The
entire prefecture of Okinawa is
famous for its warm climate and beaches.
While Okinawa Hontois not considered to have the prefecture's very
best beaches (these are found on smaller islands such as Miyako), it, nevertheless, has some attractive beaches where
visitors can enjoy the sun, sand and sea. See the list below for some of the
island's best beaches and snorkeling spots.
The best time to go swimming at the beach in Okinawa Honto is between May and October. From December to March the air temperatures can drop to levels below 20 degrees Celsius which many people will consider too cool for swimming. Water temperatures around Okinawa Honto never drop below 20 degrees and reach about 30 degrees during the summer months.
The best time to go swimming at the beach in Okinawa Honto is between May and October. From December to March the air temperatures can drop to levels below 20 degrees Celsius which many people will consider too cool for swimming. Water temperatures around Okinawa Honto never drop below 20 degrees and reach about 30 degrees during the summer months.
When using the beaches, beware of strong currents that can pull you out to sea and poisonous creatures such as Habu Jellyfish, a type of box jellyfish, that are most prevalent from June to October. Signs at the beaches inform about the dangers while some beaches have netted off swimming areas. Although stings are rare, if stung you should pour vinegar over the sting, remove any tentacles, and seek medical help as it may become life threatening.
BEACH
Manza Beach
Manza Beach is an attractive beach with soft sand. The beach is part of the ANA InterContinental Manza Beach Resort whose large hotel building overlooks the entire 300 meter long beach. A wide range of facilities and activities are offered to staying guests and daytime visitors.
Hours: Varies seasonally. Check the hotel website for times.
Admission: Free
Admission: Free
Moon Beach
Moon Beach is an attractive sand beach located within the grounds of Hotel Moon Beach. The beach extends 150 meters along the water and is often quite densely covered with bathers. There is a designated swimming area, spots for parasols and volleyball nets. The hotel offers many facilities and water activities to staying guests and daytime visitors.
Admission: 500 yen per person, 500 yen parking fee
Okuma Beach
Okuma Beach is an attractive beach located within the JAL Private Resort Okuma. Located in Okinawa Honto's less densely populated north, the resort area is more spread out and the beach stretches over a kilometer along the coast. Many facilities and water activities are offered to staying guests and daytime visitors.
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 November to February)
Admission: 750 yen per person, 500 yen parking fee
Admission: 750 yen per person, 500 yen parking fee
Emerald Beach (Ocean Expo Park)
Located within the Ocean Expo Park on the Motobu Peninsula, Emerald Beach is one of many attractions spread out throughout the park. The beach is divided into three areas: one for playing, one for resting and one for viewing. Each of the three areas is about 150 meters long. A number of facilities and water activities are available to visitors.
Hours: 8:30 to 19:00 (April to Setember, until 17:30 in October)
Admission: Free, free parking at Ocean Expo Park
Admission: Free, free parking at Ocean Expo Park
Mibaru Beach
Located on the south eastern shore of Okinawa Honto, Mibaru Beach stretches well over a kilometer along the shoreline, although some sections of the beach are rather rough. Accommodation and various facilities are available at the beach, but are much simpler than those found at the above listed beaches.
Swimming season: April to October
Admission: Free, 500 yen parking fee
Admission: Free, 500 yen parking fee
Zanpa Beach
Zanpa Beach is an attractive beach in central Okinawa Honto that stretches about 200 meters along the western coast. The beach consists of a designated swimming area, spots for parasols and volleyball nets. There are a number of facilities and water activities available to visitors.
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (April to October), 9:00 to 19:00 (mid July to August)
Admission: Free, no parking fees
Admission: Free, no parking fees
Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is located just next to the Mihama American Village, a shopping and entertainment complex in central Okinawa Honto. The beach has about 250 meters of shoreline and is located in a small artificial bay on the western shore, making it a good spot to see the sunset. There are many facilities and spots for holding barbecues.
