The experiences vary in difficulty and price range but take note that it’s only allowed for 7 years and older. To protect the horses, there’s also a weight limit of 95 kilos. To book your spot(s), check by their website here.

• • •

This experience will grant you a unique perspective to the Faroe Islands as you sail by the most remote and breathtaking sights that the islands have to offer — one of which is to circle around the nearby island of Hestur. RIB62 tailors tours upon request every day of the weak so feel free to contact them for inquiries. (Departure for this boat tour is from Gamlarætt which is 15 minute away from Tórshavn).

Wondering where to dine in the Faroe Islands or the local dishes that you must absolutely try?

Check out this blog post to find out: Top Faroe Islands Restaurants . .

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Booking Essentials

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Overall

It’s clear to see that the Faroe Islands has an untouched beauty that’s worthy to be seen and explored! I guarantee you that it is the kind of place that will fit your fancy, NO matter the kind of traveler that you may be.

Besides, it’s a destination that a lot of travelers have NOT heard of yet, so why not be one of the “forerunners” (like me) who will sing its praises? Through that way, the Faroe Islands could soon be known by more people, thereby paving the way for its popularity — which they so rightly deserve!

How about you?

What do you think of the Faroe Islands?

Would you like to visit? Why or why not?

Or have you visited here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

“How can I stay in Europe or the Schengen Countries / Area for a longer period of time?”

This is one of the most common questions that I get from readers, especially because I have been able to stay in the Schengen Area for more than the usual 90-day limit despite being an unmarried non-EU (non-European Union) national with a third world country passport.

I understand that a lot of people would want to have the right to stay for more than 90 days, since going on a complete ‘Eurotrip’ can’t really be done in such a short span of time. So with this post, I will be giving you different ideas and options on how you can legally extend your European vacation! But first, let me give you a bit of background information.

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The Schengen Area & The 90-Day Limit

The Schengen Area is a group of 26 countries that comprises most of Europe. As part of a unified agreement, all of them have agreed to abolish passports and internal border controls. This means that all the Schengen countries act as if they are only ‘one country’ — every citizen of each member state is free to go anywhere they want, while outsiders who want to enter Schengen would experience border control once at the first country that they entered, but after that, entering other member countries would no longer require further immigration control.

These 26 countries are namely:

Austria

Belgium

Czech Republic

Denmark[1]

Estonia

Finland

France[2]

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands[3]

Norway[4]

Poland

Portugal

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain[5]

Sweden

Switzerland

[1] Excluding Greenland and the Faroe islands [2] Excluding overseas departments and territories [3] Excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands [4] Excluding Svalbard [5] With special provisions for Ceuta and Melilla

From the above list, 4 of these are non-EU (or EFTA member states that may have border control) — Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland — whereas 22 are part of the EU.

However, to date, there are 2 members of the EU; so what happened to the other 6? Well, four — Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania— are still pending, and two — Ireland and the United Kingdom — decided to opt-out.

TRIVIA: There are 3 additional European microstates — Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican — that can be considered as de facto within the Schengen Countries given how they don’t have border controls with the countries that surround them; but it’s important to note that they are not official Schengen member states since they have not signed documents for it.

The Schengen Visa serves as the basic short-term visa that you will need to be able to stay in all of the 26 countries. However, non-Schengen citizens are allowed to enter the area without this (their passport will only get stamped upon arrival and departure) as long as they are residents of:

Albania[*]

Andorra

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Australia

Bahamas

Barbados

Bermuda

Bosnia and Herzegovina[*]

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

Hong Kong SAR

Israel

Japan

Macao SAR

Macedonia[*]

Malaysia

Mauritius

Mexico

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro[*]

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Romania

Saint Kitts and Nevis

San Marino

Serbia[*]

Seychelles

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan[2]

USA[2]

Uruguay

Vatican

Venezuela

[*] Visa waiver applies only to holders of biometric passports [1] Including The Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau [2] Passport must include identity number

[3] Including Virgin Islands of The United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico DISCLAIMER: This list is as of February 2015 NOTE: Ireland, UK and their territories are allowed limitless entry

If you are NOT a resident of one of the countries above (which mostly comprises citizens of Africa and Asia) you would then need to apply at an embassy to obtain a tourist/short-term Schengen Visa.

If you’re from the Philippines, go here to read my visa guide for obtaining a Schengen Visa from the Embassy of Belgium; although, if you’re entering a different Schengen country or staying somewhere else the longest, do consult the corresponding embassy to find out their requirements. Most of the time, the prerequisites are the same as that in my article for Belgium, but of course it’s always important that you recheck so you don’t miss out on any documents needed.

NOTE: It helps to mention that there are non-Schengen members in Europe that allow entry to their country if you have a Schengen Visa, namely: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey, and Vatican City.

HOWEVER, you must check these details beforehand since their rules might have changed. Plus, customarily, only multiple-entry Schengen visas are allowed. You can check this list for more details and updates.

Once you are allowed to enter the Schengen Area — with just your passport or with a short-term visa — you are ONLY permitted to stay for 3 months (90 days) per 6 month period (10 days). The 90 day span doesn’t need to be consecutive, it’s treated as cumulative; but the fact remains that after you have stayed in Schengen for a total of 90 days, you have to leave. You are NOT allowed to come back again until the 11st day from the first time you stepped in.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (March 2015): Apparently, as of 1 October 2013, the Schengen member states changed the calculation of the 10-day period. To know more about this and avoid fines, deportations, and bans in Schengen, please check this article.

If you don’t leave by the time you hit 90 days, you are subject to a fine or deportation; worst case scenario, you will be banned from the Schengen Area for a period of time (1-3 years) or indefinitely.

It’s sometimes considered as ‘okay’ if you stay for a couple more days and even up to a week, but I advise that you don’t try and push it especially if you’re on a visa. And if you stay longer than a week, you should know that you’re going to be in big trouble.

Nevertheless, it’s said by most travelers (who are free to enter Schengen countries with just a passport) that southern countries like Greece, France, Spain and Italy are not so strict on checks. While the western countries like Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, and EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) are very firm with entry and exits (primarily at the airports or train stations, more so if you’re going to an isolated island).

Still and the same, as I’ve mentioned, you shouldn’t ‘push it‘. Follow the rules and if you really want to stay longer than the 90-day limit, below are the different ways that you can stay longer, legally!

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Ways to Legally Stay Longer

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an embassy officer nor a migration agent. I am only here to provide you ideas on how you can stay in Schengen countries longer. If you ever need any help with visas or procedures, please check the links that I have provided and contact the appropriate departments instead. Also, I do not guarantee that the information below will remain to be true, if let’s say you’re reading this in 2020; therefore, please make it your responsibility to recheck the facts. Thank you!

Each section below would have options or solutions that are ‘generally unknown’. For quicker reading, you can click to the items below to navigate to the section that you want to see best:

#1 – Study

Student visas in all Schengen countries are not hard to obtain for as long as you are accepted, enrolled, or invited by a university or school. (Which you should apply for before entering a Schengen country). Naturally, you would have to pay for these courses but you can always work part-time while studying, since most student visa holders are allowed to do so. Otherwise, you could try to get a scholarship, apply to an exchange program (if you’re still studying) or simply enroll to the FREE universities.

Yes, you read that right… free! 

There are actually several countries in Europe that chose to eradicate tuition fees for both local and international would-be students and they are listed below (along with other countries who have the cheapest tuition):

FINLAND Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE Regardless of nationality, tuition fees in Finland are absolutely free in whatever level! (Plans of putting tuition fees on non-EU students for 2016 have been totally abandoned). But as per any student application abroad, you would need to prove that you can handle your living expenses. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $630+ (Php 27,00+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Finland‘ NORWAY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE No matter your nationality, local or international, state universities and university colleges in Norway do not charge tuition fees, and much like Finland, it applies to all levels: undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. (Some specialized courses might still have fees though small, so always recheck with the university. Private institutions on the other hand, would still have fees.) Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Norway‘ AUSTRIA Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE or $412 (Php 1,200+) If you’re from a 3rd world country, some universities in Austria will exempt you from paying any tuition, whereas any other non-EU resident will most likely just pay around $412 (at the lowest possible). Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $900+ (Php 40,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Austria‘ GERMANY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: FREE or $1,000 (Php 44,200+) As of 2014, all public German universities offer higher education free-of-charge not only to local but international students! However, it’s important to note that this is true for the undergraduate level only, and that there might still be some administration fees (but the cost would start at about $57 or Php 2,500+). Just make sure to check that the course you’re applying for is in English; however, if you’re fluent in German then that’s better. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $770 (Php 34,000+) For more information: See ‘Cost of Studying in Germany‘, ‘List of Free German Universities‘ and ‘Studying in Germany‘ HUNGARY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) The good thing about Hungary is that unlike the Scandinavian countries, it is one of the European countries that has a more affordable cost of living, thus, proving your ‘solvency’ would be easier than the others. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $566+ (Php 25,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Hungary‘ FRANCE Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,000+ (Php 44,200+) You’re lucky if you can find a cheap university in Paris, because the cheapest ones are actually found outside of it (Lyon is one example). I have actually been told that there are public universities that can only cost $300 a year but since I wasn’t provided with the exact university names, I leave it up to you to do the research. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $500+ (Php 22,000+) For more information: See ‘Studying in France‘ BELGIUM Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,100+ (Php 50,000+) I have tried this option before through the University of Antwerp for one of their 1-year Master Programs and the process of obtaining a student visa was fairly easy given how I was backed up by the university. The tuition was worth $2,000+ (Php ,500+) which is almost double the lowest yearly tuition possible; so if you want to get the cheapest, try the University of Leuven, Hasselt University or University of Ghent (I didn’t manage to apply for these three since I was late for their deadlines, that’s why I resorted to saving up for the $2K through my online work to pursue the University of Antwerp). Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $730 (Php 32,300+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Belgium‘

» READ: Money Saving Tips to Come Up With a Travel Fund

ITALY Lowest yearly tuition fee possible: $1,500+ (Php 66,400+) Italy is known for providing studies on fashion, history, and liberal arts at an affordable cost for international students. Living expenses should be easy to handle once you know the economical places to eat and stay in. Proof of ‘means of support’ per month: At least $390 (Php 17,200+) For more information: See ‘Studying in Italy‘ TIP: For ‘means of support’, it’s always best to add more to the minimum requirement. It also helps to add a sponsor (even if it’s just on paper) even if you already can support yourself — this is what I’ve done when I applied for a university in Belgium; it’s always best to ‘overdeliver’.

Moreover, if you’re from the Philippines or Asia like me, before you can study overseas for a business or graduate school, check if you need to have a GMAT or GRE certification since most of our universities are not ‘recognized’ abroad. (GRE is said to be the easiest, which I have done. Others reviewed for months on this, but I only reviewed for a day since I was in a rush; and yet I was fine! But surely, I don’t advise that you do the same). Also, if your studies were not conducted in English, a majority of the European schools would need a TOEFL or IELTS from you. #2 – Work

There are different ways to do ‘work’, some are conventional but some are unique. Check out the list below to see what best fits you:

NORMAL WORK This is where you go through the usual process of finding a company (in the form of a transfer, internship, part-time, or full-time work) and then applying for a work visa. For more information: See EuroJobs or Europa TEACH ENGLISH This is not the same as those ‘jobs on the road’ where you hold private English classes to people who don’t have it as a first language. Why? Because doing so is a risk. A short-term tourist Schengen Visa is NOT a work permit. Working can still be done in ‘secret’ though (with Spain & Italy as the most tolerant) but if you somehow attract the attention of authorities, it can get nasty. So if you really want to teach legally, secure a work visa or working holiday visa first (that will make you stay longer too) by searching for opportunities in recognized schools or institutions. (Teaching English while under a student visa is possible as well). Countries that are typically open to English-teaching jobs are Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Germany, Spain, and Italy. For these jobs, a TEFL certificate is a usual requirement. For more information: See TEFL or ESLCafe LANGUAGE ASSISTANT PROGRAM Often run by governments, it gives non-EU citizens a chance to stay in the Schengen countries or area longer in exchange for offering aid in teaching the English language (they even pay you for the services you’re doing). There are only few European countries that offer this kind of program and below are their basic requirements:

France: must come from one of their 60 partner countries, age 20-30, have basic level of French, completed at least 2 years of university (http://www.ciep.fr/en/assistantetr/)

Italy: must be a resident of the USA, have Italian proficiency, a university graduate or undergraduate, 3.25 GPA (http://siteprogram.pacioli.net/)

Spain: must be a resident of USA/Canada/New Zealand/Australia/China/EU, have basic level of Spanish, a university graduate or in last year of university (https://www.mecd.gob.es/)

Switzerland: must be a resident of USA/Canada/Great Britain/Ireland/Austria/France/Italy/or Spain, age 21-30, have sound language knowledge of the region (can be German/French/Italian), a university student or graduate (http://www.ch-go.ch/)

