After closing to the world since the start of Covid in early 2020, Japan has reopened to all travelers on 11 October 2022. Finally, you can visit Japan without booking through travel agencies or worrying about daily arrival limits, quarantines, Covid tests (if you are fully vaccinated).

Are you as excited as me? Yes! The freedom to rediscover Japan! I miss Japan and everything about Japan. I have received many questions about how to plan a free and easy trip to Japan. To celebrate Japan’s reopening, I have put together this step by step guide with money-saving travel hacks so you can see the best of Japan on a budget.

Where to visit in Japan?

The first step in your Japan trip planning process is the most difficult step as you have to decide where to visit and plan your itinerary.

Japan is home to 47 prefectures that are spread over 8 main regions: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto (Tokyo) , Chubu, Kinki/Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka) Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu (Okinawa).

Most of the links I have provided in this guide are from my favorite website Japan-guide.com. I have been using this website for years as they provide concise and informative travel content. Other useful websites include the JAPAN by Japan website by Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and Cheesie’s Cheeserland blog.

Thanks to the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program, I spent 2 life-changing years in Okinawa and managed to explore Japan and visit 31 prefectures. I am more familiar with Okinawa and the Kyushu region and I usually recommend them to travelers who have been to the “Japan’s trinity of tourist attractions” in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and are looking for new places in Japan to visit.

Inspired by Rick Steves’ Europe travel guides and the super useful overview he uses to recommend must-see sights in Europe, I have adapted his method for Japan to recommend top destinations for first-time and repeated travelers.

I used to pack many places during my trip. But these days, I prefer to spend more days to explore one place and not do a “fast and furious” trip to tick off bucket list attractions. Here are my recommendations and travel tips! Well, this list may change as I see more of Japan.

One week in Japan (for first-time travellers)

• Tokyo (3 days)
• Kyoto (3 days)
• Osaka (1 day)
• If you have more days, add day trips to Yokohama, Hakone (to view Mount Fuji), and even Disneyland from Tokyo. And add day trips to Nara and Kobe in Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka are in this region).

One week in Japan (for repeated travellers)

Hokkaido

• Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa (for the amazing Asahiyama Zoo if you are traveling in winter and with children), ski resorts like Niseko or Rusutsu, Furano and Biel.
• If you have more than one week, add Abashiri for the spectacular drift ice in winter, Kushiro and Shiretoko for hiking, and Hakodate (the most northern part of Hokkaido).

Kyushu

• Highlights: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Yufuin, and Beppu.
• If you have more than 1 week, add Kumamoto (Mount Aso), Kagoshima (4-5 days at Yakushima for the best hiking experience, Sakurajima, and sand onsen at Ibusuki), Miyazaki for the Takachiko waterfalls, Amakusa islands, Saga (Ureshino onsen), and Kitakyushu.

Okinawa

• Road trip all over Okinawa mainland and trips to outer islands like the Kerama islands.
• If you have more than 1 week, add far-flung islands like Miyako and Ishigaki to your summer adventures.
• Check out my guides to Okinawa: Top 15 things to do in Okinawa , islands to visit from Naha , and the ultimate guide to everything about Okinawa.

Shikoku

• Setouchi islands (see my guide to Naoshima), Tokushima (in August for the famous Awa Odori festival), Ehime (Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen), and Kochi (Iya Valley).
• If you have more than 1 week, try the scenic cycling route Shimanami Kaido from Hiroshima (Chugoku) to Imabari (Shikoku).

Chugoku

• Highlights: Hiroshima, Kinosai Onsen, and Tottori.
• If you have more than 1 week, add Shimane (famous Izumo Grand Shrine), Matsue, Yamaguchi, and Okayama.

Chubu

• Highlights: Kanazawa (a “quieter Kyoto”) and Gifu (Shirakawago, Takayama).
• If you have more than 1 week, add Nagoya, Fukui, Mie (Izu Peninsula), and Matsumoto.
• If you are travelling in winter, amazing ski slopes in Nagano/Hakuba area.

Kansai

• Wakayama (Mount Koya, temple stays, and hiking), Himeji, and Lake Biwa.

When to visit Japan?

Japan welcomes travelers all year round! The changing seasons make travel around Japan very interesting as you can enjoy a variety of sights and experiences in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Here’s a summary of what you can enjoy when you visit Japan in different seasons. If you have the flexibility to choose when to visit Japan, you can visit during popular flowering and festival periods.