Swimming season: Mid April to October
Hours : 8:00 to 18:00 (July And August Until 19:00)
Admission: Free, no parking fee
Admission: Free, no parking fee
SNORKELING
The sea life along the shores of Okinawa Honto is not quite as colorful as around some of Okinawa's smaller islands. Nevertheless, there are a few nice snorkeling spots for visitors, who would like to get a closer look at some of the aquatic creatures. A couple of them are listed below.
The sea life along the shores of Okinawa Honto is not quite as colorful as around some of Okinawa's smaller islands. Nevertheless, there are a few nice snorkeling spots for visitors, who would like to get a closer look at some of the aquatic creatures. A couple of them are listed below.
Cape Maeda
Cape Maeda is located in central Okinawa Honto and is the most popular spot for snorkeling and diving on the island, often busy with groups of snorkelers and divers. Maeda's popularity is well founded, as there is a wide variety of marine life in the area, as well as a cave that you can swim into. Good facilities are located at the site.
Cape Maeda is located in central Okinawa Honto and is the most popular spot for snorkeling and diving on the island, often busy with groups of snorkelers and divers. Maeda's popularity is well founded, as there is a wide variety of marine life in the area, as well as a cave that you can swim into. Good facilities are located at the site.
Admission: Free, 100 yen per hours parking fee
Odo Kaigan
Odo Kaigan Coast (also known as John Man Beach) near the southern tip of Okinawa Honto offers interesting snorkeling with smaller crowds of people. While the marine life is not quite as dense as at Cape Maeda, a wide variety of creatures and plants can be found. Odo Kaigan is mostly rough and rocky, and facilities are limited.
Admission: Free, no parking fee
Get There and Around
Manza Beach
Manza Beach is connected directly with Naha by bus number 120 (100 minutes, 1390 yen from Naha Bus Terminal, morning departures only, or 110 minutes, 1480 yen from Naha Airport; 2 buses/hour) and airport limousine bus (60 minutes, 1600 yen from Naha Bus Terminal or 75 minutes, 1700 yen from Naha Airport; 1-2 buses/hour). Get off at Manza Beach-mae. By car, it takes about 50 minutes (more during rush hours) from Naha if using the expressway between Naha and Yaka IC (about 700 yen one way).
Moon Beach
Moon Beach is connected directly with Naha by bus number 120 (90 minutes, 1190 yen from Naha Bus Terminal, morning departures only, or 100 minutes, 1300 yen from Naha Airport; 2 buses/hour) and airport limousine bus (55 minutes, 1400 yen from Naha Bus Terminal or 65 minutes, 1500 yen from Naha Airport; 1-2 buses/hour). Get off at Moon Beach-mae. By car, it takes about 50 minutes (more during rush hours) from Naha if using the expressway between Naha and Ishikawa IC (650 yen one way).
Moon Beach is connected directly with Naha by bus number 120 (90 minutes, 1190 yen from Naha Bus Terminal, morning departures only, or 100 minutes, 1300 yen from Naha Airport; 2 buses/hour) and airport limousine bus (55 minutes, 1400 yen from Naha Bus Terminal or 65 minutes, 1500 yen from Naha Airport; 1-2 buses/hour). Get off at Moon Beach-mae. By car, it takes about 50 minutes (more during rush hours) from Naha if using the expressway between Naha and Ishikawa IC (650 yen one way).
Okuma Beach
Take highway bus number 111 from Naha to Nago Bus Terminal (90 minutes, 2100 yen from Naha Bus Terminal or 105 minutes, 2190 yen from Naha Airport; 1-2 buses/hour) and transfer to bus number 67. Get off at Okuma Beach Iriguchi (60 minutes, 1010 yen, 1-2 buses/hour). By car, it takes about two hours from Naha if using the expressway between Naha and Nago (about 1000 yen one way).
Emerald Beach
The Ocean Expo Park is located on the Motobu Peninsula in northern Okinawa Honto, about 90 kilometers from Naha.
The Ocean Expo Park is located on the Motobu Peninsula in northern Okinawa Honto, about 90 kilometers from Naha.