For openings in other countries, check by: www.europelanguagejobs.com AU PAIR JOB Usually done for at least 6 months or more, working as an au pair is like being a domestic assistant as you live with a host family that provides free accommodation and food. Other than providing childcare, you are also typically asked to do light housework as you receive a salary for it. For more information: See IAPA, Great Au Pair, or Europa Au Pair WORKING HOLIDAY If you are 25 to 31 and a citizen of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, you are eligible to get a working holiday visa, granting you to stay, work, or find work in the Schengen Area for one to two years . For more information: See Work Holiday Visas SELF-EMPLOYMENT If you’re a freelancer, Germany’s self-employment visa is your solution. This is not the kind of visa that makes you move your ‘company’ to Germany, but a visa for being an artist, writer, digital nomad, accountant, etc. Application for this type of visa can be done while you’re in Germany and it can be approved in a week provided that you have fulfilled the necessary requirements. If however, your tourist visa is close to expiring upon application, they will give you a temporary 3-month visa as they process your request (some people take this course of action since even if they don’t get approved, they have already managed to extend their stay). For more information: See Berlin.de or this Get a Residence in Germany as an American UPDATE: Some other EU countries seemingly also provide self-employment visas like Italy, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, and Netherlands. However, I can’t find official links available to direct you to; so it’s up to you to look more into it. But basically, if you have a specific member state in mind that you really want to go to, simply ask the embassy if they can accommodate self-employment visa applications like this. VOLUNTEER Much like the English-teaching jobs, there are volunteer jobs as well that are ‘under-the-table’ — apart from being risky, those won’t enable you to stay longer in Europe. Examples are fruit-picking jobs, hostel work, etc. (this is why most of the time their websites advise that you don’t mention to immigration officers that you are going to work in a farm, for example). Therefore, to be able to remain or to be able to become a volunteer for a longer period of time, you would have to either get a work visa/permit, or sign up for accredited volunteer programs that could whip out a work visa for you. Unfortunately, these often come with a fee; but some can be very affordable. For more information: See Europa or European Voluntary Service CULTURAL HOMESTAY This is not like the informal homestay set-ups that I have discussed in this article: [Cultural Homestay Internationa (CHI) World Explorers Program #3 – Reunion or Union

The items below are common solutions and have no ‘special’ tricks or tips but they remain to be conventional ways of obtaining a longer visa in the Schengen Area:

FAMILY REUNION Applicable if you have close kinship ties to a Schengen citizen or permanent resident. MARRIAGE / FIANCÉ Self-explanatory. If you have fallen in love with a European from any of the Schengen countries this is the way to go! COHABITATION If you’re not the ‘marrying’ type, you can choose to go for a live-in visa with your boyfriend/girlfriend who is a resident/citizen of one of the Schengen countries. Customarily, applications like this become successful if you can prove that you’re in a relationship for at least 2 years or have lived in together for at least 1 year. HOME STAYS There are some European families that are willing to take a foreigner in as a part of their household for a long period of time. This can usually be a part of a student’s schooling experience or as a part of an organization for cultural or language immersion (like of the previous section) who would often need a fee from you.

  #4 – Citizenship

This (citizenship) is more of an option for those who are really focused on staying in the Schengen Area indefinitely. Obtaining this can be done through different ways:

MARRIAGE With a European in the Schengen Area. On average, it takes 3 years; some can only take a year. ‘PURCHASE’ / INVESTMENTS For the insanely rich people, they can obtain an EU citizenship through investments or purchase of property (or even purchase of citizenship). Examples of these countries are Austria, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, and Slovakia (price to pay can start at $320,000+ to millions!). There are also Schengen member states like Netherlands and France that can offer residency permits for a limited period of time, in exchange for payments or investments at a minimum of $300,000+. ANCESTRY / NATURALIZATION I call this the ‘Waiting Game‘. If you are able to obtain a long-term visa that will enable you to stay in a Schengen member state for 5 to 10 years, then your citizenship is ostensibly secured. On the other hand, if you can inspect your family tree and discover that you have ancestors who are citizens or have become residents in EU countries in the past, your years of ‘waiting’ can be shortened! Examples of these are:

Ireland: This is NOT a Schengen member state, but since Irish citizens are allowed to enter Europe without limits, acquiring citizenship through Ireland would be a good step and you can achieve this if you have an Irish parent or grandparent. Your citizenship immediately becomes effective upon registration.

Germany: The country freely provides citizenship to children and grandchildren of former Germans who were deprived of their citizenship status between January 30, 1933 and May , 1945 on racial, political, or ethnic grounds.

Italy: Once proven that you have Italian ancestors, you can become a citizen by naturalization if you find a way to remain in the country for at least 3 years (it seems long, but better than the norm of 10 years).

★ Spain: Like Italy, 10 years is also the usual length required to become a Spanish citizen; but, it can be shortened to 2 years if your country is a former colony of Spain: these are Latin American countries, Sephardic origins, Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Portugal, and the Source: Spanish Naturalization

*As with most cases of naturalization, countries would commonly require that you have basic knowledge of their language, history, and geography before fully processing your citizenship. Also, you must stay there legally; for example, staying for 2 years in Spain without legal papers does not qualify you for the naturalization.

  #5 – Long-Term Tourist Visa

A big part of the Schengen Area’s member states do NOT allow long-term tourist visas, except for a few which could grant you a Type D visa (maximum 1 year) with the condition that you will NOT work. These countries are:

FRANCE As long as you have a solid reason and that you have enough money for the duration of your stay (said to be at minimum $3,000 per month or Php 132,000), you can be granted a long-term visitor visa that can last to only a year (but can be subject to a renewal depending on your reason for wanting to stay longer, your financial means to prove that you’re not going to need to work, etc.) Take note that this type of visa would allow you to take residency in France ONLY starting from the 4th month of your stay (you can still tour the rest of the Schengen countries from the 1st to 3rd months). Anyhow, in a sense, you can still travel around after the 4th month because there are no border checks on land; but again, that’s a huge risk and it’s illegal. If you get caught, well… you know what could happen and it’s not gonna be good. For more information: See France Consulate or ask your local French embassy for more details SWEDEN If you have special grounds or reasons, Sweden is willing to give out a long-stay tourist visa but be warned that the process can take up to months. It’s said that most of the people who are successful with this are those who have family or relatives in Sweden though, but it’s still worth a try if you’re willing to go through the processing time. For more information: See Swedish Migration or consult your local Swedish embassy for more details SPAIN There is a type of tourist residence visa in Spain called as “non-lucrative” geared towards retired or rich persons who can stay for 1 year in the country for as long as they can provide proof that they don’t need to acquire work in Spain, that they are not carrying out any economic activity in Spain, and/or that their clients are not based in Spain mainly — so basically, that they generate their income outside of Spain. One important proof they need is for you to show that you have monthly income of at least 2,130 EUR. For more information: See Spain Embassy or consult your local Swedish embassy for more details

I have found articles that mention Italy and Portugal as additional countries that can provide long-stay tourist visas; however, I cannot find information in any embassy website. Nonetheless, you can always try your chances and ask your local embassy for more information.

  #6 – In-and-Out Hop

I have already listed out the 26 member states of the Schengen Area at the top of this article — keep these in mind very well, and once you do, plan a ‘EuroTrip’ that will make make you hop in and out of Schengen countries while managing to technically still remain within the European territory.

What do I mean by this? You can tour around different Schengen member states like France, Spain, or Germany and by the time you hit your 90-day limit, go and hop over to a non-Schengen European country like Croatia, UK, Macedonia, or Turkey to wait until you hit the 11st day so that you can come back to the Schengen Area again.

Just find the right mix for this, save up, plan it well, and you can definitely manage to stay for a very long time in Europe.

» READ: Money Saving Tips to Come Up With a Travel Fund and Change in the Calculation of ‘Short Stay’ in the Schengen Area

NOTE: Take note that this set-up works best for those who hold passports that have the privilege of entering the European zone visa-free. Unfortunately, this could be a bit tricky for those who would typically need a visa to enter any European country since most visa applications have to be done in your home country… and to the best of my knowledge, it’s customarily not allowed to apply for 2 or more similar short-term visas in one appointment. (Correct me if I’m wrong). What you can do though is to get a Schengen Tourist Visa for 90 days (3 months) and then get another 10 days (6 months) tourist visa for UK, and some other European countries and that would technically enable you to stay in the European area for a loooong time. (Best to get multiple entry visas too so that, for example, you can go in and out of UK to France as many times as you want).

TIP: Let’s say your visa is soon ending and you want to apply for another visa for a different country without going back to your home country (like heck, just think of the flight costs!). In most cases, this is NOT allowed unless you can properly justify why you’re unable to do it in your home country. I know of some travelers who have used the reason of “I’m traveling long term, that’s why” and have ended up as successful in their appeal. However, it’s still important for you to know that it’s customarily a tough case and that it might even involve a lot of pleading. But then again… there’s no harm in trying, right?

Overall, if you want to do use this method of ‘hopping’ around, just please remember to:

Be informed. Take note of the non-Schengen countries’ policies with regard to the number of days that you are allowed to stay in their domain (this is in connection with your passport/nationality).

Do your own research. Be updated. Remember that there are candidates for the Schengen Area at the time that I make this post, so it’s possible that Bulgaria (for instance) would suddenly become a Schengen member state in the future; so, hopping over to this place won’t be a solution after your 90 days limit.

  #7 – Visa Extensions

This is a very delicate subject because almost all Schengen countries do NOT tolerate extensions once you get into the area with a short-term (less than 90 days) tourist visa. Be that as it may, the good news is: it’s still and always possible if you’re resourceful and creative enough. (Extensions for long-term visas for studies, work, etc. are a different matter altogether).

If you’re rather one of the nationals who are allowed to come into Schengen countries with just a passport, be mindful that it can prove more difficult, because you technically don’t have a visa on hand to apply an extension for — sure, there are chances that you can apply and obtain a visa without a need to go back to your home country; however, I seldom hear of situations that are successful in doing this. (You can try and do your research though since some embassies might be able to accommodate such requests depending on your nationality and situation).

Now the typical grounds that can grant you an easy extension can be cases of:

Force majuere – unforeseen circumstances that are not under your control (i.e. bad weather conditions, airline strikes, etc.); this is the only situation that does not require fees for extension

Humanitarian reasons – if you have fallen ill or a close family member has fallen ill or died

Serious personal reasons

These can allow you to stay for more days either in the whole of the Schengen Area (very rare case) or just inside the country that you are in (that you chose, that is your point of entry or the place you’ve stayed the longest — it’s a case by case basis but this is what mostly happens when you are granted an extension: you’re only allowed to stay in the country that you applied for).

But of course, you wouldn’t want to fall ill nor would you want a family member to die just so you can extend your visa, right? So what other options do you have?

Luckily, there seems to be some Schengen countries that are quite lenient with extensions and the ones that I know of are:

PORTUGAL Apparently, they can offer up to two extensions, for as long as you can support yourself and provide the necessary documents. (It’s said to be best done in Lisbon). For more information: See Immigration SWEDEN I’ve heard a lot of successful stories from friends who have managed to extend their visa on Sweden, but it’s important to note that most of them were able to do so because they had a Swedish friend, family, or ‘special someone’ to back them up. I guess it’s a way of ensuring a Migration Board that you have a local who can support you (even if it’s just on paper). For more information: See Migrationsverket France; however, I couldn’t find any reliable source online for this; still and the same, it’s worth looking into – let me know if this is indeed possible.

» Other Possibilities due to Bilateral Agreements with…

US Citizens I have found some forums online saying that U.S. citizens can stay for 90 days in Poland, leave for one day, and come back to have another 90-day stay. This is said to be possible because of some sort of bilateral agreement or declaration between the U.S. and Poland. I’ve certainly read of accounts that said that they were successful in doing so and have had Polish officials confirming this set-up. However, I advice that you check with them yourself since I can’t find a reliable online source. Make it a point to verify if this is true since it goes beyond the Schengen rules; it’s even possible that the extension will only allow you to stay in Poland only and not in the rest of Schengen.

Australian Citizens Australia has bilateral agreements with Denmark and Germany which overrides the Schengen conditions. They can stay up to 3 months or 90 days in each of these two countries. In theory, Australians can stay indefinitely by going back and forth between Germany and Denmark every 90 days. Of course, the restriction of no more than 90 days in any 10 day period in the Schengen area will come into play if they venture out to other member states. SOURCE: Visa exemptions for Australians

I have not done an extensive research on ALL non-EU nationalities, so I hope you take the action to recheck your rights and benefits in Schengen since your home country might have these same bilateral agreements that will allow you to stay longer in Europe.

Now, if I may add, I have also discovered several ‘success extension stories’ in other Schengen countries using the methods below which are both worth a shot. But again, be aware that some countries may accept this while some others may not:

Register as legal partners – if you have a significant other who is a national of one of the Schengen countries, it’s possible to come into the country with a tourist visa and then immediately jumpstart a live-in or cohabitation agreement (NOT marriage) to be able to remain in the country longer even after the expiry of your tourist visa. Customarily, applications like this only become successful if you can prove that you’re in a relationship for at least 2 years or have lived in together for at least 1 year. (Countries that I know of who can take on these kinds of applications are Belgium and the Netherlands.)

Partner with an NGO or Tourism Board – if you can find an NGO, tourism board, or organization that can vouch for you, it’s possible to gain an easy extension. Some travel bloggers have been able to use this method as they offer their skills of writing or blog ‘reach’ to the appropriate institutions. This is definitely worth your while, especially if a certain migration office is open to other types of visa applications (i.e. I’ve read an account of someone that’s able to do this in Romania; even if it’s not part of the Schengen Area yet, some legit member states can conceivably acknowledge this circumstance).

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Overall

I hope this guide helped shed some light into the 90-day limit rule in the Schengen countries; plus, I certainly hope that in one way or another, I helped give you an idea on how you can prolong your European journey without breaking the law!

Should you ever have any other tips in mind that should be included in this guide, please feel free to leave a comment below. (And if there are any corrections, do kindly let me know of that too).

Before I end this post, I leave you with the following general reminders:

Do your own research. I cannot stress this enough. Take my advice with a grain of salt. Besides, the information that I post here is based on my own findings and experiences as of February 2015, so it’s your responsibility to ensure that the facts that I have here are still up-to-date or true at the time that you are reading this article. I say this because I certainly don’t want you to waste your money or time when you suddenly find out that certain conditions are changed, eradicated, etc.

Check migration rules. Be well-informed of the rules that apply to you depending on your nationality or passport. Know your limits and your benefits. Speaking of passport, always ensure that it is NOT expiring anytime soon.