Japan in Spring (March to May)

• Plum blossom season marks the start of spring! Most people do not know about the beautiful plum trees bloom and plum festivals that take place in from February to March.
• Cherry blossom season starts from end March to April. The flowers start blooming from the south with the dark pink cherry blossoms in Okinawa appearing in early February to the flowers blooming in Hokkaido in April
• Popular spots in Tokyo and Kyoto are packed. Head to other regions further away from the big cities like Tohoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu for spectacular sakura viewing spots without the crowds.
• Check out the super useful Japan-guide.com’s Cherry Blossom Forecast and Reports .
• The Japanese have very accurate Sakura Navi (桜ナビ) so you can search for the Japanese sites like this (using Google Translate) and get accurate and timely updates about the progress of the flowers blooming (like 50% bloom or full bloom (sakura mankaiさくら満開).
• Avoid the Golden Week (a period of 4 national holidays in Japan when domestic travel is at the peak) from end of April to the first week of May.
• Try to avoid the rainy season (tsuyu 梅雨) starts in Okinawa in early/mid May and lasts for a month till early/mid June.

Japan in Summer (June to August)

• In early summer, most parts of Japan have the rainy season from early June to early/mid July. While it may be inconvenient to travel during the rainy season, you can enjoy lush vegetation and the blooming season of hydrangeas.
• July and August are busy periods for summer celebrations with local festivals and fireworks. The Japanese festivals are out of this world so make sure you check the festival calendar and participate in some festivals!
• July is the famous flower viewing season in Hokkaido.
• Mount Fuji is open for climbing during July and August.
• The hot weather and clear blue skies perfect for beaches and island hopping. Summer destinations like Okinawa are packed.
• Take note that the August to September is the peak season for typhoons (sometimes the typhoons can also hit anytime from May to October). Watch out for the weather reports.
• Travel activity is high in August due to summer school holidays.

Japan in Autumn (September to November)

• September is still considered summer in some prefectures in the south as the weather is warm for sea activities and island-hopping in Okinawa, Kyushu, and Shikoku areas.
• Autumn starts in mid/late September in the north of Japan where the leaves start to turn colors in Hokkaido. November is the best period to see autumn colours. Check out the autumn leaf viewing spots here.

Japan in Winter (December to February)

• December heralds the start of winter and winter/Christmas illuminations decorate most cities. There are many Christmas festivals and markets so do some research about their locations and check them out.
• From mid December, the Japanese start to prepare to celebrate the Japanese New Year (oshogatsuお正月). Join the festivities by watching the first sunrise of the year (hatsuhinode 初日の出) and visiting the first shrine or temple (hatsumode 初詣), on the 1st of January (or on New Year’s Eve).
• Some shops and attractions close for oshogatsu (from end December to early January). Find out more about visiting Japan during New Year here .
• Ski season starts from December and January, and February is the best time for winter sports and viewing winter sceneries.
• February is the closest month so fantastical winter festivals are in action.

Check out Japan-guide.com’s informative guide about when to visit Japan with tips about the weather, recommended activities, and more.

How to get to Japan?

Once you have selected the places/prefectures and confirmed on your travel dates, it’s time to book your air tickets to Japan.

Step 1: Use Skyscanner to have a quick overview of the types of airlines flying to your destinations and the range of air fares.

Step 2: After you have selected your desired flight, book your air tickets directly on the airline website.

Airports in Japan

To Tokyo: Narita Airport (NRT) (handles most of the international flights), Haneda Airport (HND) (handles mostly domestic flights and increasing number of international flights)

To Kyoto/Osaka: Kansai International Airport (KIX)

To HokkaidoT: New Chitose Airport (CTS)

To Kyushu: Fukuoka Airport (FUK)

To Okinawa: Naha Airport (OKA). Check out this guide on how to get to Okinawa.

Airlines

Here are some general tips based on my experiences traveling to Japan from Singapore and my budget saving strategies. Remember to always book your air tickets in advance (as early as you can to secure good fares)!

Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airlines (ANA): These two national air carriers are great but I find their air fares quite high. I only flew JAL to Japan from Singapore when my air tickets were paid for (thanks to the JET program and travel prizes).

Singapore Airlines (SIA): It’s always nice to fly SIA but air tickets can be more expensive. One good to way to fly SIA is to redeem flights using KrisFlyer miles. My best flight was redeemed with 48,000 miles for return flight to Narita Airport-Changi Airport. This was thanks to my Citibank PremierMiles card.

