When it comes to beach holidays, azure blue waters, pristine white beaches
and a laid back atmosphere come to mind. Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture,
is the country’s premiere beach destination, with numerous islands and seas abundant with coral
and marine wildlife. Less than an hour by boat from the prefectural capital of Okinawa
lie the remote Kerama Islands, which are set in the beautiful ocean. The small islands are popular
snorkeling and scuba diving destinations, and are where one can enjoy carefree days.
My name is Raina Ong, reporting for japan-guide.com,
and in this video, we’ll be going to Zamami Island,
a popular destination in the Kerama Islands, for a slow and idyllic beach holiday.
The Kerama Islands are about 40 kilometers west of Naha, the prefectural capital of
Okinawa. The only way to access the islands is by high speed boat or ferry from Naha,
and the closest airport with scheduled flights is Naha Airport.
On Day 1, we take the high speed boat from Naha’s Tomari Port to Zamami Island.
We’ll spend the day snorkeling, checking out the main village and dining at a local restaurant,
and stay overnight at a typical island accommodation.
On Day 2, we’ll hike to a nearby observation deck
before taking the morning boat back to the main island of Okinawa.
So follow along, as we go on an overnight trip to a Beach Paradise in the Keramashoto National Park
Day 1
From Tomari Port in Naha, I board a high speed boat for Zamami Island.
The high speed boat took about 50 minutes,
and here I am on Zamami Island and ready to start my holiday!
Zamami Island is relatively small, and the main tourist spots can be accessed on foot. However,
a rental bicycle or moped can make covering travel distances a little less time consuming.
Fortunately for me, the place where I’m staying also has rental bicycles,
so I head there to drop my bag off and rent a bicycle for the day.
A ten minute ride takes me to the jewel of Zamami Island, Furuzamami Beach.
This highly rated, pristine white sand beach has clear blue waters
populated with abundant marine life, and is a top spot for sunbathing and snorkeling.
This is Furuzamami Beach, and it’s so pretty! I mean, just looking at it makes me so happy.
During the warmer months from around April through till October,
rental shops at the beach front open for business, renting gear like sunbeds, parasols and snorkeling
equipment, so one can turn up empty handed and still do all the fun beach things.
I've got my life jacket and my snorkel gear and I'm ready to go!
The waters near Furuzamami Beach have a depth of about 2 to 5 meters,
and there is a large coral reef a few meters from the shore.
While these conditions make snorkeling an
accessible activity for the young and those who are not confident swimmers,
adequate precautions should be taken as there is a sharp drop-off underwater.
After that refreshing snorkeling experience, it was time to get dry and explore the main
village on Zamami Island. The small village is where the port and majority
of the island’s lodgings and restaurants are centered. In fact, the main village is also
where a large percentage of the island’s approximately 600 inhabitants reside.
This is the largest grocery slash convenience store on the island,
and where the locals get their daily necessities from. Let's go inside and check it out!
Walking about the village gives one an idea of the construction and decoration of Okinawan-style
residences. Shisa are the lion-like statues that are seen at the roof or entrance of many houses.
These shisa, typically found in pairs, are said to ward off bad luck.
You might have also noticed that some of the traditional looking houses have low
roofs and high stone walls surrounding the premises, and many buildings tend to have
flat roofs. The purpose for the flat or low roof construction is to withstand the strong coastal
winds as well as typhoons, which frequently visit the region from late spring to autumn.
After the nice urban exploration of the village, it was time to have dinner,
and dining out is a great way to sample the regional and local ingredients.
I'm at a Ao No Umi, a restaurant on Zamami Island and I've ordered some
local specialities for dinner. But before that, I'm gonna have a drink. Kanpai!
Look at this spread I've ordered for dinner! I'm so excited to eat EVERYTHING!
We've got mozuku which is a local seaweed and I have it in vinegar as well as in tempura.
I've also got half grilled kanpachi fish head and octopus...deep
fried octopus, local fish sashimi as well as somen champuru which is cooked
in a typical Okinawan style with vegetables and a bit of broth.
And pizza, we've got pizza and its topping is quite unique, it's got Rafute on top. Rafute
is this simmered pork dish which is so tender and beautiful. I'm excited to try that one!
Day 2
I'm at the Takatsukiyama Observation Deck, which is one of the highest points on Zamami Island.
This is also a great place to see the sunrise, which is what I did this morning!
And on the other side you get to look down on the village of Zamami.
Following breakfast, I cycle to the Marilyn dog
statue located a few minutes away from my accommodation.
There is a romantic and heartwarming story behind this dog statue,
and one which was made into a movie in 1988 titled Marilyn ni Aitai or Longing for Marilyn.
This is the statue of Marilyn and she is looking in the direction of Aka Island where her doggy
boyfriend lived. And he would swim 3 kilometers everyday across the water just to meet her.
And you might have guessed, there is a matching statue of Shiro, Marilyn’s companion, on Aka
Island. Their love is eternalised in bronze, and their story will be remembered for ages.
For my afternoon activity,
I made advance reservations for a guided half day sea kayak and snorkelling tour.
I’m going on a sea kayaking and snorkeling activity to
that uninhabited island behind me which is only accessible by tour. Let's go!
Having a local guide is indispensable for those who want to know where the best
places are and learn more about the local flora and fauna. My tour included all the equipments
like kayaks and snorkeling gear, and all I brought was my swimming gear and sunny disposition.
To bring my time on Zamami Island to a close,
I watched the sunset from the Kaminohama Observation Deck after that fun tour.
As the sun set, I thought about how this has been an excellent and relaxing trip.
I got to explore the Kerama blue waters and see a multitude of marine life,
and most of all, got to thoroughly enjoy the simple island life in a national park.
Thanks for joining me. I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas,
should you decide to plan a trip to a national park.
For more information about this trip or to watch another video,
click the links on the screen now, or head over to japan-guide.com,
your comprehensive, up-to-date, travel guide first-hand from Japan. Thanks for
watching, be sure to subscribe and click the notification bell for more videos about Japan.
Happy travels!