Miyako Island ー
宮古島
Beach Paradise:
It is a relatively big island of approximately 100 km around and 290km to the southwest of Okinawa Island via Miyako Channel. It is a part of Sakishima Islands (a group of islands between Okinawa Island and Taiwan) to the south of Okinawa Island. The island is mainly the plateau of limestone, and the sightseeing is mainly to see its natural scenery of the peninsula, embayment, and the sandy beach full of changes, in addition, its rich cultural properties such as the local unique entertainment, traditional events and textiles. It is enjoyable to go round the unique islands such as Irabu Island, Shimojima Island, Ikema Island and Kurima Island by crossing the bridges easily,
Access and Getting Around
The transportation to Miyakojima is only by airplane. Flights change according to the period, a flight a day from Tokyo Haneda. A few flights per day from Naha and Okinawa. There are also flights to Ishigaki Island.
Because it is flat, it is easy to go round on foot for a short distance or by rental-bicycle. But a car is necessary, for the bus service as the public transportation is used only for moving among towns, which makes sightseeing very inconvenient in Miyakojima. In addition, only four bus services are available from the airport to the downtown, using a taxi is better. It is easy to get a rental car at the airport. Hirara is the central downtown of Miyako Island. A rental motorcycle or a rental bicycle is available at Hirara. It is 5.5 km from the airport to the central downtown.
By plane
3 hours from Tokyo Haneda with 1 morning flight;
50 minutes from Naha with about 20 flights (changeable depending on seasons);
2 hours 20 minutes from Osaka with 1 flight (period from June to September);
30 minutes from Ishigaki-jima Island with 3 flights per day.
Features
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Maihama Beach should be called the highlight of Miyakojima Island with 7 km long and natural sandy beach,so it is really a representative beach not only in Okinawa but also in the East.In addition, it is the superb view spot of the sunset. But it is not suitable for snorkeling because there is no coral reef....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Sunayama Beach is in the west coast of Miyakojima Island, a hill covered with sand,so it is called the Suna-yama Beach.The extension of the sandy beach is short, but is considered by a magazines as a beauty spotbecause there is the arch of a natural rock to the left hand of the sandy beach and the sand hill at the rear side....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Aragusuku Beach is possible to enjoy snorkeling for coral reefs extend to the shoreline nearby.Many people come here repeatedly for it is not crowded here.There are more local people than tourists....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Yoshino beach is popular as a beach where the snorkeling is possible in Miyakojima.It is a 500 meters long beach and the coral gets close to the shoreline.The beach where a coral reef gets close to the neighborhood is rare in Okinawa.The water is transparent, the wave is calm because of the coral reefs so there are abundant fishes.The transparency of the water is high, and lots of wave being relat...
-Sea View
Cape Higashihenna is a cape at the southeast end of the south of Miyakojima.A lighthouse is at the tip and it is the most beautiful ocean view of Miyakojima Island.It is the first beauty spot in the ocean view of Miyakojima.The atmosphere of a small fishing port getting down from the cape is very good. 24 km from the center of Hirara....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Emgear Marine Garden is a beach park using the especially beautiful shoreline of the southern coast of Miyakojima island.It is suitable to have a walk on the promenade and observatory.The wave is calm in the inner side of the bay for playing in the sea a little....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Toriike are two circular ponds in the west coast of the Shimoji Island .A stalactite cave near the shore was eroded by the wave and grew bigger and the ceiling collapsed partiallyand that is how the two ponds were formed.It is an upper grade diving spot for it is connected with sea under the sea....
-Sea View
Cultivation of sugarcane and fishery are central industries of the island,and the pole-and-line fishing of the bonito is populare.The sea seen from the shoreline shows beautiful blue view.A 3540 meters long bridge connects Irabu Island with Miyakojima Island,the longest bridge in Japan, passable free of charge. The view of the bridge is extremely beautiful....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Toguchinohama Beach is the beach that is famous for the beauty of the sand bar and the transparent water in Okinawa,an 800 meters bow-formed sandy beach.Such facilities such as showers are available, too.There is an airport for the training of pilots nearby,and it is interesting to see the repetition of the touch & go from the beach.Irabu Island...
-Sea View
A large number of huge rocks make a unique scenery on Sawadanohama Beach.The water at the beach is not suitable for swimming for it is too shallow,though it is one of the representative beaches on Irabujima Island.Irabu Island...
-Sea View
It is a huge bird-shaped observatory on Irabujima Island.The transparent sea bottom is seen from the observatory,and a stranding ship is visible not far away from the observatory too,which are interesting scenes.Irabu Island...
-Sea View
It is an island accessible from the foreshore of Miyako Island by crossing the Kurima Great Bridge.Kurima Island is a simple and remote island without being interrupted by tourism, with a quiet scenery....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Nagamahama Beach is on the West Coast of Kurima Islamd.The white sandy beach is very clean, and there is a coral reefs here and there are still few tourists,so it is a little-known beach as a snorkel spot.Kurima Island...
-Sea View
It is a three-storied observatory which was modeled from the castle on the hill of Kurima Island.From the observatory, special views such as the foreshore beach, Kurima Great Bridge, Irabu Island can be seen. Kurima Island...
-Sea View
Ikema Island is located 1.3 km to north of Miyako Islandand is the island of prosperous fishermen of the bonito fishing.The view seen from the Ikema Great Bridge and the beach of coral reefs attract attention,where a lot of tourists come to have a tour....
-Sea View -Outdoor Activities
Yabiji is a very large coral reef group with 17 km from the north to the south, 6.5 km from the east to the west.It is one of the biggest coral reefs not only in Miyako Islands but also in Okinawa region,and it is a big sacred place for diving and snorkeling.Ikema Island...
Accommodation around Miyako Island
