Monbetsu (紋別) is a city in Okhotsk, Hokkaido. It is well known for drift ice.
Understand
Get in
By plane
- 1 Monbetsu Airport (紋別空港, MBE IATA), Komuke, (17min by bus from/to Monbetsu bus terminal.). Nicknamed "Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport". There is regular service from/to Haneda via Shin Chitose with 1round trip per day. To match the flght, there is a free shuttle bus service from/to Monbetsu bus terminal and mainly hotels.
By bus
Highway bus "Ryūhyō Monbetu" runs from/to Sapporo, with 3round trips for direct service and 1round trip Asahikawa indirect service per day. Takes about 4hr 20min and ¥4790 fare.
There are other local bus services from/to Engaru, Okoppe, Nayoro, Yūbetsu and Takinoue.
Get around
By bus
Hokumon Bus[dead link] operates bus services around the town.
By car
There are some rental cars shops.
See
Okhotsk Sea Ice Museum
- 1 Okhotsk Sea Ice Museum (オホーツク流氷科学センター), 11-6, Moto-Monbetsu, ☏ 81 158 23 5400. 9:00 - 17:00. Features a frozen aquarium of various fish preserved in ice ¥750.
- 2 [dead link]Okhotsk Tower (オホーツクタワー), 1, Kaiyōkōen,, ☏ 81 158 24 8000. 10:00 - 17:00.. It is the world’s only structure from which the sea under drift ice can be observed. ¥800..
View from Ōyama
- 3 Ōyama Park (大山山頂園), 4-25-2, Ōyama,, ☏ 81 158 24 3165. 10:00 - 21:00 (Apr - Nov), 10:00 - 18:00 (Dec - May). The outlook from the tower on the top of Mt. Ōyama, Sea of Okhotsk and Monbetsu urban area overlooking. ¥200..
- 4 Garinko II (ガリンコ号 II), 1, Kaiyōkōen,, ☏ 81 158 24 8000. Service period late Jan - 31 May.. The drift ice cruising by icebreaker. 5 - 7 cruises per day. Be to sure book. ¥3000..
Do
- Monbetsu Drift Ice Festival (もんべつ流氷まつり). early Feb. Ice sculpture of dozens are on display at the marine park and are lit up at night. Free.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Hotel Okhotsk Palace (ホテルオホーツクパレス), 5-1-35, Saiwai-cho,, ☏ 81 158 26 3600. Stay 2meals for single ¥7350 .
- 2 Monbetsu prince Hotel (紋別プリンスホテル), 7-36-26, Honmachi,, ☏ 81 158 23-5411, toll-free: 0120-156-000 (non-geographic number), fax: 81 158 23-6151. About ¥9000 for single in off season..