Ultimately, I hope that this whole piece can also be a way for you to connect to others who have had successful experiences of staying longer in Europe; therefore, do feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. However, like I said, be reminded that I am NOT an embassy officer nor a migration agent. Any queries relating to such things should be directed to your local embassy or migration board, and NOT to me. Thank you and good luck!

How about you?

Do you have other tips to share that I can add to this guide for Schengen countries?

Do you have any experience in one of the solutions/ways listed above? How did it go?

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Hong Kong is a treasure trove of sorts given its culinary delights, bustling skyline, dynamic culture, rustic charm, and rich landscape among many others. With that in mind, you would need a lifetime in order to experience just about everything — however, with just this post, I can get you started with the top 10 fun things to do in Hong Kong to help make your stay a memorable one!

Naturally, I won’t be discussing most of the typical must-do’s in the city such as visiting Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbour, Lan Kwai Fong, etc. because you can refer to my Hong Kong itinerary guide for that.

» MUST-READ: DIY Hong Kong Itinerary (with Macau Day Trip)

Instead, I’ll be listing below some exciting city activities that you, your friends or your family can enjoy for the remainder of your stay! .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Things to Do in Hong Kong

1

Say goodbye to dark, skewed or ‘out of focus’ vacation photos that are taken by strangers! With SweetEscape, you can finally capture your travel experiences perfectly with the help of professional photographers — no matter if you’re traveling alone, with your friends or with your family.

To date, if you book via Traveloka, you can choose between an exclusive 2-hour or 1-hour photo shoot session. Once that’s done, you will receive up to 40 high resolution photos that you can download online!

If you ever need some location ideas, other than the typical spots, do consider the following ‘Instagrammable‘ places in Hong Kong:

Yik Cheong Building or ‘Monster Building’ and Montane Mansion at Quarry Bay

Cho Hung Estate’s rainbow-colored estate buildings

Western District Public Cargo Pier, often called as ‘Instagram Pier’

Street art at Graham Street, Sheung Wang, or Rich View Terrace at Tank Lane

Lok Wah South Estate’s round structures

2 .

Renting traditional dresses is an activity that has been gaining popularity in the recent years. In fact, Japan and South Korea are well-known for their respective kimono rental and hanbok rental shops.

Nowadays, Hong Kong has a similar service through a shop called ‘Yan Shang Kee‘. For a fee of about HKD 400, they rent out qipao or cheongsam — a tight-fitting traditional Chinese dress — for a whole day. This price already includes hairstyling, accessories for rent, as well as the freedom to choose your qipao of choice.

It helps to note that the shop offers qipao in different sizes, lengths, patterns and number of buttons. True enough, this will certainly be one of the fun things to do in Hong Kong that you must NOT miss out on!

3

What better way to explore Hong Kong’s nightlife scene than to go on a pub crawl with experienced local guides, right? The best part is that you’ll get to enjoy this all with like-minded people from all over the world who are also looking to have some fun!

Hong Kong Pub Crawl is the top provider for this; after all, their ‘crawl’ is famous for its off-the-beaten track venues and excellent drink deals. Basically, their signature LKF (Lan Kwai Fong) Crawl in Central runs every Thursday and with it, you’ll get to try free shots at different bars, enjoy free VIP entry to the hippest club in the city, as well as be accompanied by a professional photographer who will document the epic night!

So gather up your friends — it doesn’t even matter if you’re going solo — and enjoy the night away!

4Photo from nomadsteam/Shutterstock Not a lot of people know that there’s so much more to the city’s urbanised center because 2/3 of Hong Kong is actually made up of the countryside, countless small mountains and several islands. As such, hiking is a must that you should do on your list of things to do in Hong Kong!

Lion Peak Hill is one of the most popular hikes and this website even sums up all of the trails in the country (labeled accordingly with difficulty, time, etc.). But if you want something that’s out of the bustling area, head on over to the famed Dragon’s Back.

With this hiking tour, you can go through the trail with a professional guide. You will get to witness mountain ridges and forest trails as it leads up to the white sands of Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay) — where you can also try surfing!

5Photo from SAHACHATZ/Shutterstock The vibrant city is a paradise for foodies, that’s why dining out is a must on your things to do in Hong Kong — better yet, you must go on a guided street food tour!

With the help of a local, you can try out authentic dishes and fare as you wind through culinary places, bustling markets, and dai pai dong (food stalls) in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai among many others.

Some of the many things you’ll get to try are Hong Kong’s well-loved puffy egg waffles, milk tea, clay pot rice, and youtiao (deep-fried breadsticks) — food choices that will surely leave you wanting for more!

6

Tai chi or taiji is a Chinese martial art that’s not only practiced for its defense training but also for its health and meditation benefits. More recently though, it is mostly practiced as an elegant and peaceful form of exercise that can be enjoyed by just about anyone.

So, why not give it a try? After all, it will surely be one of the most fun and unique things to do in Hong Kong that will make for a memorable experience for you!

For this, I highly recommend signing up with Taichi Place. All of their instructors are certified local masters with more than 10 years of teaching experience and they have developed an easy way to help non-Chinese people discover the essence and history of tai chi. In just an hour, you will learn beginner hand forms, proper stances, and Qigong breathing exercises that will leave you feeling better in both body, mind and spirit.

(NOTE: Classes will be done outdoors and the masters can all speak English).

7

Step into the spotlight and meet over 100 incredibly lifelike wax figures in the 10 interactive zones that are found at Madame Tussauds™ Hong Kong! Besides, the personalities are not only limited to Western stars but also those who are famous in the East as well such as Jacki Chan, Yaoi Kusama, Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, and more.

Found on top of Victoria Peak, you just can’t miss out on this attraction when you’re already riding up the Peak Tram or visiting the Sky Terrace 428. After all, this might just be the closest we can get to these famous people! (*fingers crossed*)

8

As the largest theme park in the city, Hong Kong Disneyland is definitely one of the top fun things to do in Hong Kong! To date, it features seven (7) themed areas namely Main Street, USA; Fantasyland; Adventureland; Tomorrowland; Grizzly Gulch; Mystic Point; and Toy Story Land.

Of course this isn’t just a place for children because it caters to people of all ages with the number of attractions, rides, shows and parades that the park offers. Just always stay on your toes though when you’re up and about because a lot of Disney characters are open for meet-ups and pictorials!

9

If you rather want crazier rides, Hong Kong’s OceanPark is your next best bet! It helps to note though that this is an amusement park, animal theme park, marine park and oceanarium all rolled into one — so there is LOTS to do in this place.

Some of the usual favorites are the the Polar Adventure, Old Hong Kong, Thrill Mountain, Rainforest, and Aqua City among many others. If you’re one for views, don’t forget to cross OceanPark via a cable car to get an amazing bird’s eye view of it all.

10

Step it up a notch and do a helicopter tour in Hong Kong! It’s quite luxurious, I know, but if you’ve got the budget for it or if you want to celebrate a special occasion, then this is a must on your itinerary.

The Peninsula Hotel currently offers varying packages for helicopter tours in Hong Kong such as the following:

18-minute Group Tour: You will share a 6-seater helicopter with other booked passengers and it will fly over the Victoria Harbour skyline and the beaches or bays at South Hong Kong Island.

18-minute Private Tour: For something more personal, this can be a private flight for two (to a maximum of six persons) and it will already include lunch or dinner. The route will be the same as the former.

30-minute Private Tour: Want to do it longer? This option goes to Kowloon City, Sai Kung, and the Hong Kong Geopark on top of the former stops.

45-minute Private Tour: If you also want to head over to the New Territories, Big Buddha and Lantau Island, then this should be your choice of tour.

.title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Overall

There are absolutely a ton of other top things to do in Hong Kong that you must include in your itinerary, but like I said, this is a start.

All in all, I hope that this will help make your trip an experience of a lifetime.

How about you?

What do you think of these things to do in Hong Kong?

Which activity would you like to try the most?

Or have you done any of these before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

A travel experience can take up only the smallest snippet of your life, so it’s understandable to want to pack your camera full of memories from this tiny, enjoyable break from reality. Then, when you get back home, real life can take over, and you can forget about your stock of travel photos — until you decide to go through your camera months later, and realize that you’ve forgotten all the details surrounding your little photographic memories.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to have a concrete plan for organizing your photos, maybe before your trip even begins. We’ll help you out with some general tips in this post, as well as giving you an overview of when exactly you should organize your photos. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

How to Organize Your Travel Photos

» Don’t Be Afraid To Delete

I know, it’s hard, but unless you have iron self-control, you almost certainly have multiple shots of the same subject from different angles. While the compulsion to save these travel photos is understandable — you may never go back, after all — for the purposes of preserving your memory of that place, only one is truly necessary. Don’t overthink it, just choose one and delete the rest rapidfire. It’ll make your life so much easier. » Rename With Specifics

An example of a good name for this picture would be “Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence”

Yes, it may be boring, yes, it may be time-consuming, but if you truly want your travel photos to be organized, you have to rename descriptively. The name should include the main subject of the picture and where it was taken. If you have multiple photos of the same location, you can number them and the computer will automatically sort them by ascending number once they tucked snugly into their proper folder. » Consider Editing

How much you edit is really up to you — just have fun with it!

If you’re planning to share your travel photos, or you just want to jazz them up for your own viewing pleasure, editing is an additional step that you can take to make your pictures super polished. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about editing photos, so I’ll just leave this one to the advice of the experts. And remember, if you’re like me and you don’t have any experience in editing, this step is totally optional — if you don’t think you’ll enjoy it, just don’t bother! » Have a Comprehensible Folder System

While you want to be organized, you also don’t want to create a complicated folder maze through which even you have trouble finding your way. The easiest way to strike a balance is to name each folder very generally, most often with just the country name. Although it may be tempting to make sub-folders for each location within that country, if you rename your photos properly, you can simply search up the location and easily view all your photos from that particular place. » Use A Cloud Service

Unlimited space for your files, access from any device with internet, and file storage and recovery — what more could you ask for? Cloud systems like Dropbox make all of the steps above way less time-consuming and frustrating, as well as automatically backing up all of your files so that you’ll never lose your precious memories. If you want to truly preserve every bit of the moment, you can even write a little note to yourself describing what was happening when the photo was taken with the annotation tool. These can act like little journal entries that you can go back and enjoy along with the visual anytime you want. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

When Should I Organize My Travel Photos?

The reality is that you likely don’t have all the time in the world to organize your travel pictures. For many, travel is a short escape from the responsibilities of normal adult life, but once you get back it’s straight back into the frying pan. No matter what, though, you should carve out a little time in your busy schedule to make sure that your memories are easily accessible. It’s just a matter of deciding when. » On The Trip Itself

Record all your experiences while they’re still in progress.

There are several advantages to this method, the first being that it allows you to record all the minute details of your trip that you may not remember later on. In this way, it offers the most pure preservation of memories, both good and bad. If organize later on, you will likely be inclined to give everything the rosy glow that comes along with memory when in reality, traveling, like all other aspects of life, has its ups and downs.

If you commit to organizing each day’s photos at the end of the day, this can have the effect of breaking up the process into smaller chunks that are easier to accomplish. Often enough, this means that you’ll have more energy to record the details surrounding each photo, whereas if you do all your organizing at one time, you may burn out by the end and do the bare minimum for some of your pictures.

There are, of course, downsides to this timing as well, one of the foremost being that you’re trying to enjoy yourself — you don’t want to worry about such an arduous task! By the time you’ve finished your plans for each day, you’ll likely be too tired to think straight, much less devote the brainpower and patience needed to organize your pictures. Plus, you may not have stable connection to the internet, which can make it quite difficult to do anything on a computer. However, if none of these potential hangups faze you, this can truly be one of the best times to organize your photos. » Right After You Get Home

The policy with this process is the sooner, the better. Human memory is very unreliable, so the sooner you can record everything, the more accurate it will be. That’s the strongest advantage of organizing the pictures while you’re still on the trip, but doing so right when you get home should still do the trick. The great thing here is that you know for sure that you’ll have a stable connection to the internet, and if anything goes wrong on the tech side, you’ll have the resources to fix it relatively easily. Just make sure you have some time to devote to this process before you dive back into reality. » A Month Later

Mark it down on your calendar if you feel like you might forget!

This timing is not ideal, but life happens. Perhaps you were too wrapped up in jetlag to think about your pictures when you first got home, or reality started to hit you way too fast. Whatever the reason, you should still make time to organize your photos, even if it seems like it may be too late. Mark it down on your calendar, write it on your to-do list, whatever you need to do to get those poor photos off your camera and into a place where they can be accessed easily.

Hey — you might even have a little fun with this process! These pictures are really all for you, so while some of these tips may have resonated with you, feel free to ignore the ones that struck the wrong chord. Travel is all about enjoying the moment, so don’t stress too much about remembering it perfectly. Just have fun!

This is a sponsored post for Dropbox. All opinions are my own. Dropbox is not affiliated with nor endorses any other products or services mentioned.

AUTHOR: Sarah is a cat lover, tea drinker, and turtleneck enthusiast currently studying at the University of Pittsburgh.

How about you?

What do you think of these tips?

Any other tips to add for making the most of your travel photos?