The credit cards I recommend for earning miles for flight redemption:

• Citi PremierMiles Credit Card: Use my code (s1152801010N) to get up to 30,000 Citi Miles (which can be easily converted to KrisFlyer miles).
• Citi Rewards Credit Card: Use my code (s1152801010N) to get up to 30,000 Citi Thank You Points (which can be easily converted to KrisFlyer miles).
• American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card: Use my link and earn 5,000 KrisFlyer miles with minimum spending and 10,000 miles if you are new to AMEX.

Delta Air Lines: I flew once to Narita Airport from Singapore during the Lunar New Year period. Delta offered the cheapest return direct flights and the experience was decent.

Low-cost carriers like Jetstar and Scoot: They offer flights that are value for money and the flight time to Japan from Singapore is not too long for no-frills flights. Jetstar used to have direct flights to Okinawa, Naha Airport (it takes just 5 hours to reach the island paradise) and they may resume the flights soon. Jetstar is running a special “Hello Tokyo Sale” now till 14 October 2022! Enjoy cheap flights from Singapore to Tokyo (via Manila) from $271 SGD!

 Domestic Airlines

There are many airlines running domestic flights all over Japan. Sometimes taking domestic flights to get from one prefecture to another is faster and cheaper than taking train and other modes of transportation.

Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airlines (ANA): They offer many flight routes and options. The air tickets can cost as low as budget airlines if you buy in advance. Based on my experiences, ANA domestic fares seem cheaper than JAL.

 Skyscanner may not show flights by small budget airlines so you can search for flights and fares on their websites. Some common budget airlines include:

• Jetstar Japan
• Skymark Airlines
• Peach Aviation

Make sure to check the luggage allowance and any hidden fees. If you have big luggage, you have to top up the fares for the budget airlines and sometimes it may be more worthwhile to fly with ANA or JAL.

Find more flight options and tips here.

How to get around Japan?

Japan has a fantastic public transportation network that connects big cities to smaller towns. Depending on the places you are visiting in Japan, you may have to take a range of public transportation from trains to buses and even ferries. Here are my insider tips to traveling around Japan efficiently and cheaply!

Rail passes

Tourists to Japan (short term visitors) are entitled to purchase rail passes and they are convenient and offer great savings if you are traveling around Japan.

There are many types of rail passes available. The most popular rail pass is the Japan Rail Pass that offers unlimited travel on almost Japan Rail (JR) trains nationwide. You should get this pass if you are doing heavy travel for 7, 14, or 21 days. A general tip: The 7-day JR Pass (at 29,650 yen) is worth it if you do at least one return train trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka plus some shorter trips. Spend some time to select the most suitable the rail pass based on your travel destinations and do some calculations to evaluate if you should buy it.

Many people do not know that there are other passes that are cheaper for region-specific travel. There are 6 JR companies (collectively known as the Japan Railways JR Group) that operate train routes in Japan:

• JR Hokkaido
• JR East
• JR West
• JR Central
• JR Shikoku
• JR Kyushu

There’s no JR service in Okinawa! I kind of get annoyed when people don’t do simple research and ask me this!

For example, I used the JR East Tohoku Area Pass to explore the Tohoku region and Nikko for my winter trip, Takayama-Hokuriku Tourist Pass to visit Kansai, Kanazawa, Takayama and Shirakawago, and JR Setouchi Area Pass for the Setouchi Triennale and island hopping around the Seto Inland Sea. Check out all the available rail passes here. Remember to check the eligible train lines for the rail pass and take note of any exclusions.

Don’t forget to experience special sightseeing and themed trains in Japan! This is something uniquely Japan that you can only enjoy in the land of trains. Check out the dazzling network of scenic train lines here. My best train travel memories were crossing the Setouchi sea from Okayama to Takamatsu on the Marine Liner and passing through snow-capped landscapes in Yamagata and Hokkaido. I love themed trains and I have fulfilled my childhood fantasies onboard Anpanman trains in Shikoku and the Asahiyama zoo train in Hokkaido.

How to buy rail passes?

You can buy your rail pass in Singapore before you enter Japan. Here are some places/websites you can purchase from:

• Klook
• Japan Tourism Bureau (JTB)
• Nippon Travel Agency (NTA)
• Changi Recommends
• Japan Rail Pass (official website by the JR Group)

There are many other websites selling the JR passes. Remember to check if they are legitimate and the current exchange rates. I usually check different websites (or even call the vendors directly) and compare the rates. You can enjoy free travel consultation at Japan Rail Café in Singapore. Check out their informative JR Times website with travel itineraries and guides.

