Sapporo Okhotsk Icebreaker Cruise and Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival Tour

I participated in late February, and the focus of this tour is whether the icebreaker can reach the sea area with drift ice. The drift ice drifts in from other places, and I was very lucky to actually see the icebreaker using drills to break the ice floes. Actually, even if you don't see the drift ice, it's still a good experience. For this tour, the last ship to depart on the day of registration (4:30 PM) is always chosen. On that day, the captain sailed for an extra half hour to let us see 10 minutes of icebreaking, so this last ship really has the benefits of being the last one. The sunset scenery on the sea is also great. Of course, driving from Sapporo directly to Mombetsu takes 4 hours, with two rest stops in between, so the ride is a bit tiring. But thanks to the guide's attentiveness, the whole trip became interesting. In addition, the group members were informed of all the details of the trip and boarding, making the whole trip very smooth. If the weather is good, you can arrive at the port of the Mombetsu icebreaker earlier and take a stroll around the area. But the other activities, such as seeing seals or taking a bus to an observation deck, and the ice sculptures and fireworks at night, I personally thought were just okay, serving as accompaniments to the main event. The key is whether you can set sail. If the weather is very bad, the sailing will be canceled, and seeing the drift ice was very moving!

Although we didn't go on deck today, we could still see the drift ice. 16:15-17:15 was right at the blue hour before sunset, it looked like it had a filter on it, perfect for taking photos. For dinner, our guide, Sun, arranged a paid-for Monbetsu local gourmet crab and salmon roe bento box, it was delicious! At the seal park, for 400 yen, you can watch the keepers feed the seals, they're so cute! At the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival, there's an ice bar where you can drink Hokkaido's local sake. If you like drinking, you can experience it. The itinerary is easy and safe, and our Chinese-speaking guide, Sun, is very responsible, so even a girl doesn't need to be afraid.

The staff enthusiastically waved goodbye as we boarded the ship. Watching the sunset from the Monbetsu icebreaker was beautiful! After the ship departs, the bow opens for passengers to walk clockwise. Staff also kindly remind people to move forward so that others can take pictures of the ice-breaking auger mechanism! Fun! Next stop was the Sounkyo Icefall Festival, which is only available seasonally! The tour guide said it's a huge project where staff spray water to freeze it, taking two months! It's really beautiful! Although it's far and we got back to the hotel late, it was worth coming to see!

A very nice trip! The timing was excellent. Although the drive was five to six hours each way, we never felt rushed and were able to take our time. We saw drift ice on the icebreaker cruise! There's also a seal museum next door that you can visit for 400 yen. There were rest stops along the way where we could buy things to eat, and it was great that ordering a boxed dinner for the evening wasn't mandatory. (But I did order one, it was crab rice, and it was really delicious!) I also went to the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival. Although 40 minutes was a bit short, it was still enough time to wander around the small venue. Highly recommend the tour guide Vivian, she always gave advance notice for everything, and was fluent in both Chinese and English.

weather was good today. Extreme cold when taking the Garinko Sunset Cruise. Manage to see the ice breaker and sunset. Everyone is able to have a chance see the ice breaker. The queue was fast. For Sounkyo ice festival, it was so short. Given 30 mins and was crowded. A bit rush but nothing much except for ice cave. Guide Ms. Vivian is bilingual. Can speak well and clear instructions. We enjoy this day trip.

The icebreaker cruise was the part of my Hokkaido trip I was most looking forward to! I was very lucky and happy to travel with tour guide Tingting! The tour guide contacted me a day in advance and sent me the meeting location and instructions, which made me feel at ease. We set off smoothly today. Tour guide Tingting arranged the time well and explained everything carefully. I was lucky enough to see drift ice, the sunset, and the moon on the 15th day of the lunar calendar! Tour guide Tingting also waved to us on the shore. Thank you for the smooth and safe trip!

A full day packed with several stops. Great that the cruise went ahead with good weather. The ice festival was pretty special too, with brief fireworks. Our tour guide was on point, made clear the instructions and ensured we caught the fireworks before we leave. Caution that the travelling hours are rather long.

We were very lucky that day. The weather was cloudy to sunny, and the temperature wasn't too low. More importantly, we saw a lot of drift ice, which was really thanks to the heavens. The Garinko III icebreaker in Mombetsu is smaller than the one in Abashiri. If there isn't enough drift ice, or if the waves are a little rough, it will be more shaky when sailing (it is recommended to take seasickness medicine in advance just in case), but the conditions were very stable when we sailed that day. Also, because the ship is small, the staff will allow everyone to enter the best viewing area on the second floor at the bow in shifts of 5 minutes each. Remember to take that opportunity to observe the scene of the drift ice being "ground up." Compared to the "crushing" of the Abashiri icebreaker, the Garinko III provides a shocking experience. The Sounkyo Ice Waterfall was just icing on the cake; it's just for fun. The tour guide seemed older, was of Chinese nationality, and provided enthusiastic service.

I'm especially lucky today; the highway wasn't closed, and I arrived at Mombetsu Wharf early. Plus, there's a huge amount of drift ice, which is very impressive and makes it a must-see attraction. Transportation in Hokkaido isn't very convenient, so a day tour group is a really good choice. The tour guide is very enthusiastic, patient, and attentive. The driver's driving skills are very steady and reliable, highly recommended!

I was very lucky to see drift ice on this icebreaker cruise! It was quite a sight. The tour guide's explanations and arrangements were very professional. It allowed me to comfortably travel from Sapporo to Monbetsu to see the icebreaker, saving me the trouble of driving in the snow myself. Highly recommended!