WELCOME TO OKINAWA
Iriomote Island - Day Trip
Iriomote Island is the second largest island of Okinawa. Largely undeveloped, 90% of the island is covered by dense jungle.
Iriomote Island belongs to the Yaeyama Island group which boasts of paradisical beaches, untouched tropical rainforests, lush mangrove rivers and one of the world's largest healthy coral reef systems.
Yaeyama Islands are also known as one of the world's best diving destinations, having a number of coral species and marine life as large as those in the Great Barrier Reef. Over 400 types of corals, 5 types of sea turtles, manta rays, whale sharks and many kinds of tropical fish species all live around the islands of Okinawa Prefecture.
Swim with manta rays...
Giants of the ocean, the manta rays of Okinawa are a major attraction for divers visiting the islands. You'll find a number of excellent manta-watching spots around Ishigaki Island – the best time to catch them is between summer, when the weather is calm, and the mating season in autumn. Ishigaki Island .
Yomitan - Sango Batake
Yomitan is a village located in Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Japan's largest aquaculture of coral reefs.Coral reefs make up the most complex marine ecosystem on earth which is essential to literally millions of plant and animal species.
Shurijo Castle
Shurijo Castle served as the proud and dignified center of Ryukyu Kingdom and its politics, foreign affairs and culture.
RESTAURANTS:
-Anzuya Koza
-Banyan Treehouse Cafe
-Café Kurukuma ( amazing view )
-Kishimoto Shokudo ( traditional best SOBA soup )
TO EAT:
-Tacorice - A popular dish with the people of Okinawa.
-Sea Grapes - “green caviar”
-Sata Andagi - Okinawa's sweets, similar to donouts
- Okinawa Soba Soup
- Goya Champru ( vegetarian )
- Mazouku tempura
- Alamuri Drink
- Habushu - snake drink
TO EXPERIENCE:
- Eisa performance (Catch daily Eisa performances at Okinawa world, a traditional folk dance native to the island, performed by young people to honour the spirits of their ancestors. Vibrant, loud, and full of energy. You can even join in if you like!)
-Blue Cave. The most famous and popular diving spot on the mainland. Every year, countless fans come from both Japan and abroad to enjoy the mystical blue world of the caves. Even beginner snorkelers and divers can dive here, so it’s one place we really recommend!
-Sefa-utaki is said to be Okinawa’s most sacred place. In the period of the Ryukyu Kingdom, miko, or shrine maidens, in service of the king would practice here, and it was forbidden for citizens or men to enter the area. Nowadays, there are no such restrictions, and the site has become famous as Okinawa’s greatest powerspot.
BEACHES:
- "Hidden Unnamed" - It’s the middle of three “sister beaches” on Miyagi-jima, nestled between 75-foot cliffs and a smattering of fallen boulders from the cliff face. Perfect for sunrise photoshoot !
- Gahi-jima (嘉比島) & Agenashiku-jima (安慶名敷島)
Part of the Kerama island group, this pair of uninhabited islets off of Zamami-jima will realise your castaway-for-a-day fantasy. Bring a picnic of onigiri (rice balls) and iced green tea foraged from Naha's convenience stores, and a sun hat, as there are no facilities and little shade.
- Kume-jima (久米島) Looking further west, Kume-jima lies about 90km from Naha, which is far enough to mean fewer visitors than the easy-breezy Keramas. Kume-jima has the kind of retro appeal that pervades many of these islands, and there isn't much to do here besides explore the beautiful beaches and dive or snorkel the colourful reefs.
- Yurigahama holds all kinds of magic. Appearing only at low tide, this sandbar is one of the region's star-sand beaches. Boats ferry visitors (round-trip ¥2000) to this transitory world, where you can focus on each moment and the individual grains of star-shaped sand that inhabit it.