Once you have purchased the rail pass from your selected/verified website, you will receive a voucher. Use the voucher to exchange for the rail pass when you arrive in Japan. Klook has an informative FAQ about how to redeem the rail pass. Use my special Klook promo code WENDYKLOOK to enjoy 5% any Klook purchases (no min. spend; capped at USD $10). ⁣

Buses

Buses are everywhere in Japan. Local buses provide convenient travel in cities and towns. In Kyoto, the local buses bring you to more places than the train. There are highway buses for long and medium distance travel. Highway buses that travel overnight are cheaper than express trains even though the traveling time is longer. I took a long distance bus from Tokyo to Nagoya and it was quite comfortable. Find out more about the bus routes and bus companies here.

Rental car

I love road trips in Japan! My favorite trips in Japan were driving around the Okinawa islands, Kyushu, and even Tottori. Car rental can be affordable in Japan if you travel with your friends/family (because of cost sharing) and you can explore more places. Make sure you have your International Driving Permit (for Singaporeans) to rent vehicles and drive in Japan.

Book rental cars with car companies like Orix Rentacar, Toyota Rentacar, Nippon Rentacar, OTS Rentacar, and more. You can also book with websites like Tabirai and Tocoo that provide a wide selection of car brands and types. I usually book my cars directly with the car rental company that offers the lowest rate (with English GPS navigation system and insurance). I find that the rental rates are cheaper when I book through Japanese websites. Learn more about driving in Japan here.

Ferries

Do you know Japan has over 6000 islands? So it’s not surprising that Japan as an extensive network of ferry routes that connect Japan to 4 main islands–Honshu (main island), Hokkaido, Kyushu (including Okinawa), and Shikoku–and the smaller outer islands.

I love ferry rides as they are relaxing (as long as the ocean is not too choppy). Find out more about the ferry routes and ferry companies here.

Tips for taking ferry rides in Japan

• Book your ferry tickets in advance for popular routes (especially in summer and during special events/festivals).
• There are different types of ferries like regular, high speed, and slower cargo ship. High speed ferries are usually the best choice as they bring you to the island much faster but they cost more. High speed ferry rides tend to be choppy so prepare your sea sickness pills.
• Car ferries are fun! Some ferries allow you to pay more and bring your car across the ocean to the island so you can just conveniently drive your car around the island.
• Overnight ferries help to save time and money. And they can be quite comfortable. I had a memorable long ferry ride from Shodoshima to Kobe!

Bicycles

Japan is a very cyclist-friendly country! The Japanese love their bicycles (自転車 jitensha) and cycling is a popular activity. There are many scenic cycling routes in Japan great for short cycling expeditions. I highly recommend Shimanami Kaido しまなみ海道. This well known bikeway connects Japan’s main island Honshu to Shikoku and runs through 6 islands and 6 bridges in the Seto Inland Sea. This picturesque route is every cyclist’s dream. Read about my Shimanami Kaido adventure here! Every time when I write or talk about it, I just want to go back to Japan and do the cycling route again!

Tips for cycling in Japan

• Bicycle rental is widely available in Japan. The most common type of bicycles is the simple bicycle called mamachari or mom’s bicycle that usually comes with a useful basket. You can also pay more for efficient bicycles like mountain and road racing bikes at more specialized bicycle rental shops found in places with popular cycling routes.
• Make use of the convenient and inexpensive takuhaibin (宅配便) delivery service to transfer your luggage for multi-day cycling trips.
• Don’t drink and cycle! Just like drink-driving, drink-cycling is illegal. True story: I met a foreigner in Japan who was fined for riding a bicycle while drunk on an island!

If you are adventurous and seeking a different kind of travel experience, you can walk through Japan! Interested to do a meditative walk through Japan and learn more about the country? Check out this classic book “The Roads to Sata: A 2000-Mile Walk through Japan” by Alan Booth where he shared his experiences walking from the northernmost point of Japan, Cape Soya in Hokkaido, to the southernmost point of mainland Japan, Cape Sata in Kagoshima.

Want more information? Check out Japan-guide.com’s comprehensive overview of transportation in Japan!

Where to stay in Japan?

