Traveling in Okinawa🐟, the wind here smells like sea water and beer
The leisurely feeling of the whole Okinawa makes it feel very un-Japanese. Standing on the streets of Naha, there are no office workers in suits and ties. The streets are full of flip-flops, floral shirts and healthy wheat-colored people. It seems that the sea breeze blows on the face, and the air is filled with the smell of Orion beer.However, because we went to Miyako Island first and then returned to Okinawa Island to play, we opened our eyes to see the "most beautiful sea" first, and our impression of the main island was only average. However, before the trip, we assumed that we would not go to tourist attractions in Okinawa, but mainly stroll around, watch the sea, do marine sports and go shopping.
/// Transportation
Okinawa's transportation is very underdeveloped. There is only one tram in Naha (Monorel Line). There are only buses in other places, but the number is small and the time is not accurate. The tram has a one-day ticket/two-day ticket (800 yen/1400 yen). It is recommended to buy a one-day ticket if you take it more than 3 times a day. Note that the tram ticket in Okinawa is not inserted into the banknote change machine, but only needs to be scanned on the machine. (Trams in other parts of Japan are put in the ticket, and after passing, the ticket is punched out)
▼ Tram route map (Airport~Shuri; Kenchomae, Miebashi, Makishi are Kokusai-dori area; Omoro Machi Station is "Shintoshin", which will be discussed in the "Buy, Buy, Buy" section below.)
The most convenient way to travel to Okinawa is to rent a car, and the cost of renting a car is also the most cost-effective among all transportation costs. However, it is a pity that China is not a country of the Geneva Convention, and you cannot rent a car in Japan with a Chinese driver's license. Alas, the countries and regions around us, such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, etc., are all OK... What a pity, of course, if you have an international driver's license, don't hesitate, you must choose to rent a car!
Ordinary people like us who don't have a driver's license can only choose to charter a car, take a taxi, or take a local bus tour. The first two are more expensive, but you can arrange your itinerary freely and visit some niche attractions. Taking a local bus tour (バスツアー) is actually not bad. It basically has famous attractions and is suitable for going to faraway places (for example, if you live in Naha and want to go to an aquarium, etc.). The disadvantage is that it is quite tiring and the time and location are not so flexible.
/// Accommodation
We stayed in two hotels in Naha and Chubu this time, and we both felt that they were very average, so we won't recommend them. In Naha, it is recommended to stay near Kokusai-dori. In addition to being convenient for shopping, there are many tour buses to other attractions or diving spots departing from nearby. If you are going to stay in Chubu, it is recommended to stay in the resort area in Onna Village, which has hotel beaches, snorkeling projects, etc. Or stay near American Village and Sunset Beach, where there are shopping places and convenient transportation. It is a distribution point, but it is a little far from the surrounding places to play. (I still recommend the resort in Onna Village. We regret not booking a hotel there)
▼ Sunset Beach next to American Village, where we waited for the bus on the day we went to the aquarium. It is a very small beach, and you can only walk around the beach and play in the water. It is not recommended to go to American Village on purpose, because it is not easy to visit. If you happen to be waiting for a bus here, you can stay for a few more minutes to visit.
▼ There are no lifeguards on the beaches of Miyako Island, so it was a surprise to see one here!
▼ I have written about hats, small baskets and Japanese snacks in the previous May product recommendations. If you haven’t read it yet, you can click the blue words to check it out~
/// Entertainment
❶ Kokusai-dori
It was almost evening when I arrived in Naha on the first day. I was going to Miyako-jima on the second day, so I went to Kokusai-dori for a stroll at night. Kokusai-dori has many small shops of various kinds, selling everything. It is suitable for strolling around. There are few people during the day and many people at night. (I will write more about it in the "Buy, Buy, Buy" section below~)
❷ Makishi Public Market
Walk around Makishi Public Market and you will get a general idea of Okinawa's food culture. This used to be a vegetable market for Naha citizens, but later it gradually became a tourist spot (probably because it is near Kokusai-dori). The outside of the market is basically some shops selling vegetables, fruits, spices, seasonings, and local specialties, while the inside of the market is a meat and seafood market. The seafood purchased on the first floor can be processed and eaten directly in the restaurant on the second floor. (Sashimi is processed for free, and other salt-grilled dishes are charged 300 yen/person)
▼ A store that sells ingredients for soup. The picture shows bonito flakes (after flaking, it becomes bonito flakes)
▼ Colorful sea fish.
❸ Churaumi Aquarium
The aquarium was the only popular attraction on this trip that I was sure I wanted to see. So I took a bus to see it. It was super hot and humid that day, with occasional rain and sunny days. I learned a lot in the aquarium!
▼ As soon as you enter, there is a small touchable pool with starfish and sea cucumbers. The touch ~ haha, is super amazing ~~ but you are not allowed to take them out of the water.
▼ The aquarium is 35 meters wide and 10 meters deep, with a water volume of 7,500m³, and is home to about 70 species and 16,000 fish.
I stared at the huge aquarium for a long time, but I felt sorry for them. The small fish I saw while snorkeling in Miyako Island had such a large space to move around, but there were so many fish in such an aquarium (although it seemed to be the largest in Asia). Later, I went to Zamami Island for snorkeling and saw a ray (probably in Chinese, it means manta ray) swimming alone in such a large ocean. It could stay close to the bottom of the sea and speed up as it wanted, but the whale sharks in the aquarium could only swim in circles again and again.
❹ Zamami Island
Zamami Island is an inhabited island in the Kerama Islands. We booked a 3-point snorkeling project without going to the island, and went snorkeling with a very handsome and sunny coach. Hotels generally have brochures, and you can also book online. You need to make reservations at least 2-3 days in advance, and you must be able to speak English or Japanese. (There are also projects that can be booked on Taobao Fliggy. These should all have Chinese services. If you are worried about the language, you can check it out on Fliggy. Safety is the first priority in marine sports. Language communication is very important. Don't act blindly!)
▼ Meeting Tobiie was really an unexpected surprise. When the coach shouted for us to go over and take a look, we encountered a sea snake swimming up at a very fast speed. I was really scared. Later I learned that it was probably just coming up to take a breath.
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