Heavenly Hokkaido

TRIP PLANNER

WHERE TO STAY

I stayed at the Alpen Ridge Apartments (www.alpenridge.com) in Grand Hirafu, which is immediately adjacent to the ski lifts. Luxurious condos are available for rent, with countless bars and restaurants within walking distance.

Niseko Village Hilton (www.niseko-village.com) is the 5-star hotel option. First-class rooms and suites, superb restaurants, in-house onsen and with golf courses on the doorstep, it’s the ideal place to stay and play.

GREEN FEES

While it is of course possible to book tee times directly though the golf clubs themselves, by far the most convenient way to approach this is to arrange a hotel and golf trip through Yotei Golf Packages (www.yoteigolf.com), whose experience in the region makes life far easier.

GETTING THERE

Cathay Pacific (www.cathaypacific.com) operates a daily nonstop flight from Hong Kong to Sapporo during the summer months (flying time: five hours).

OTHER ACTIVITIES

White water rafting: A lot of fun and can cool you down perfectly on a warm summers day. NOASC Rafting Centre (www.noasc.com) is the place to go. Great runs down the Shiribetsu River, with an expert guide in each boat.

Hiking: Can be as vigorous or as relaxing as you choose. I opted for a leisurely stroll to Lake Hangetsuko, or “Half Moon Lake”. This involved climbing to the rim of the volcano and then down into the crater. The beautiful lake is mirror-smooth, peaceful and cool – the perfect spot for a quick dip before heading back.

Niseko Village “Pure”: Adjacent to the landmark Niseko Village Hilton is this leisure area, featuring a huge array of activities including tree trekking on rope bridges, a 1.2km zipline track, mountain biking, and both Park Golf and Disk Golf. The former involves hitting a wooden ball the size of a baseball with a cudgel towards an oversized hole. Honestly, it’s more fun than it sounds. (www.niseko-village.com)