The rule of thumb is to book your accommodation as early as possible. The earlier you book, the more options and cheaper rates you will find. The cost of accommodation is one of the biggest travel expenses so I tend to plan a lot of time looking around for the best deals. For popular travel periods like the cherry blossom and autumn leaves seasons and during major festivals, you should try to book your accommodation at least 6 months in advance.

Here are some of my travel tips to secure convenient and affordable accommodation ranging from hotels to hostels for your next trip to Japan!

Hotels

I like to choose hotels near major train stations (not more than 1 km away) for my trip especially for winter travel (dragging luggage on snow-covered pavement is not fun). Hotels can be expensive in city centres in Tokyo so I usually stay in small business hotels (room size about 18-20 sqm) to save money (location trumps room size for me) since I will not be in the room most of the time.

There are many hotel websites that you can use to book to hotels. Quoting Rick Steves again, he advises traveler to use general hotel websites to research for options and rates and book directly with hotels. I sometimes try to do that but if the rates offered by hotel websites like Booking.com are better, I will book with the platform.

Here’s a list of websites I usually use:

• Agoda: I use Agoda the most as they usually offer cheaper rates than other booking platforms. You can earn Agoda PointsMax and use them to offset the cost of your next hotel booking. Their customer service is generally responsive and friendly. Check out their discount coupons!
• Booking.com: I use Booking.com too as I find their rates cheaper than other websites and their customer service is generally responsive and friendly.
• Trip.com: Like the other websites, Trip.com offers competitive rates. Their customer service is quite good too. Join their telegram group to receive regular alerts about discount deals.
• Traveloka: Traveloka is gaining popularity. I have used them to book hotels in Singapore and some countries. Use my exclusive promo code wendywritesTVLK and enjoy 5-10% discount for your hotel bookings!⁣ Join their telegram group to receive regular alerts about discount deals.
• Expedia: I use Expedia when I find good rates (usually because of credit card promotions).

Tips to enjoy discounts when booking hotels:

• Use Skyscanner to compare and find the best hotel rates! Skyscanner shows you all the rates from a range of booking platforms like Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia and more!
• Always check if there are credit card promotions for the websites. Many hotel booking websites have regular partnerships with companies/banks (like AMEX, Mastercard, Standard Chartered, POSB/DBS and more) and they offer discounts when you book using the credit cards.
• Use ShopBack (use my link to enjoy $5 when you sign up) when you book the hotels to enjoy cash back! ShopBack is a cash back reward program that allows online shoppers to receive a small percentage of their purchases on the platform. When you click on the Booking.com link on the ShopBack website or app and book your hotels using the link via ShopBack, you will receive a percentage of your booking price. The cash back percentage can be quite generous from 6 to 14%! I have saved quite lot for my hotel bookings thanks to ShopBack!

Hostels

I used to stay in hostels around Japan when I traveled solo to save money! I have spent nights in female and even mixed dorms and also in capsule hotel and all my experiences were pleasant. Hostels in Japan are generally clean and safe so if you are backpacking or traveling on a budget, staying in hostels is a good choice. My favorite hostel chain is K’s House! I enjoyed all my K’s House stays especially in these beautiful hostels: K’s House Fuji View and K’s House Habuka Alps.

Ryokan

A visit to Japan is not complete without indulging in a ryokan stay. Staying in Japanese traditional inn is truly a pampering experience where you can immerse in the Japanese traditions and Japanese-style hospitality “omotenashi.” A typical ryokan experience includes a well-furnished room, lavish meals (breakfast and dinner), and facilities like hot springs. Ryokan stays can be expensive but you are paying for outstanding service, food, and outdoor onsen or even private access to exclusive baths. I have been lucky to I have stayed in some ryokans in Japan and I did not pay too much for my experiences.

Where to book ryokans?

You can book ryokans via the usual hotel websites listed above. But I find that the English websites have limited selection of ryokans and they tend to be quite expensive. Here are some recommended sites:

Jalan: I have used Jalan a number of times. I like their selection of ryokans and they provide different packages for the ryokans (like with or without meals, in-room tubs, and etc.). I usually use Google translate to access their Japanese website as I find that there are more and cheaper options.

Rurubu: This Japanese website is similar to Jalan. You can find a wide range of hotels and ryokans in every prefecture in Japan. If you can’t read Japanese, you can try to navigate using Google translate.

Rakuten: Like Jalan, I use their Japanese website to book for cheaper deals.

There are other websites like Japanican, Japanese Guesthouses, and Ryokan.jp. I have never booked with these websites before but I used them for research and then I look for cheaper deals on other websites.