What was your most recent adventure?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

A travel experience can take up only the smallest snippet of your life, so it’s understandable to want to pack your camera full of memories from this tiny, enjoyable break from reality. Then, when you get back home, real life can take over, and you can forget about your stock of travel photos — until you decide to go through your camera months later, and realize that you’ve forgotten all the details surrounding your little photographic memories.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to have a concrete plan for organizing your photos, maybe before your trip even begins. We’ll help you out with some general tips in this post, as well as giving you an overview of when exactly you should organize your photos. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

How to Organize Your Travel Photos

» Don’t Be Afraid To Delete

I know, it’s hard, but unless you have iron self-control, you almost certainly have multiple shots of the same subject from different angles. While the compulsion to save these travel photos is understandable — you may never go back, after all — for the purposes of preserving your memory of that place, only one is truly necessary. Don’t overthink it, just choose one and delete the rest rapidfire. It’ll make your life so much easier. » Rename With Specifics

An example of a good name for this picture would be “Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence”

Yes, it may be boring, yes, it may be time-consuming, but if you truly want your travel photos to be organized, you have to rename descriptively. The name should include the main subject of the picture and where it was taken. If you have multiple photos of the same location, you can number them and the computer will automatically sort them by ascending number once they tucked snugly into their proper folder. » Consider Editing

How much you edit is really up to you — just have fun with it!

If you’re planning to share your travel photos, or you just want to jazz them up for your own viewing pleasure, editing is an additional step that you can take to make your pictures super polished. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about editing photos, so I’ll just leave this one to the advice of the experts. And remember, if you’re like me and you don’t have any experience in editing, this step is totally optional — if you don’t think you’ll enjoy it, just don’t bother! » Have a Comprehensible Folder System

While you want to be organized, you also don’t want to create a complicated folder maze through which even you have trouble finding your way. The easiest way to strike a balance is to name each folder very generally, most often with just the country name. Although it may be tempting to make sub-folders for each location within that country, if you rename your photos properly, you can simply search up the location and easily view all your photos from that particular place. » Use A Cloud Service

Unlimited space for your files, access from any device with internet, and file storage and recovery — what more could you ask for? Cloud systems like Dropbox make all of the steps above way less time-consuming and frustrating, as well as automatically backing up all of your files so that you’ll never lose your precious memories. If you want to truly preserve every bit of the moment, you can even write a little note to yourself describing what was happening when the photo was taken with the annotation tool. These can act like little journal entries that you can go back and enjoy along with the visual anytime you want. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

When Should I Organize My Travel Photos?

The reality is that you likely don’t have all the time in the world to organize your travel pictures. For many, travel is a short escape from the responsibilities of normal adult life, but once you get back it’s straight back into the frying pan. No matter what, though, you should carve out a little time in your busy schedule to make sure that your memories are easily accessible. It’s just a matter of deciding when. » On The Trip Itself

Record all your experiences while they’re still in progress.

There are several advantages to this method, the first being that it allows you to record all the minute details of your trip that you may not remember later on. In this way, it offers the most pure preservation of memories, both good and bad. If organize later on, you will likely be inclined to give everything the rosy glow that comes along with memory when in reality, traveling, like all other aspects of life, has its ups and downs.

If you commit to organizing each day’s photos at the end of the day, this can have the effect of breaking up the process into smaller chunks that are easier to accomplish. Often enough, this means that you’ll have more energy to record the details surrounding each photo, whereas if you do all your organizing at one time, you may burn out by the end and do the bare minimum for some of your pictures.

There are, of course, downsides to this timing as well, one of the foremost being that you’re trying to enjoy yourself — you don’t want to worry about such an arduous task! By the time you’ve finished your plans for each day, you’ll likely be too tired to think straight, much less devote the brainpower and patience needed to organize your pictures. Plus, you may not have stable connection to the internet, which can make it quite difficult to do anything on a computer. However, if none of these potential hangups faze you, this can truly be one of the best times to organize your photos. » Right After You Get Home

The policy with this process is the sooner, the better. Human memory is very unreliable, so the sooner you can record everything, the more accurate it will be. That’s the strongest advantage of organizing the pictures while you’re still on the trip, but doing so right when you get home should still do the trick. The great thing here is that you know for sure that you’ll have a stable connection to the internet, and if anything goes wrong on the tech side, you’ll have the resources to fix it relatively easily. Just make sure you have some time to devote to this process before you dive back into reality. » A Month Later

Mark it down on your calendar if you feel like you might forget!

This timing is not ideal, but life happens. Perhaps you were too wrapped up in jetlag to think about your pictures when you first got home, or reality started to hit you way too fast. Whatever the reason, you should still make time to organize your photos, even if it seems like it may be too late. Mark it down on your calendar, write it on your to-do list, whatever you need to do to get those poor photos off your camera and into a place where they can be accessed easily.

Hey — you might even have a little fun with this process! These pictures are really all for you, so while some of these tips may have resonated with you, feel free to ignore the ones that struck the wrong chord. Travel is all about enjoying the moment, so don’t stress too much about remembering it perfectly. Just have fun!

This is a sponsored post for Dropbox. All opinions are my own. Dropbox is not affiliated with nor endorses any other products or services mentioned.

AUTHOR: Sarah is a cat lover, tea drinker, and turtleneck enthusiast currently studying at the University of Pittsburgh.

How about you?

What do you think of these tips?

Any other tips to add for making the most of your travel photos?

What was your most recent adventure?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

A northern beauty of the Philippines, Batanes is a group of islands filled with vast pasture lands, rolling hills, towering volcanoes, dramatic cliffs, and crystal-clear waters — its untouched beauty, as some would say, is proof of the local people’s (Ivatan’s) respect for the laws of nture.

However… its far distance from the mainland, the extravagant flights and sudden weather changes can all make the trip an impossible task. In fact, these have made the islands an elusive paradise in itself; but like a challenge, a lot of people would always aim to unravel it for themselves.

For those who were fortunate enough to visit Batanes, it’s a common thing to hear them say that the terrain is akin to that of New Zealand, Ireland, or the Scottish Highlands. I’ve only been to New Zealand and I do see the resemblance. As a matter of fact, I would often beam with pride whenever I hear or read these compliments — after all, Batanes is my beloved hometown. I am really proud to be a pure-blooded Ivatan, and I absolutely feel lucky that I was brought up in these magnificent islands right from when I was born and up until high school.

FACT = One “downside” of growing up in such an amazing place like this: I’m very hard to please when it comes to natural terrain. Example: When I visited Austria, Croatia and the northern part of New Zealand (as examples), most of the people around me were crying out praises when they saw the beaches, mountains, cliffs, and/or hills.

Me? I just stood there and thought to myself, “This is nice.” And that was it.

This is NOT to say that those places weren’t great — because they were! It just so happens that scenes like that were ‘normal’ to me; so in order to get a more exuberant reaction from me, it has to be far more incredible (Faroe Islands would be an example).

Naturally, as a local, a lot of you have been asking me for tips and top things to do in Batanes. When this was first asked of me, I was at a complete loss because I left the islands when it wasn’t popular yet as a tourist destination; hence, as an example, I didn’t know much about existing logistics and hotels because they didn’t exist as much before! (It was only recently that the islands became well-known nationwide).

Nevertheless, as of this year, that has changed because I had the chance to revisit my hometown after 10 long years! I learned more about the new infrastructures, tours, and so much more — it actually surprised me to see that my little hometown wasn’t exactly the same old simple home that I knew. Still and the same, I can assure you that no matter the changes, Batanes’ beauty will forever remain.

Now without further ado, let me give you an idea on the activities that you can do when you’re in these islands for, let’s say, 5 days! Rest assured, you can tweak it around depending on the length of your stay. Enjoy! .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Batanes Pre-Travel Guide

Some quick and basic facts of Batanes before we go on…

Small and nearer to Taiwan than the Philippines. It is comprised of 10 islands but with only 3 inhabited ones, namely: Batan, Sabtang, & Itbayat — with Batan being the main island and the most populated one given its 6 districts (one of which is Basco, the provincial ‘capital’ in which I grew up in.)

Locals are called as “Ivatan”. Our exact origins are still untraced up till now and we have a total population of only about 17,000~, making us the smallest province in the country. Our language is also called as “Ivatan” which is regarded as unique to that of Tagalog, the main language in the Philippines; hence, Ivatan is not just merely a dialect but it’s now regarded as a unique language in itself.

Very low crime rates. In fact, there’s almost no crime at all which can be attributed to the Ivatan’s good nature as well as the non-existent poverty in the islands. As a child, the only main ‘criminals’ that I ever saw in my hometown were Taiwanese fishermen who were often caught at sea when they cross the borders of the Philippines to do illegal fishing, etc. For sure, Ivatans might just be one of the nicest and most trustworthy people you’ll ever meet in your travels! To prove this point, we have a couple of ‘honesty shops’ in the islands wherein nobody is attending the store: as a customer, you get the things you want to buy and then handle the payment yourself.

Experiences 4 seasons. It’s not an official thing, but technically, Batanes has very cold and chilly days from November to February, with the hottest months from March to May (with April as the driest). The rest of the months are often rainy and August is the month where we mostly experience typhoons — speaking of typhoons, we’re NOT really constantly battered by ill weather. Given our northernmost location, we’re just often used as a reference point for weather reports. Sure, we have our fair share of typhoons but unlike popular belief, it’s not too common.

When would be the best time to travel to Batanes?  Dry season which would be from December to May (with April being the driest). It’s the safest time to go if you don’t want to get stranded or have your flight cancelled/delayed because of bad weather (this is because the rest of the months are often rainy, with August being the month where we mostly experience typhoons).

Where to get the best flight deals? Batanes is primarily reached by air and travel time from Manila can take 1 to 2 hours depending on the airline. To date, given the size of Basco’s airport (which is small and can’t be extended because then the runway will either go inside the mountain or ruin some residential houses), there are only a few airlines that are in service:

Philippines Air (PAL Express): daily flights usually departing and arriving in the mornings

SkyJet Air: only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays usually  departing and arriving in the mornings

Wakay Air: daily flights usually departing and arriving in the mornings

Ticket prices are known for being expensive — it can range from Php 4,000 up to Php 15,000 (on average, it costs Php 7,000+).  If you’re on a budget, how then can you get cheaper flight deals?

Promos: There are regular seat sales that are being done by the above airlines and if you’re lucky, you can snag a roudntrip flight for just Php 500!

Tour Operators: You can also subscribe or regularly inquire with Batanes tour operator so you are notified when there are seat sales or promos.

From the airport, you can walk to the town proper to get to your hotel (it’s a really small town), otherwise you can hail tricycles there or arrange for a pick-up car beforehand. To book a private airport transfer, go here.

Where to stay? Top choices in Basco area would be… Budget: Troy’s Lodge,  DDD Habitat Lodging House Mid-Range: Midtown Inn, Batanes Seaside Lounge, or AirBnB Luxury: Fundacion Pacita

*For more Batanes hotel choices and the best price or packaged deals, I suggest checking out Agoda and Booking.com. (If you’re rather interested in renting affordable yet comfortable houses or apartments, always check AirBnB).

How about money? There are NO money exchange facilities in Batanes, but there are a few ATMs (Landbank and PNB). It’s also best to bring Philippines peso cash in advance, and don’t bother whipping out your credit card because there are no establishments in the islands either who accept it.

How to get around? By jeepney. They journey around the island of Batan from 5:00AM to 5:00PM (you often just need to flag them down at certain areas). If in doubt, feel free to talk to a local.

By tricycle. You can arrange this with your hotel, a tour operatore or directly with a tricycle driver. We call them as “Batoda” and apart from taking you to and from near distances, they can also provide day rentals to help you explore the island. To go around the north of Batan, they customarily ask Php 1,000 and for the south, about Php 1,500. (In Sabtang, touring the whole island starts at a cost of Php 800). For details and contact numbers of tricycle operators, see here.

By motorcycle or bike. You can rent a motorcycle starting at Php 500 a day (it can go up if you want a guide/driver, if you want a bigger motorbike, etc. and if you want per hour, it can be about Php 150 per hour). A simple bike would cost about Php 300 a day (or Php 25 per hour). If in doubt where to rent, just ask a local and they will direct you to the right place.

By car. If you’re coming with a big group, it’s best to do a tour for a hassle-free experience.

By boat. To get to the other inhabited islands of Sabtang and Itbayat, you will need to go through an exciting boat ride with our local boats called as ‘faluwa’.

Sabtang boat trips (that spans for about an hour) depart from Ivana port from 6:00AM to 7:00AM — you can get to this port from Basco by renting a tricycle roundtrip transfer which costs about Php 440. The boat trip costs Php 100 per person each way, and once you arrive in Sabtang you will have to pay Php 200 environmental fee at the tourism office. Later on, you can take the boat ride back to Ivana starting from 8:00AM until 2:00 to 3:00PM (depending on the weather, there can still be boats at 5:00PM but it’s best to be at the Sabtang port before by 2:00PM — or better yet, just ask the locals what is the estimated time for the last trip back to Ivana).

There are 3 boat operators going to Sabtang and I went with M/B Aljolyner since I personally know the owners. You can contact them via this mobile number: +63 928-244-5475.

Otherwise, you can simply reserve a spot in this Sabtang Day tour.

Itbayat boat trips are available from Basco every day from 6:00AM to 9:00AM in the mornings, and from Itbayat to Basco, around 11:00AM to 2:00PM. Per person, you will have to pay Php 450 one way. If you fail to catch the boat, there are no hotels in the island but you can always arrange a homestay with the locals or with your tour guide.

There are also 3 boat operators going to Itbayat namely Itransa, Ocean Spirit and Veronica. For details, see here.

Helpful Ivatan phrases Almost all Ivatans can understand and speak fluent English; but of course, it doesn’t hurt to use our language. We’ll be very impressed with you!

Hello: Dius! (when you arrive at someone’s house) / Kapian ka pa nu Dius! How are you?: Ara ka mangu? I am fine: Taytu aku a mapya. Thank you: Dius mamahes! You’re welcome: As kanimu pa Yes: Owen No: Umba I don’t know: Katen I’m sorry: Maypasinsya ka / Paypasinsyan mu yaken How much?: Manyipira? Can I join you?: Maparin machivan? Goodbye: Avek dana / Mangay aku na

Now, before I begin with the itinerary guide, if in case you’re more of a visual person, you can already watch my video below to get a ‘peek’ into the adventures that you can do when in Batanes!

