Hokkaido Itinerary

Dear all,

My friends and I am planning to visit Hokkaido end of May. We will be there for 7days and will be driving. Starting point will be Sapporo. We are a bit confused and not sure where to go. This is our rough itinerary. Please feel free to comment/suggest.

Plan A

Day 1 - Sapporo

Day 2 - Sapporo + Otaru

Day 3 - Furano + Biei

Day 4 - Ashakihawa zoo

Day 5 - Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park+Shibazakura Park

Day 6 - Obihiro

Day 7 - Kusiro (Lake Akan and see birds)

Day 8 - byebye

Should we visit Hakodate?

Plan B

Day 1 - Chitose Airport to Hakodate

Day 2 - Otaru

Day 3 - Furano

Day 4 - Ashikawa Zoo

Day 5 - Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park+Shibazakura Park

Day 6 - Kusiro (Lake Akan and see birds)

Day 7 - Back to Sapporo

Day 8 - Bye Bye

There are no particular preference. We just want to have fun and get most out of Hokkaido. Definitely would love to enjoy the scenery, see flowers and eat eat eat.

Hokkaido Itinerary

Have you checked the distance between Hakadote and Otaru as in your Plan B? There is no bullet train between the two cities so you may be tired just from the train ride. I would stick with Plan A. The rest of the trip looks great. Check-out the breakfast buffets in any Sapporo hotel for excellent Hokkaido food, especially seafood.

Mac

Hokkaido Itinerary

We will be driving around so not sure is that ok. Btw, just want to check can pejaro(mmc) %26amp; x-trail(nissan) fit 5 ppl and 5 luggage? thanks!

Skip Hakodate. It%26#39;s too far away for just one city. You%26#39;d have a much nicer time with less driving and more time enjoying the tour.

For the rental car, a mini-van type vehicle is more comfortable and has more actual luggage space than an SUV.

I agree.

Skip Hakodate. Too far away.

And why Obihiro? Just a big city. No particular places to go there.

other thoughts:

You don%26#39;t need a car to go and see Otaru. It%26#39;s a 30 minute train ride f rom Sapporo. Trains every 20 minutes. Easy.

Lake Akan - yes.

Kushiro - may not be so many birds there in May, but there are the bird breeding centers where they have birds in pens.

Abashiri? Shiretoko?

amanda

Thanks everyone for the reply. I have come up with 3 plans. Please advise which is better:

Plan A

Day 1 Chitose - Sapporo

Day 2 Sapporo - Furano

Day 3 Sapporo - Biei

Day 4 Biei - Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park+Shibazakura Park/Taknoue park - Abashiri

Day 5 Abashiri - Asahikawa

Day 6 Asahikawa - Otaru

Day 7 Otaru - Jouzankei+Niseko/Noboribetsu

Day 8 Jouzankei+Niseko/Noboribetsu - Chitose - byebye Hokkaido

Plan B

Day 1 Chitose - Sapporo

Day 2 Sapporo - Furano

Day 3 Sapporo - Biei

Day 4 Biei - Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park+Shibazakura Park/Taknoue park - Abashiri

Day 5 Abashiri - Lake Akan - Kushiro

Day 6 Kushiro - Tokachi - Otaru

Day 7 Otaru - Sapporo

Day 8 Sapporo - Chitose - byebye Hokkaido

Plan C

Day 1 Chitose - Sapporo

Day 2 Sapporo - Furano

Day 3 Sapporo - Biei

Day 4 Biei - Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park+Shibazakura Park/Taknoue park - Abashiri

Day 5 Abashiri - Shiretoko

Day 6 Shiretoko - Kushiro

Day 7 Kushiro - Otaru

Day 8 Otaru/Sapporo - Chitose - byebye Hokkaido

Btw, need to check something. We%26#39;re planning to see the moss pink flower at Shibazakura Park. Since the flowers bloom earlier this year, do you think we can get to see end of May?

Thanks!

Some driving tips and the model courses.

Tsurui-village, Kushiro Marsh area are good for Tancho cranes. Near JR Kushiro station, there is a food court/market building for cheap, fresh %26amp; delicious seafood. If you go to Shiretoko, go all the way to Kamuiwakka river onsen(no car allowed beyond the Five Lake area).

鈥okkaido.lg.jp/NR/鈥ap_E_b.pdf