Airbnb

I have used Airbnb a few times in the past, especially when I traveled in big groups and needed bigger rooms. But I don’t think I can save much when I book through Airbnb when I travel alone or with a companion. So I usually book hotels as I don’t have to worry about check in and out times and security.

Creative sleeping spaces

What if all the decent accommodation options are fully booked for your travel destinations? Well, you can be creative and try to find non-conventional sleeping spaces. Or if you really like to save money and don’t like slight inconvenience and discomfort.

Manga Cafes (Manga kissa まんが喫茶): 24-hour manga cafes is your resting haven if you like to save money or need a short rest. Manga Cafes offer packages where you can enjoy all the comics you can read, drinks, and a public seat or private mini room. I spent a night in a manga cafe in Takamatsu during the Awa Odori Festival because all the affordable hotels were fully booked during this famous festival period and I didn’t want to pay for an expensive hotel for a few hours of sleep. Let’s just say it wasn’t the most comfortable sleeping experience but it was definitely the most interesting.

Karaoke Rooms: One of the favorite pastimes of the Japanese is singing karaoke! In big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, you can find karaoke chains easily. If you like singing and just need a room with AC to rest for a few hours, book a karaoke room!

Some other unforgettable sleeping experiences during my young backpacking days: Sleeping on a bench in a park at Miyajima during the Miyajima Fireworks Festival as my camping attempt failed and sleeping in Kansai airport to save money as my flight was very early.

How to save money?

Currency exchange and credit cards

The Japanese yen is quite weak now so it’s good for you if you are holding stronger currencies. I have been changing my Singapore dollars to Japanese yen to prepare for my next trip to Japan.

I found the best exchange rates on Wise and YouTrip.

Wise is a convenient platform to transfer money and change currencies. It is free to register for an account and apply for a Wise debit card (just pay 9 USD for a physical card).

How to use the Wise card in Japan? You just have to top up your account with funds transferred from your local bank. Then you can exchange currencies easily (like Singapore dollars to Japanese yen) using the Wise app. You can store in yen our WISE app and use your WISE debit card (physical card or e-card via your phone’s e-wallet like Apple Pay) when you make purchases/payments in Japan. You can also just use your Wise’s auto convert feature so you don’t have to exchange yen in advance and you can pay using your Wise card and the payment made in Japan will be converted automatically to yen with the lowest possible fees. I love using my Wise card to make payment in Japan.

Join Wise using my link and enjoy fee-free money transfer of up to $900 SGD.

I have been using YouTrip too. It works like Wise and you can exchange up to 150 foreign currencies with no fees. Sign up with this my link to earn $5 SGD. Start saving Japanese yen for your next trip to Japan!

Travel insurance

Remember to purchase your travel insurance once you have booked your air tickets! In this Covid-19 environment, you may want to pay abit more to have Covid-19 coverage just in case if your trip is affected by any Covid-19 disruptions. Here are some travel insurance companies that offer travel insurance for Singaporeans.

1. FWD: I have recently purchased FWD travel insurance for my family. I like that I can enhance your coverage with COVID-19 add-on benefit and they have an app that facilitates claims easily. I have no issues making claims so far. Check out the policy coverage and cost here (use my link to get extra 2% discount on top of their existing promotional code TRAVEL25). If you are planning a more complex trip that requires more coverage, read their policy wordings carefully.

2. Income: I have been purchasing Income travel insurance for many years. Recently, I find that FWD offers more comprehensive travel insurance packages recently. But Income is always reliable and you can add their Covid-19 travel extension.

3. MSIG: They offer some comprehensive travel insurance coverage and rates. However, for my recent trip to Turkey, my luggage was damaged during transit and their claim process/response was so troublesome that I gave up trying to make a claim.

There are many other travel insurance options and you can check out websites like Singsaver and Moneysmart to see a summary of travel products and promotions. Sometimes these aggregator/third party websites offer quite attractive perks and discounts if you purchase through them. However, before you make any purchase through these websites, check the official travel insurance company website to cross-check the policy coverage and final cost.

Some credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance if you use them (like AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and Citi PremierMiles) to purchase the air tickets. But please note that the coverage offered is very limited. So you are planning a long trip and would like adequate coverage, you should buy a separate travel insurance!

I strongly believe in empowering travelers to know better, travel better! I value privacy and transparency. The article contains affiliate links so I may be compensated to run the website and continue to create content if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you.