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5 Days Itinerary in Batanes

3-Day Tour (Covering Day 1 to 3 below: North Batan + South Batan + Sabtang) – 2-Day Tour (Covering Day 1 to 3 below: North Batan + South Batan + Sabtang — more fast-paced)

» Day 1

» Day 2

» Day 3

» Day 4

» Day 5

Do a Batan North Tour

Below is what’s commonly referred to as “Batan North Tour” — as the name implies, you will venture through the top spots in the northern part of the main island of Batan.

I gotta say though… I couldn’t help giggling as they took me around because it was all a bit surreal — imagine, I was a true-blue local being toured around (where else but) in my own hometown! Anyhow, it was quite an experience and I surely saw Batan in a new light.

NOTE: If you’re not fit for biking or motorcycling around the island to visit the following spots, you can rent a tricycle (at Php 1,000 for 2 pax Batan North Tour), a car (depending on the size of the car, the costs start at Php 2,000 for a whole day), or just go for a guided North Batan tour by reserving your spot online.

Mt. Carmel Chapel Located at Sitio Tukon in Barangay Chanarian in Basco, this chapel is the most recently built worship house in Batanes and the only chapel adopted the stone house style.  Its prime position above the hills has made it a popular spot not only for weddings but also for tourists who are looking for Instagram-worthy shots.

Fundacion Pacita This is Batanes’ only luxury hotel and rightly so as it is nestled above a picturesque hill that has a grand view over the sea and the surrounding Batan terrain. Rest assured, you’re free to wander inside its premises even if you’re not a hotel guest. You can also visit its indoor museum where Pacita Abad’s works are found. Who is Pacita? She is an internationally known artist who was a full-blooded Ivatan and Fundacion Pacita was her former home when she was still alive.

PAG-ASA Radar Station This used to be a USA weather station and climbing to the top of it will offer you great panoramic views over the island.

Didawud Idjang (Fortress) There are a total of 4 Idjangs in Batanes and this is one of them. In the olden times, the Ivatan people used it as fortifications (likened to castles) to protect themselves during times of war. originally, these are elevations that were formed by molten volcanic magma which acted as a plug on an extinct crater.

Dipnaysuhuan Japanese Tunnel Located in the hills of Tukon, this five-door tunnel that’s complete with a series of chambers, was a bunker that served as a lookout spot and a water reservoir during the Japanese occupation.

Chanpan/Valugan Boulder Beach This popularly known for its long stretch of boulders due to Mt. Iraya’s eruption in 400 AD. The rock formation, smoothed over time by the strong Pacific waves, presents a panoramic view over the horizon and of Mt. Iraya.

Provincial Capitol area / Casa Real Built between the 16th to 18th century, it’s a government building and commonly regarded as the center of the town (nearby, you will find a vast sports plaza where most of the island’s celebrations are usually held).

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral / Sto. Domingo Church This is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Batanes and it is the first parish church to be built in the early 18th century in which it was originally made up of cogon grass roofing. It was also the first to have galvanized iron roofing in the 1890s. The feast of its patron saint, Sto. Domingo de Guzman, is celebrated by the Ivasays every August 8.

Vayang Rolling Hills These are seemingly endless waves of rolling hills that are perfectly backdropped by the seascape. It is best enjoyed from afar, but it is also best experienced when explored on foot; plus, this spot is the best vantage point for an unhampered view of the province’s three major islands.

Naidi Hills and Basco Lighthouse (One of my fave hang-out spots when I was young!) An old sitio derived from the Ivatan words “na” which means past, and “idi” which means settlement. Located here are old wireless telegraph facilities by the Americans which were bombed by Japan during World War II. One can also get a breathtaking view of the town atop the hilltop 66-feet lighthouse.

Kural Marine Sanctuary I remember visiting this place for picnics in the weekend with family, friends, and relatives! In 2005, it has been found that the marine life in this area is so rich and perfect for diving that it has been decided to properly protect it. After acquiring a pass, anyone can dive, swim, snorkel, and picnic here to enjoy its natural beauty. Other/Substitute Activities

If you’ve got the time, I highly recommend the following:

Climb Mt. Iraya Towering over Basco at approximately 1,009 meters above sea level, this dormant volcano is the first attraction you will see upon landing in the airport. To get a picture-perfect view, timing and patience are required since its peak is almost always covered by clouds. As for climbing this mountain, it can be quite challenging because of its abundant endemic flora and fauna, but it’s absolutely doable. NOTE: It supplies the water in all households in Basco — so yes, when you’re in Batanes, you can drink from the tap! It’s safe and fresh spring water!

Do a Batan South Tour

Given that Batan is a huge island, this day will be spent on the southern parts as you go through the top highlights of the remaining areas: Mahatao, Uyugan, Ivana, Itbud, and Imnajbu.

*If you’re ever pressed on time, this Batan South Tour can be combined with the North Tour and can be done in a day. But of course, it’s always best to take it easy so that you can have more time (and photo ops!) in each location. Remember: you should make the most of your trip here!

NOTE: If you’re not fit for biking or motorcycling around the island to visit the following spots, you can rent a tricycle (at Php 1,500 for 2 pax Batan South Tour), a car (depending on the size of the car, the costs start at Php 2,000 for a whole day), or just go for a guided South Batan tour by reserving your spot online.

Chawa Viewdeck A perfect spot to enjoy Batanes sunsets! Via a nearby staircase, you can also descend more than a hundred steps down to the adjacent cliff to fish, take pictures, or frolic in the waters.

Boat Shelter Port Located in Mahatao, this supports the goals of the fishing industry of the province namely: fish sufficiency and generation of employment. It was constructed in October 2005 and as a 130-million pesos project, it is the biggest infrastructure project by the Provincial Government at that time. The area was chosen because of its cove-like structure that gives good protection to the boats during inclement weather.

San Carlos Borromeo Church Its beauty and excellent state of preservation made it a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2001. Outside the church, you will also find a typical olden Spanish lamp post — two vertical structures about 30 meters apart that were used to be manually lighted with fire so that the local fishermen could identify how far the shore is.

Homoron Blue Lagoon (or Spanish Lagoon) Located between Ivana and Mahatao, it’s an interesting spot because back in the Spanish era only the Spanish were allowed to take a dip there.

Maydangeb White Beach A cove with multi-colored rocks and white-colored sand, this spot can easily rival the beauty of Boracay! It is located along the national highway about 9 kilometers from Basco and is being maintained by both Mahatao and Ivana Local Government Units (LGU’s).

Spanish Bridge This was constructed and formed as part of the main road of Ivana during the Spanish period as the road leads to the doorstep of the Church. It is still being used to date by people and trucks alike.

House of Dakay Probably the most photographed Ivatan house in the islands, this was built of lime and stone in 1887 and owned by Luisa Estrella who bequeathed it to her favorite nephew, Jose “Dakay” Estrella. A survivor of the destructive earthquake of September 13, 1918 which has destroyed much of the rest of the town, its shutters and floor have never changed and has retained much of its authentic look throughout the decades.

San Jose de Obrero Church Built in 1784 by Fr. Jose Fausto de Cuevas, it is the only church in Batan with a separate bell tower that was constructed 30 years later. Built by the coastal area, it is here where Katipunero revolutionaries that commanded by Captain Perea have landed on September 18, 1898 to liberate the province from the Spaniards.

Honesty Coffee Shop An unmanned refreshment store which has become famous worldwide. Showcasing the best of Ivatan’s honesty, in here you will find no standby seller because the owners rely on the honesty of its customers when they pay for goods taken from the store.

Song-song Ruins Remnants of an old settlement which were ravaged by tsunami in the 1950s. Residents were given homesteads in Mindanao under the Magsaysay resettlement program and today, it is a thriving coastal community again.

Itbud Town This is where the best-tasting local wine called palek comes from and where maytuab and sinadumparan (local Ivatan stone houses) still stand. It had the largest population on Batan’s south-eastern part in the 18th century due to stable water supply spring and a well-fortified idjang.

Itbud Idjang One of the 4 Idjangs in Batanes. In here, rock carvings are still evident (probably for water storage), as well as their gathering/meeting area and the rocks with bored holes for anchors are still intact.

Alapad Pass and Hills Offers a captivating view of several rolling hills and the vast expanse of the sea — a location made popular by the Filipino movie “Hihintayin Kita sa Langit”, starred by Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta.

LORAN Station “Long-Range Aid to Navigation” where the US Coast Guards were based. Its lawns and buildings that were once beautiful and well-kept have deteriorated and were ruined after the Americans left and abandoned it in the 1960s. Today, it is a National Museum Branch.

Rakuh a Payaman (Marlboro Country) Dubbed by foreign tourists as Malboro Country because of its similar contour, endless rolling hills, and wind-swept communal pasturelands for cows, carabaos and horses. For sure, this is a perfect spotfor nature-lovers and photographers.

Diura Fishing Village A sitio in Basco’s eastern part where an association of fishermen called mataw still practice the traditional fishing for arayu (dorado type of fish). They also still observe an old ritual called kapayvanuvanua which signifies the start of the fishing season in March.

Disvayangan Beach Front A row of private picnic house with basic facilities adjacent to a government-operated recreation building featuring two bowling lanes and a billiards room.

Tayid Lighthouse Erected in 2000, this colonial-looking beacon offers a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, as well as other parts of Batan Island and its rugged mountain cliffs that face the West Philippine Sea.

Ranum ni Kumalakal / Rakuh-a-idi (Spring of Youth) A man-made pool with spring water and a view of the Pacific Ocean and Mt. Iraya. This spot is truly ideal for picnics (and photo ops!). ~ TIP: You can book online and reserve your spot in a half day tour to this place, especially if you want some more time to relax here.

Make your way to Sabtang Island

Sabtang is one of the inhabited islands in Batanes and depending on the strength of the waves, it is an “exciting” 30 to 1 hour boat ride from Ivana in Batan Island.

TRIVIA: I may have been raised in Batanes but I have never — I repeat — never had the chance to visit Sabtang nor Itbayat. Yes, I know, shame on me! For years, I’ve heard of tales from my family and friends about the beauty of these islands and its “eventful” boat rides; so it was about time that I finally headed over to this place… and boy, I absolutely regretted not coming sooner!

NOTE: You can book a packaged Sabtang tour for a hassle-free experience and you can even do it in just a day!

Otherwise, you can DIY this trip. Sabtang boat trips (that spans for about an hour) depart from Ivana port from 6:00AM to 7:00AM — you can get to this port from Basco by renting a tricycle roundtrip transfer which costs about Php 440. The boat trip costs Php 100 per person each way, and once you arrive in Sabtang you will have to pay Php 200 environmental fee at the tourism office. Later on, you can take the boat ride back to Ivana starting from 8:00AM until 2:00 to 3:00PM (depending on the weather, there can still be boats at 5:00PM but it’s best to be at the Sabtang port before by 2:00PM — or better yet, just ask the locals what is the estimated time for the last trip back to Ivana). Savidug Community (Vernacular Houses) A village which is abound with traditional Ivatan houses. In fact, it is the area where the endangered black face spoonbill was sighted years ago. To this day, it continues to fly in the area.

Savidug Idjang (Fortress) Among the 4 Idjangs in Batanes, this is considered to be the most beautiful and perfectly shaped.

Chamantad–Tinyan Viewpoint Located between Savidug and Chavayan, this place offers spectacular view of nature and the Pacific Ocean. Take your sweet time lounging here since the sights are quite stunning!

Chavayan Community / Barrio This is arguably the cradle of Ivatan culture and heritage. Famous for its rows of old houses, narrow streets, and old sites, Chavayan is likely to leave lasting memories on your visit. Its Chapel, the only church in Batanes still roofed with cogon grass, is a stone’s throw away from a picturesque shore.

Nakabuang (Ahaw Stone Arch) in Morong Beach One of the iconic and most photographed spots in Batanes because of its natural rock arch formation in an ideal beach cove.

Explore Itbayat Island

If Sabtang island will leave you speechless, Itbayat island will make your mouth drop to the floor. Then again — traveling here is no joke! The waves can be harsher than the journey to Sabtang and it will take about 2 to 4 hours; yet without a doubt, it will all be worth it!

NOTE: If the 4-hour boat trip doesn’t sound ‘fun’ to you, you can also fly to Itbayat via NorthSky Airlines which is a small 8-seater plane that flies every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It takes about 15 minutes and the fare will be about Php 1,800 one way. However, please take note that it will only fly if ALL seats are full.

Now, since the waves can be quite volatile, it’s best to inquire about this trip beforehand with the Ivatan locals. Otherwise, it’s better that you have spare days on your trip just in case you can’t ride a boat back to Batan island because of bad weather.

NOTE: To do the whole Itbayat visit, you can book a packaged tour for a hassle-free experience (see the complete list of Batanes tour operators here.)

Otherwise, you can DIY this trip. Itbayat boat trips are available from Basco every day from 6:00AM to 9:00AM in the mornings; and from Itbayat to Basco, around 11:00AM to 2:00PM. Per person, you will have to pay Php 450 one way. If you fail to catch the boat, there are no hotels in the island but you can always arrange a homestay with the locals or with your tour guide/operator. here. As for touring the island by yourself, you can rent a motorbike (with a guide at Php 1,000 for a day) or a tricycle (at Php 2,000 for a whole day, good for 2 to 3 pax).

TIP: The boat ride can get a bit wet, so it’s best to bring a waterproof bag for your essentials.

Turungan Cave & Hills The most ancient dwelling place in Batanes. It is believed to be the first landing place of the Austronesians who came from Formosa, Taiwan in 4000 BC. Today, it is an area where stone boat-shaped burial markers are found, and it is is believed that this is the burial grounds of the cave’s ancient settlers.

