Discover Walk on the wild side
With three national parks, cascading waterfalls and some of the clearest waters in the world, there is so much natural beauty in Okinawa. Its abundance of flora and fauna and jaw-dropping scenery means it’s often referred to as the ‘Galápagos of the East’. And stretching across 160 islands, there are so many beaches, each with its own character.
The main island is home to the mountainous Yambaru National Park – part of it even becomes a cloud forest in its highest areas. Around the Yaeyama Islands in the south lies the Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, where visitors can marvel at the waterfalls, gaze at the towering native Yaeyama palm trees and explore the mangroves. If you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse, the endangered Iriomote wild cat also lives here.
Active and adventure
It’s hard to imagine just how clear the waters are in Okinawa until you set eyes on them for yourself. Snorkelling is one of the best ways to see the incredible marine life, with schools of brightly coloured tropical fish shimmering between vibrant coral. There are also some amazing sites for scuba diving, where you can explore shipwrecks and seabed formations – you may even spot manta rays and sea turtles.
On the water’s surface, there are plenty of opportunities for boat trips, watersports and whale watching. The Hija River in the north of the main island is a great spot for kayaking and canoeing, and visitors can also explore the mangroves there.
Back on land, don’t miss out on exploring the Gyokusendo Cave, said to have been around for 300,000 years, where hundreds of thousands of stalactites hang from its roof like icicles. Cyclists will be spoilt for choice for where to explore on two wheels, while some of the island’s terrain can also be traversed on horseback.
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