You can have this much fun while traveling on a budget.
I carried my tent across to the island, climbed a mountain, and ran along the coast. On this trip to Hachijojima, I realized that the accumulation of such simple activities can create a surprisingly rich experience.
The total cost was 12,000 yen for the ferry (round-trip, per person) + 2,500 yen for a rental bike (per bike, per day) + 7,000 yen for a rental barbecue set (about 2,300 yen per person). In total, it came to just under 17,000 yen per person. The only other expense was food.
The fact that accommodation and the hot springs are free is a major selling point. If you can enjoy all this for free, it’s more than enough.
Whether it’s a luxurious vacation at a beach resort or a getaway at a lavish traditional inn, both are wonderful, of course. But even on a budget trip, with a little creativity in how you travel and where you stay, you can create an experience just as enriching as those high-end options. My trip to Hachijojima really brought that fact home to me.
In Part 2,Here’s a look at the gear that helped make this trip possible.