Kumayasakas Cave River An underground stream which flows to the sea and is a newly-developed water source for the community.

Rapang Cliff Must-see! This is a natural park comprised of forest, cliffs and rocky hills where bonsai arius trees are abundant along a grazing area for goats. One unique formation that you’ll find here is a flat stone which lies naturally upon another stone and when you strike it with another stone, it produces a bell-like sound. Apparently, it served as an alarm for the ancients inhabitants against approaching enemies and a signal for community meetings and for gathering goats.

Manuyuk A sinkhole that serves as the town’s giant drainage. It was explored by a German doctor named Gechard Schmith in 1993 and was found to be around 45-meter deep and has two big chambers with a narrow passage in between. Apparently, it’s regarded as a ‘haunted’ sinkhole because it is where the ancient Ivatans threw witches as punishment according to the old justice system.

Vernacular Houses These are combinations of European and Itbayat architecture with thick walls of stone and lime and several layers of cogon for roofing. They are proven to withdstand strong typhoons, earthquakes and other calamities, and can withstand the harshest ‘local’ winter from December to February.

Other/Substitute Activities

If you’ve got the time, I highly recommend the following:

Climb Mt. Karububuan The town’s highest point at about 280 meters above sea level. The historical significance of this mountain is that is the other ‘pair’ of Mt. Riposed which is one of the island’s foundations and old settlement for the early settlers.

Climb Mt. Ripused As one of the two volcanoes considered to have been the foundation of Itbayat, it affords a breathtaking panorama of the different parts of the island.

Sail to nearby Siayan Island About a 4 to 5-hour boat ride from Itbayat, Siayan is acknowledged as one of the most beautiful spots in the area. This is basically an 87-63 hectare island surrounded by beautiful white beaches and rich coral reefs which is home to lush marine life. (The same goes for the nearby uninhabited island of Mavulis).

Other Activities and Options

At this point, you have basically explored the inhabited group of islands in Batanes! So either take your time exploring the town on foot as you mingle more with the locals — or do some other unique activities below:

Sail to the uninhabited islands As you can see from the Batanes map that I’ve posted at the beginning of this post, there are uninhabited islands in Batanes such as Y’ami, Ditarem, Dinem, Siayan, and Misanga. Depending on weather conditions, you can travel to these places and the boat rental cost can start from Php 6,000.

Experience fishing with local fishermen Usually done around the town of Basco, you’ll have an extraordinary fishing experience using nylon, and hook — one of the typical methods used by the Ivatans. (You can arrange this experience with Batanes tour operators.)

Bike around the island Instead of having the luxury of motor transportation to go around the island of Batan, you can opt to challenge yourself and get fit! After all, traveling from Basco to the southern parts and back is perfectly doable in a day (I did this a lot with my high school friends back when I was still living in Basco).

Join a local festivity One of the BEST things that you can ever do in Batanes to make the most of your stay is to join one of the local celebrations, fiestas, or festivals to best see the local custom and culture. So go and time your visit if you can! The main fiesta you should witness is Batanes Day (happens on June 26) and it’s usually a week-long celebration consisting of fairs, parades, sports festivals, and shows where you can watch Palo-Palo Dance, Fundanggo, Sagalas & Gozos, and more! Other festivities are as follows: – Savidug Sabtang Fiesta (Around January) – Ivana Fiesta (May 1) – Uyugan Fiesta (May 10) – Diptan Fiesta (June 13) – Valugan Fiesta (June 27) – Basco Fiesta (August 8) – Sinakan Sabtang Fiesta (October 1) – Itbayat Fiesta (October 7) – Mahatao Fiesta (November 4) – Itbud Fiesta (November 27)

NOTE: During fiestas, you can visit any house to celebrate, meet, and eat with them — yes, even if you don’t know them! Everyone’s welcome to do so. Back when my Ivatan friends and I were younger, we often jokingly comment that this house-hopping spree during fiestas was like a grand buffet experience because we can survey the houses and pick the best food spots. LOL.

Other than the fiestas above, do come visit during Christmas. We have a lot of events happening during the holidays while also enjoying a real chilly December (which is not so common throughout the Philippines).

Wondering what Batanes food or Ivatan dishes that you must absolutely try?

Check out this blog post to find out: What & Where to Eat for the Best Ivatan Cuisine . . .

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Booking Essentials

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Overall

It’s clear to see that Batanes has a LOT to offer — and more! In fact, it might just have something for just about anyone.

So what are you waiting for…? If you’re looking for a tranquil escape or an unforgettable vacation, make your way to this northernmost paradise of the Philippines and I guarantee you that it will be worth your while.

How about you?

What do you think of Batanes?

What spots in Batanes would you like to see the most? Why or why not?

Or have you visited here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

Singapore is not only known for its world-class airport facilities, heart-pumping theme parks and awe-inspiring city skyline but also for its finger-licking dishes — after all, much like what the famous show of ‘Crazy Rich Asians‘ had shown us, Singapore food is a wonder of its own!

As time has it, Singapore’s seaport history surely gave way to a diverse culture with various Asian and Western influences, and this has been perfected for years. No matter where you go, you can enjoy a myriad of options: from cheap hawker centre fare to heritage restaurants serving fresh seafood and hearty rice and noodle meals.

Traveling in Singapore is definitely a delight and in order to help foodies like you, I’ve put together a list of some of the most flavorful Singaporean dishes that you must try as you eat your way through this mega city!

RELATED READ: – Things to Do During a Singapore Layover – Singapore Tours – Best Hotels in Singapore

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Top Singapore Food

#1 – Chili Crab

Photo from bonchan/Shutterstock Ask any local about Singapore’s national dish and chili crab is bound to be a clear favorite! Truth be told, it was even voted as one of the world’s 50 most delicious foods in a survey by CNN.

So while in Singapore, make sure to enjoy these juicy crabs soaked in a sweet & spicy tomato and chili sauce and then pair it off with steamed or fried mantous (buns).

Where best to eat it? Try out the spicy chili crabs at Long Beach Seafood Restaurant found in East Coast Seafood Centre, 1202 East Coast Parkway. This place actually serves a variation of the chili crab: the black pepper crab. Instead of the chili sauce, this signature dish is created with black pepper seasoning.

#2 – Chicken Rice

Photo from showcake/Shutterstock Another contender for the nation’s most popular dish is chicken rice — also called as Hainanese Chicken. In this Singapore dish, the chicken is cooked in a blend of pork and chicken bone stock for a flavorful bite. After cooking, it is sometimes immersed in ice water to create a glazed look. The rice is then cooked in chicken stock, ginger, and garlic. Now of course, don’t forget the garlic and chili sauce before digging in!

Where best to eat it? Brave the long queues at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice found in 1 Kadayanallur St, Maxwell Food Centre.

#3 – Char Kway Teow

Photo from wong yu liang/Shutterstock Savor these wide flavorful rice noodles that are stir-fried with crispy bean sprouts, Chinese sausage, clams, dark soy sauce, and shrimp paste.

Relish in the filling meal with a distinct smoky or wok hei (‘breath of a wok’) flavor.

Where best to eat it? Hill Street Char Kway Teow found in 16 Bedok South Road,  Bedok South Market & Food Centre.

#4 – Nasi Lemak

Photo from Ariyani Tedjo/Shutterstock Delight in the different textures and flavors of the Malay dish: nasi lemak. The term translates to “rich rice”, perfectly describing the rice steamed in creamy coconut milk.

This national dish of Malaysia comes with fried chicken, ikan bilis (dried anchovies), roasted peanuts, egg, otah (grilled fish cake), and of course, sambal (chili paste). Switch up your meal with add-ons like ikan kuning (fried yellowstripe scad) and paru (beef lung).

Where best to eat it? Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak found in Boon Lay Place Market and Food Centre, 221 Boon Lay Place.

#5 – Kaya Toast

Photo from bonchan/Shutterstock Start your day at a kopitiam (traditional coffee shop) and order a delicious kaya toast. This dish might seem simple at first but it’s a well-loved Singapore food. It basically consists of sweet kaya (pandan-flavored coconut jam) and a slice of butter that are sandwiched between toasted slices of bread. Typically, this is dipped in a mixture of soft-boiled eggs, pepper, and dark or light soy sauce.

To complete the authentic experience, sip on full-bodied kopi (coffee) with condensed milk!

There are also variations on this breakfast staple such as round buns, a baguette, or even crackers instead of the usual sliced bread. Other coffee shops, like Good Morning Nanyang Cafe, puts their own unique spin with the addition of caramelized orange peel.

Where best to eat it? Ah Seng (Hai Nam) Coffee found in 7 Maxwell Road Amoy Street Food Centre for traditional, char-grilled bread. Otherwise, Good Morning Nanyang Cafe found in 14 Scotts Road, Far East Plaza and 32 Maxwell Rd.

#6 – Satay

Photo from szefei/Shutterstock Any trip to a hawker centre will not be complete without your fix of satay. Relish in this delectable skewered, grilled meat, that’s typically served with ketupat (steamed rice cake), peanut dip, and sometimes cucumbers and onions too.

The meat can vary: pork, chicken, lamb, beef and so on. Personally? I like pork satay best!

Where best to eat it? Haron Satay found in 1220 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

#7 – Bak Kut Teh

Photo from Sirisak Chantorn/Shutterstock Bak kut teh, which translates to “meat bone tea”, gets its name from the Chinese tea that’s typically paired with this pork rib soup dish. Basically, pork bones and meat are boiled together with a delicate amount of herbs and spices.

Afterwards, it is served with tofu puffs, mushroom, rice, and you tiao (dough fritters).

Where best to eat it? Song Fa Bak Kut Teh found in 11 New Bridge Rd. (Upp Circular Rd,

#8 – Sambal Stingray

Photo from Fariq Amin/Shutterstock Another well-loved hawker centre or Singapore street food fare is sambal stingray, also known as ikan bakar (barbecued fish) in Malay.

This Singapore invention is quite a treat as it is originally grilled in banana leaf in order to retain its natural flavor. To complete it, top it with some spicy sambal paste made from chili peppers, belacan (shrimp paste), shallots and spices. Balance your meal with the salty chinchalok or cincalok, a dipping sauce made of fermented krill/shrimp, lime, and chili.

Where best to eat it? Chomp Chomp Food Centre found in 20 Kensington Park Road.

#9 – Laksa

Photo from richardernestyap/Shutterstock A highlight of Peranakan cuisine, combining Malay and Chinese influences, laksa is a creamy coconut curry sauce that is often served with cut-up noodles and fried bean curd.

As a delicacy, laksa is offered in many variants and much like the other famous Singaporean dish, fish head curry, the Assam-style has hints of sourness from mixing tamarind.

Where best to eat it? Katong Laksa, a street food stall found at 328 Katong Laksa, 53 East Coast Road, Singapore.

#10 – Bak Chor Mee

Photo from Hatchery Design Studio/Shutterstock Chow down on the hearty bak chor mee, which translates to “minced meat and noodles”. This is a delicious bowl of noodles topped with sliced pork, dumplings, pork liver, and salted fish or fish cake slices coated in a spicy vinegar sauce.

You can also choose from different noodle types such as the mee pok (flat noodle), mee kia (thin noodle), bee hoon (rice vermicelli), mee sua (wheat vermicelli), and mee tai mak (rice pin noodle).

Where best to eat it? Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle found in Blk 466 Crawford Lane.

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OTHER TOP SINGAPORE TOURS & ACTIVITIES

Singapore Food Tour Sample the best dishes at famed hawker centers.

Universal Studios Singapore Friends and family fun!

Gardens by the Bay Singapore’s iconic attraction!

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Overall

There are obviously a lot of other amazing Singapore food such as fish head curry, hokkien mee, oyster omelette, chwee kueh, durian, roti prata, popiah, and so many others!

But hopefully, this list is already a start to treating yourself to these delectable eats.

How about you?

What do you think of these Singaporean food?

Would you like to try them out? Why or why not?

Or have you tried any of these before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

Have you ever had the chance to watch the movie: ‘Memoirs of a Geisha‘? Or at least read the book? Well… I’ve done both at a young age and I instantly fell in love with Japan’s geisha as I witnessed their unique beauty, grace, and discipline. In fact, ever since then, I have been deeply enamoured by their mystifying world — which, thankfully, have still survived up to this day!

I say ‘survived’ because I was also interested in the samurai (Japan’s olden warriors who typically serve a feudal lord or daimyo). I badly wanted to witness their noble way of life; however, it made me terribly sad when I learned that they no longer exist, and this is because their social class has died down long ago around the late 1800s after the emperor favored a more modern western-style army. Sure, there may be descendants and even people who still try to practice samurai behavior and/or swordsmanship today, BUT it’s not the same given how the whole samurai lifestyle and system is absolutely non-existent anymore.

The geisha tradition is not as old as the samurai but it IS old and I’ve surely developed some sort of mild fear that they might eventually disappear too — which I hope to goodness, they won’t — and this worry of mine makes a bit of sense because there aren’t many geisha anymore. To put it into numbers, back in the 1920s they numbered around 80,000. Their current number? It is now estimated to be only 1,000 to 2,000!! Because of this and more, it couldn’t be helped that I’ve made ‘meeting or seeing a legit geisha‘ as an item on the very top of my bucket list.

Well… guess what? I already made this dream come true when I went to Japan this year!

What have I done, precisely? I talked to a geisha in Tokyo over a dinner banquet, I played games with 2 young senior maiko in Niigata, I caught sight of a legitimate maiko (who was on her way to work) in one of Kyoto‘s narrow alleys, and I watched two young Japanese maiko perform in Gion Corner — breathtaking experiences that I will surely remember and treasure forever.