By Yanbaru Express Bus
The Yanbaru Express Bus directly connects the airport and city center of Naha with the Ocean Expo Park. The one way trip takes a little over two hours and costs around 2000 yen. There are six round trips per day. In central Naha, the bus stops at the Prefectural Office, Tomari Port and Furujima Station along the Yurail monorail among other locations.
By regular buses
Take highway bus number 111 from Naha to Nago Bus Terminal (90 minutes, 2100 yen from Naha Bus Center; 105 minutes, 2190 yen from Naha Airport; 1-2 buses/hour) and transfer to infrequently departing bus number 70 to Kinen Koen Mae. bus stop in front of the Ocean Expo Park (50 minutes, 880 yen). A few buses on the lines 65 and 66 also serve the Ocean Expo Park.
Mibaru Beach
Take bus number 50 or 51 from Naha Bus Terminal to Hyakuna Bus Terminal (60 minutes, 720 yen, 1-2 buses/hour) or bus number 39 to Mibaru Beach Iriguchi (70 minutes, 780 yen, 1-2 buses/hour), from where the beach can be reached in a ten minute walk. By car, it takes about 40 minutes from central Naha.
Take bus number 50 or 51 from Naha Bus Terminal to Hyakuna Bus Terminal (60 minutes, 720 yen, 1-2 buses/hour) or bus number 39 to Mibaru Beach Iriguchi (70 minutes, 780 yen, 1-2 buses/hour), from where the beach can be reached in a ten minute walk. By car, it takes about 40 minutes from central Naha.
Zampa Beach
Take an airport bus from Naha to Zampamisaki Royal Hotel next to the beach 75 minutes, 1230 yen from Naha Bus Terminal or 85 minutes, 1330 yen from Naha Airport; 3-8 buses/day). Alternatively, take bus number 28 from Naha Bus Terminal to Yomitan Bus Terminal, 80 minutes, 1080 yen, 2-4 buses/hour) from where it is a 45 minute walk to the beach. By car it takes about 70 minutes from central Naha.
Sunset Beach
Take bus number 28, 29 or 120 from the Naha Bus Terminal to Gunbyoin-mae, also known as Army Hospital-mae or US Naval Hospital, 40 minutes, 730 yen, frequent departures) or Kuwae bus stop from where the American Village can be reached in a short walk. By car, it takes about 30 minutes (more during rush hours) to reach the complex from central Naha.
Take bus number 28, 29 or 120 from the Naha Bus Terminal to Gunbyoin-mae, also known as Army Hospital-mae or US Naval Hospital, 40 minutes, 730 yen, frequent departures) or Kuwae bus stop from where the American Village can be reached in a short walk. By car, it takes about 30 minutes (more during rush hours) to reach the complex from central Naha.
Cape Maeda
Take bus number 120 from Naha to Yamada bus stop (80 minutes, 1090 yen from Naha Bus Terminal, morning departures only, or 90 minutes, 1180 yen from Naha Airport; 2 buses/hour), from where Cape Maeda can be reached in a 20-30 minute walk. By car, it takes about 50 minutes (more during rush hours) from Naha if using the expressway between Naha and Ishikawa IC (650 yen one way).
Odo Kaigan
Take bus number 89 from Naha Bus Terminal to Itoman Bus Terminal ( 60 minutes, 580 yen, departures every 10 minutes) and transfer to bus number 82. Get off at Seimei Byoin-mae ( 25 minutes, 430 yen, 1 bus/hour), from where the coast can be reached in a 10-15 minute walk. By car, it takes about 45 minutes from central Naha.
Take bus number 89 from Naha Bus Terminal to Itoman Bus Terminal ( 60 minutes, 580 yen, departures every 10 minutes) and transfer to bus number 82. Get off at Seimei Byoin-mae ( 25 minutes, 430 yen, 1 bus/hour), from where the coast can be reached in a 10-15 minute walk. By car, it takes about 45 minutes from central Naha.
Source : http://www.japan-guide.com/
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