Of course, now that I have met and seen them, my wish for their practices to continue for eternity has been strengthened even more!

But before I go on, actually, let’s talk about the movie again because I find it imperative to note that since ‘Memoirs of a Geisha‘ was made in Hollywood, it had several aspects that were false (if not overly romanticized) thereby contributing to the already growing misconceptions of this culture. Thanks to my discussions with a geisha, Kimicho of Tokyo, as well as to my long research sprees, I have come to learn MORE of the truth.

Today, I will be imparting that knowledge with you so that you too can be cleared of any misconceptions that you may have about them.

RELATED READ: Sample Japan Itineraries

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Understanding the Geisha of Japan

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» What is a ‘geisha’? How about a ‘maiko’?

A geisha, which translates to English as “performing artist” or “artisan”, is a high-class professional and traditional female entertainer in Japan trained in various forms of art.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In west of Japan such as of that in Kyoto, they use another name for geisha: geiko. Whereas in Kanto area (around Tokyo), they call them geigi. For Tokyo and other places, they commonly use the word ‘geisha’. For the sake of consistency in this article, I will use the word geisha. Besides, it is a more widely recognized term that can be used to encompass both that of western Japan’s geikos and Tokyo’s geisha.

Meanwhile, a maiko, which translates to English as “dancing child”, is an apprentice geisha.

Historically, a maiko starts her training at a very young age: around 3 or 5 years old. But now, their training starts at a much later date: in Kyoto they start at 15 or 16 and in Tokyo they start at 18.

Nevertheless, any girl who wants to enter the community does not have to begin as a maiko because it’s said that they can already proceed being a geisha. (Still and the same, they are required to do at least a year’s worth of training before debuting as a geisha.) For women who are aged 21 to 23 and above, they are deemed to be too old to become maiko so they already become a geisha when they join the community — again, still with training beforehand.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In Tokyo, maiko are rather called as hangyoku (“half jewel”) and they can remain to be so until they are 23. For the sake of consistency in this article, I will use the word maiko.

• What a geisha does •

A geisha is usually hired to attend to guests (who are predominantly and traditionally male) during banquets, meals, parties, and other occasions as she demonstrates her skills through various ways such as dancing to a tune played with the shamisen (a stringed instrument), initiating games, doing the art of conversation, and more.

Japanexperterna / Color edit applied / CC For these affairs, they meet up with their guests at an ochaya* (tea house) or at a ryōtei (traditional Japanese restaurant) and charge their customers by the hour with flat fees.

*Ochaya are highly exclusive places that customarily only grant entry to regular or trusted customers. This is mainly because of how they operate: they don’t bill their guests at the end of the evening, but rather once a month for all the expenses accrued — hence, there is a special level of trust involved. For instance, not just about anyone can go up to an ochaya without being introduced to it first by an already existing customer (and that existing customer would essentially risk their reputation by trusting the behavior of the person that they are introducing to the ochaya). Going by this train of thought, hiring a geisha to have a dinner banquet with is not easy especially if you’re not Japanese and not well-connected, as it is exclusive AND expensive.

Fortunately, most ochaya have lessened their restrictions lately and tourists can now have a geisha dinner if they go through partnered travel agencies and hotels. However, you will still need to prepare a considerable budget for this because a full geisha dinner can be worth around 50,000 yen and up ($470~ or Php 22,500~) per geisha or maiko. This does NOT include dinner yet which starts at 10,000 yen ($95~ or Php 4,500~), as well as an interpreter if you don’t know how to speak Japanese (since geisha and maiko don’t train in English conversation).

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Want to meet with a geisha?

Come and check out these geisha encounters and/or dinner activities that you can do either in Nagoya or Tokyo that already include English translators!

TRIVIA: Some people will say that it can be a ‘waste’ of your money to have a geisha dinner if you don’t speak Japanese — the magic of it all may cease to exist! They say that this is because you’ll be missing out on one of their best talents: conversation or witty banter.

No matter the case, this is all up to you of course! The way I see it, it might indeed be a waste of money, BUT I don’t think it’s a bad idea to do it anyway and get an interpreter (better yet, drag along your Japanese friend). And if you’re up for it, there are also already a few trained and recognized foreigner geisha in Japan who can speak English. I went through this experience myself and I enjoyed it so much! (To learn more about these modern foreigner geisha, go • History of geisha •

Geisha started to appear in the pleasure quarters of Japan before the turn of the 18th century. The first geisha were actually men, whereas the first female ones who appeared years later were teenage odoriko who were expensively-trained “dancing girls” or dancers-for-hire. (As time passed on, being a geisha was mainly regarded as a female occupation.)

Slowly, geisha became more widespread and a lot of them started to work primarily as entertainers — anyone who was selling sex (which was against their intended kind of work) were imprisoned after all in order to protect the oiran who were licensed high-class courtesans or prostitutes at that time. However, when 1800 came in, the oiran slowly fell out of demand when wealthy Japanese men chose geisha more as their companion of choice due to their ‘chic’ and modern demeanour.

Simply put: the rise of the geisha was the fall of the oiran.

Japanexperterna / CC | Right photo by: Keisuke Makino / CC . Meanwhile, when World War II began, geisha started to decline; they had to close their okiya (geisha houses), and the teahouses and bars had to close shop as well. As a result, they went to other places in Japan for safety or for work (such as in factories, etc.). It didn’t help either that some prostitutes started to refer to themselves as “geisha girls” to American military men.

Nonetheless, when the war ended, the returning geisha made it a point to reinstate their traditional standards as highly-skilled entertainers, and at the same time, they proposed increased rights for their profession. • Myths to bust about the geisha and maiko of today •

1 MYTH: Geishas are prostitutes. TRUTH: Geisha are NOT prostitutes. They are and always will be highly-skilled entertainers. (It helps to note anyway that prostitution is illegal in Japan ever since 1956.) Plus, even though there were some of them in the olden times who offered sex to their clients, it helps to note that it wasn’t a part of their true traditional function or training — call them rebels if you will, and they might just be so since as I’ve discussed previously, a geisha is imprisoned in the past should they ever offer sex to others casually.

Of course a geisha is free to pursue personal relationships with any man that she meets through work; but such would most likely never be casual nor will it ever be her goal for such an interaction. They live in a geisha district (hanamachi) which is very closely-knit community, and given how greatly they value their reputation, they would always pick their relationships carefully. Should they ever fall in love and want to marry, then sometimes they must retire because geisha (most especially in Kyoto) are expected to be single. Nevertheless, there are now a lot of places in Japan (like Tokyo) that allow married, divorced and/or women with children to become geisha.

2 MYTH: Geisha have personal relationships with a patron or danna. TRUTH: This is NOT true today. It may have been tradition in the past for geisha to take a danna or a patron who was wealthy enough to support the expenses related to her training and other costs in order to have a personal relationship in return (which was not inherently sexual) with a geisha. But today, it is very unusual for a geisha to have a personal relationship with a danna and should they ever have one (which is rare because most of them love to be autonomous now), it’s mainly because of the patron’s desire to help prolong the geisha arts and traditions — nothing more. Again, a geisha and her danna can fall in love but intimacy is never viewed as an exchange for the danna’s financial support.

3 MYTH: Young girls are sold to okiya (geisha houses) by their parents because of poverty. TRUTH: It may have happened way in the past, but nowadays, NO young girl is sold to an okiya due to poverty as it is more of a personal career choice in order to become a maiko/geisha. In fact, a lot of girls have to persuade their parents today in order to let them become one. Once a girl’s parents do consent to it, she will have to be interviewed first by the association as well as the female owners of the ochaya (tea houses) before being accepted.

4 MYTH: Geisha are lead by men and money (as portrayed in the movie: Memoirs of a Geisha). TRUTH: This is NOT true. It helps to always remember that the movie was mainly fictional and set to be ‘sellable’ to audiences. (Well, hello Hollywood!). Being a geisha is like being an artist or a performer — it’s a respectable profession and much like any career you pursue in life that you are passionate about, you do it because you love it while also earning your living from it. They don’t go around chasing after men either; it just so happens that the people that they present their art and performances to are predominantly men.

5 MYTH: Maiko go through mizuage wherein a patron would pay to take their virginity. (As also seen in ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’). TRUTH: Nope. This kind of mizuage was actually a ceremony done by young courtesans and prostitutes in the past — NOT by maiko. Though there are speculations that this mizuage (taking of the virginity) was done by some maiko in the past, what’s important to remember is that this is NOT done today nor was it ever traditionally accepted to be done by geisha for their maiko. The only kind of mizuage that maiko have done was a ceremony wherein older geisha would symbolically cut the topknot of the maiko’s hair to signify her coming of age (of becoming an adult). • How to identify geisha and maiko •

As you visit Japan, take note of the below points to help you quickly differentiate a geisha from their apprentice (maiko):

AGE. As I’ve already discussed, maiko usually start their training at a young age (15 to 16 for Kyoto and 18 for Tokyo) so they are much younger than a full-fledged geisha who often start at around 21 to 23. .

HAIRSTYLE. Geisha usually wear wigs whereas maiko have their hair styled naturally. A geisha’s wig and a maiko’s natural hair are regularly styled by highly-skilled artisans (lately though, traditional hairstyling is slowly phasing out because it can sometimes lead to balding on the top of their head).

TRIVIA: Maiko have their hair styled elaborately every week. To keep their hairstyle intact, maiko sleep with their necks on small supports called as takamakura (they are tall uncomfortable-looking pillows; if you’ve watched the movie Memoirs of a Geisha, you’ll know what I’m talking about).

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HAIR ORNAMENTS. Maiko wear more elaborate decorative hair ornaments called as kanzashi and the designs can vary depending on the stage of training that they are currently in. During their .

MAKEUP. On a typical day, a maiko will be seen wearing the most recognizable feature of geisha: the full white face makeup. Geisha, on the other hand, do NOT have this makeup on unless they are going to do a special performance. . Maiko will always have a noticeable white band of unpainted skin on their hairline (since they don’t wear wigs) and their eyebrows will be shaded in red or pink, their cheeks slightly blushed, and their eyes outlined with black eyeliner and red eyeshadow. During the early stages of their training, ‘junior’ maiko (or minarai) will only have their lower lip painted in red and as they advance (as ‘senior’ maiko), both their lips will be painted but only in a thin line. For geisha who need to have their face painted when they work, apart from having no visible part of exposed skin near their hairline (since they wear wigs), their eyebrows will also only have a faint shade of red, their eyes outlined in black (if a ‘senior’ geisha) or with a slight red (if they’re a ‘junior’ geisha) and their lips painted fully in red. Joe Baz / CC | Circle & right photo by: Annie Guilloret / CC

TRIVIA: This white makeup fully covers the geisha or maiko’s face, neck, and chest — except for the nape (called komata or the back of a person’s neck) which they will make sure is visible when they would later on wear their kimono. This part is considered to be a traditionally erotic area in Japan so they accentuate this sensuality by customarily leaving an inverted “V” shape on a geisha, and an inverted “W” shape on those who just debuted as maiko. (This style is called as eri-ashi)

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KIMONO. A maiko usually wears a colorfully-designed long-sleeved kimono (Japanese traditional garment) with a wider obi (sash) that is set to look like a bow as it drapes down to their back. A maiko’s collar is also a distinct feature because it is thick and embroidered, hangs very loosely and are mainly in the color red (other colors can only be gold or white). It will slowly have white embroidered patterns as they advance in their training but it will always remain to be dominantly red. Geisha, who are more mature, wear more subdued but refined kimonos with shorter sleeves that are usually in one color with a simple pattern at the bottom. Their obi is shorter too and it looks like a square bow knot at the back. Lastly, their collars are completely white and are not as loose. (Both maiko and geisha though wear kimonos according to the season).

NOTE: Wanna try and wear a kimono? There are kimono rental shops in Tokyo! Read here to learn more.

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FOOTWEAR. Maiko generally wear very high wooden sandals, to prevent their kimono from touching the ground, called as okobo. Geisha use shorter wooden sandals called zori or geta (maiko will wear this too if the situation calls for it; but they wear okobo more). Laura Tomàs Avellana / CC | Right photo by: Joi Ito / CC .

• How to spot the fake geisha and maiko •

You might have heard of makeover (henshin) studios in Japan that will dress tourists up as a geisha or maiko for a day. With this in mind, if you have ever seen a geisha or maiko while you are around popular spots in Japan — like in parts of Kyoto or Tokyo — it is highly likely that you have witnessed or took a picture with a fake one.

To help you identify and spot these tourists who are only dressing up, see below the several features that they will possess. (Ultimately, henshin studios make it a point to NOT dress up their clients authentically; otherwise, they will be shut down by the authorities.)

They have mismatched hairstyle, makeup, and clothing. Taking into considerations the descriptions that I’ve made previously of authentic geisha and maiko features, a tourist in disguise will always have a wrong mix of characteristics. For example, most of them will have the decorative long hair ornament (of a junior maiko) yet with both her lips painted (like a senior maiko or geisha) and with a wig on (though some shops can now do your hair too). Also look at the 3rd one, she has a camera with her! (Maiko are not allowed to use any electronics while working). .

They are walking around crowded areas. A true maiko or geisha knows that she is sought out by tourists and they can get ‘mobbed’ in a sense; so, you will NEVER find them walking through a populated area while in their full regalia. What they usually do is walk through back streets and alleyways in order to avoid the crowd. Hence, if you ever see a maiko or geisha walking casually through a well-known place, she is surely a tourist dressed up as one. .

They are out during the early time of the day. Geisha and maiko commonly work in the evenings; though it’s possible that they are booked for an early banquet, it almost happens rarely. .

They are willingly taking photos with others. Geisha and maiko are actually paid for the time that requires them to get from point A to point B, so when they are out on the streets, they will never stop by to take photos with tourists. (You can always ask them though if you can take a photo, but do it quick). Therefore, if you see one who is taking her sweet time pleasing a crowd of tourists to take a photo of her (unless it’s an official event) then she is a tourist who had a makeover. .

They are accompanied by other people who are in normal clothing. Saw a geisha or maiko with an elder or companion who has to aid her while she walks in her high wooden shoes? That’s a tourist. Real geisha and maiko are trained to walk well with their zori or okobo sandals. Besides, they always know their way around town too. If they’re ever accompanied, it will usually be by a young girl in a kimono who will carry her belongings (this is a new maiko in training who is called a ‘shikomi‘). .

Actually, you wouldn’t be aware of it but you might have had a legitimate geisha or maiko in your midst especially when you’re walking around in Kyoto. When they’re in their normal clothes (such as a yukata), identifying them will naturally be tough — unless you are a fan who recognizes their face or unless they are wearing their signature kimono and traditional white makeup (shiro-nuri).

NOTE: There’s another kind apart from henshin tourists whom you could easily mistake as legitimate geisha and maiko, and they’re called furisode-san or kimono-san.

An established business by ‘Furisode Gakuin’ at Tokyo’s Asakusa district in the 1990s, these furisode-san are paid entertainers only who mimic the look and services of geisha and maiko at a cheaper price (usually around 25,000 yen or $250 for a 2-hour party). They only have about 3 months of training and again — they are NOT real geisha nor maiko.

In fact, most of the geisha experiences that you might have actually read in other travel blogs are actually experiences with a furisode-san. How do the Japanese feel about these people? A mix of approval and disapproval. Approval since they help gather interest in real geisha; disapproval since they deem it as disrespectful to the real tradition.

How then can you ensure that you’re not booking an experience with a furisode-san? Apart from the cheap price as an indicator, make sure that you book through legitimate travel agencies who only seek to provide real geisha/maiko experiences (note: I will update this section soon with relevant links for booking legit geisha).

» The geisha of today

Though the geisha tradition is dwindling (due to its exclusivity, expensive price, and traditional form), it is in Kyoto where it remains to be the strongest today. Kyoto is also the pinnacle area where experiencing geisha remains to be the best and most prestigious in its five hanamachi (geisha districts or “flower towns”), namely: Gion Kōbu, Ponto-chō, Kamishichiken, Gion Higashi, and Miyagawa-chō.

If we have to put it into numbers, as I’ve previously mentioned, there only about 1,000 to 2,000 geisha now and they are found in several cities across Japan — not only in Kyoto, but in Tokyo (with well-known hanamachi of Shimbashi, Asakusa, and Kagurazaka) and Kanazawa too. It is said that there are about 300 geisha in Kyoto; but the exact numbers there as well as in other areas are unknown to us outsiders.

TRIVIA: I was told that there exists a male geisha in Japan. His name is Eitaro and he is found in Tokyo’s Omori district.

Speaking of hanamachi, these are places that are generally referred to as the ‘flower and willow world’ (karyukai). Given that they are speckled with okiya and ochaya that are owned and run by women, all the power is then held by females. (Men in these districts are rather mainly artisans, dressers, or wig makers.) Children who are girls are also preferred so that they can later take on the business — this is a trait that is in contrast to the rest of Japan. • The foreigner or non-Japanese geisha •

In order to keep up with the times, some okiya have been accepting foreign nationals as geisha. So far there are only a few of them that have been admitted. (Below are their Japanese names, and the data below is as of 2016.).

Ibu – a geiko in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture // originally from Ukraine ~ source ~ retired

Juri – a geisha in the resort town of Yugawara // originally from Peru ~ source ~ unsure if still working or retired

Fukutarō – a geisha in Izu-Nagaoka, Shizuoka // originally from Romania ~ source ~ retired

Sayuki – an (unofficial) geisha in Asakusa, Tokyo // originally from Australia ~ source ~ debuted as a geisha, but has been disassociated with the Asakusa Geisha Association and has since worked independently

Rinka – a geisha in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture // originally from China ~ source ~ unsure if still working or retired

Mutsuki – a geisha in Shinigawa, Tokyo // originally from China ~ source ~ working as a geisha

Kimicho – a geisha in the Oimachi district of Shinagawa Tokyo // originally from America ~ source ~ worked as a geisha since 2015, now retired

Kimicho just started last October 2015 and I personally had the pleasure of meeting and talking to her! Read about it here!

Evidently, you will not see foreigner or non- Japanese geisha admitted (yet) in Kyoto as they still remain to be somewhat strictly traditional. Nevertheless, it is great to see that the rest of Japan is slowly opening its geisha tradition to others who love the culture, even if they are not of Japanese descent. • How to become a geisha •

I’ve discussed this already above, but just to reiterate, training to become a geisha in which you start as a maiko begins at 15 to 16 in Kyoto and 18 in Tokyo (in the past, it started at 3 – 5 years old). So these days, girls must have at least graduated from middle school (except Kyoto who has special laws for it) before they can make the decision to train as a maiko and eventually become a geisha.

However, it is rather more common for young Japanese women to start training after high school or college; but a lot more would begin later. If they are above 21 to 23, they will already start as a geisha (with a year’s training) since they are too old to be a maiko. Having said that, one doesn’t have to start as a maiko since they can already start to train as a geisha — but of course, the allure of the overall comprehensive training process as you progress from a maiko to a full-fledged geisha can be quite an experience (and can add more to one’s reputation in the community).

So in order to become a geisha, once you reach the age required, you or your parent need to contact for example: Ookini Zaidan (the guild for all of Kyoto’s hanamachi businesses) and you must fulfill their other basic requirements: not taller than 160cm, at least 43kg in weight, willingness to train in the traditional arts for years, etc. Once they consider you a good candidate, they will send out your profile to okiya houses that might be interested in training you.

NOTE: Okiya will shoulder all your expenses for food, training, clothes, etc. once you are accepted by them and bonded by a contract. When you start working you can slowly pay off these debts.

If you are non-Japanese, Kyoto is a hard environment to crack in so you’re better off applying to other places like Tokyo and applying to okiyas yourself (better if you know someone who can introduce you to an okasan or a mother of an okiya/geisha house). By the way, do NOT try to apply if you don’t know the language yet; otherwise, absolutely no okiya will take you! • The training of a maiko •

There are several stages to undergo if you train as a maiko. First of all, the stage of…

Shikomi. As you are taken in, you will first be regarded as a shikomi, someone who basically works as a helper for the okiya as you do errands, help other geisha and maiko dress up, etc. — but at the same time you are also slowly being trained into the lifestyle. Example: adjusting to wearing a traditional yukata as normal clothing, growing out your hair, learning the proper demeanor, going to school (kaburejo or nyokobo) to learn the arts of the shamisen instrument, dance, tea ceremony, etc. » This can last for about 6 months before going to the next stage.

Minarai. At this point, you start your formal training and be regarded as a minarai which literally means “learning by watching”. In this stage, you will have an older geisha for a mentor whom you will call onēsan (sister) and this will be a bond that will stay for life. You are then expected to accompany your onesan to ozashiki (dinner banquet events) so that you can sit and observe her as well as other geisha and maiko interact with the customers. Through this way, you will not only gain real insights of the job but you will also gain the chance to know potential clients. At times, your onesan will allow you to perform but she will keep a close eye on you. » This training period starts a month before your official debut as a maiko.

Misedashi. This is your official debut as a maiko and this ceremony is like a grand public party wherein your name will be spread out across the hanamachi. You will also undergo a ritual called as sansankudo (also done in wedding ceremonies) where you exchange cups with your onesan, other geisha, and senior maiko — people who you are now bound to. Afterwards, you are now free to hold your own parties and perform in festivals; but you will always join your onesan at her events and you will also still continue learning from her. » Normally, this stage will last about 4 to 5 years.

David Offf / CC

• Debuting as a geisha •

Erikae. Around the age of 21 to 23, you will be promoted as a full-fledged geisha in yet another public ceremony called erikae or “turning of the collar” wherein as the name implies, they will turn your red collar to white as a sign of your transition to maturity from that of a maiko girl into a geisha woman.

Geisha. You will continue studying, working, and holding ozashiki banquets until you pay off your debts to your okiya. You could also take on a minarai/maiko under your wing. When your debts to your okiya are settled, you may choose to move out, work independently, or continue living in the okiya.

Hiki-iwai. This is a celebration that marks your retirement as a geisha, and it can be because of various reasons: you want to quit the geisha life, you want to pursue another career, you are too old to work publicly, you want to get married, or you want to become an okami-san (proprietress of either an ochaya or okiya).

Realistically-speaking however, not a lot of maiko make it to the geisha level because the lifestyle can be quite difficult. Also, once someone does become a geisha, it’s also common for them to retire within 5 years of their debut.

Anyhow, geisha and maiko alike are celebrated and they have a HUGE fanbase — not only in Japan but worldwide too! » Where to find or see geisha?

The geisha world needs to survive. It used to only be exclusively available for the rich or well-connected Japanese, but now it’s possible for other people as well as tourists to meet and see them through travel agencies and hotels.

But certainly, like I mentioned

Go book a spot in Niigata Hanamachi Chaya’s program in Niigata City. This is the cheapest way to meet, play, and talk to a real geisha up close since you only have to pay 3,000 yen ($26~ of Php 1,300~). It’s very similar to an ozashiki (dinner banquet) experience. To find out more about it…

» READ: Meet, Play & Talk with Niigata’s Furumachi Geigi (Geisha) for Only $26!

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Go to Miyako Odori in Kyoto. This is a yearly spring dance during April done by Kyoto’s geisha and maiko. Ticket prices start at 2,500 yen ($24~ or Php 1,100~) and you can see more info about this here. .

Go to Kamishichiken in Kyoto during February and July to September. Geisha and maiko of this district serve tea and wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) to about 3,000 guests in an annual open-air tea ceremony held on February 25 (the plum-blossom festival in the Shinto shrine of Kitano Tenman-gū). Additionally, ever since 2010, there is a beer garden that opens up to the public at the Kamishichiken Kaburenjo Theatre during July to August (6PM to 10PM) where you can get the chance to be served by maiko and geisha. (At night, geisha would also sometimes to traditional dances). .

Go to the narrow alleyways of Gion, Kyoto to catch sight of a maiko or geisha. Their work often starts at around 6PM to 8PM but ordinarily, you can have a better chance of finding geisha or maiko at around 10PM to 11PM on the streets of Gion as they make their way to work. (Again, take note of my tips above on how to spot the real ones!) Unfortunately, there really is NO one guaranteed spot where you can see them because they can be elusive and they can be anywhere! Nevertheless, it’s said that the most common hubs would be the street of Pontocho Alley and Hanamikoji-dori (around 5-6PM) so you can try your chances there.

I managed to catch a glimpse of a real maiko when I was walking through Gion (on my way to Gion Corner). It was all unplanned since I was just following the fastest walking route shown to me by Google Maps! I was mindlessly going through narrow streets when ‘lo and behold, I saw a maiko emerging from a nearby alleyway who proceeded to stand on the corner, seemingly waiting for her taxi. From what I remember, it was around the Tominagacho area; my friends told me that it was possible that the maiko I saw had visited a nearby shrine/temple before going to work (which they usually do).

TIP: If you want to do a guided tour around Kyoto and learn more about the geishas, you can join this geisha districts tour.

NOTE: Don’t expect to see geisha and maiko in their full regalia around Gion during “Obon Festival”, the annual Buddhist event for commemorating the souls of one’s ancestors, because they don’t work at that time. This happens during the middle of August.

ETIQUETTE: Should you ever see a geisha or maiko as you go through the alleyways of Gion, be respectful. Taking a quick photo is fine as long as you don’t get in their way; but of course, it’s also more tactful if you ask for their permission first. Also, NEVER ever touch them and their kimono nor pull them back to make them stop and pose for you; that’s just plain rude BUT also because you have to remember that their kimonos are INCREDIBLY expensive. A famous geisha once said this: “We are not Mickey mouse and this is not Disney World, we are not here to entertain the public, we are here to entertain our patrons.”

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Go and watch the show at Gion Corner in Kyoto. This is a theater that presents regular one-hour shows of 7 performing arts in Kyoto — one of which is the well-known kyo-mai dance performance by maiko dancers. There are 2 shows everyday at 6PM and 7PM [see schedule here] with prices for adults at 3,150 yen ($30~ or Php 1,400). I went to this show and I loved it! (A lot of people on TripAdvisor left such bad reviews for this show, but that’s mainly because they didn’t read their pamphlet beforehand so that they can understand the rest of the 6 Japanese performances that are apart from the well-anticipated maiko dance.) .

Go to Azuma Odori in Tokyo. A dance performance by the geisha of Shinbanshi, Tokyo are held annually at the Shinbanshi Enbujo Theater in May. (For more info, go here). .

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Overall

I hope this article helped in making you gain more insight about the mysterious yet captivating world of geisha and their apprentice maiko. It took me a while to finish this up but I really enjoyed writing it… and I hope you enjoyed it as well!

If in case though that this is the first time you’ve heard of Japan’s geisha, it is therefore also my hope that you’ve now discovered a great appreciation for their wondrous traditions.

P.S.: If you are more knowledgeable about geisha than me and that I’ve accidentally made a false statement above, do let me know in the comments below. After all, I understand that this tradition maintains an air of mysteriousness and anonymity since it adds to their overall ‘allure’; therefore, there might be some conflicting facts online and in some materials and interviews. Regardless, I’m quite confident with the accuracy of the things above especially after doing long hours of research and then conversing with a true-blue geisha to verify my facts. Let me know!

How about you?

What do you think about Japan’s geisha?

Would you want to see or meet them up close? Why or why not?

Or have you already seen or met a geisha or maiko before? How was the experience?

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