It isn’t just about swimming in Okinawa. Enjoying the sea view can also be part of the journey. Throughout the 6 days to bring you drive around the whole Okinawa tour. Things to avoid and recommend to save you time in your journey.
Trip summary:
Day 1 & 2 (Naha) -> Day 3 (Okinawa Zoo & American Village) -> Day 4 (salt factory & Kouri Island) -> Day 5 (Kouri Island) -> Day 6 (return)
Day 1
For a group of more than 5 people, you may want to get a larger cab which is just besides the taxi stand. The larger one can take around 9 people, big enough for another 6 – 7 luggage.
It took just around 10 mins to reach the Hotel Lantana Naha Matsuyama (click for more info), for around 3000 yen.
The best thing about this hotel is you can find a number of restaurants nearby even if you arrive Okinawa late at night. Yakiniku restaurant (焼肉ZIPANG 那覇久茂地店) is the recommended place that you should go for dinner. The meat over there is so good, that I kept ordering the food.
Supermarket is always part of my trip arrangement. The 24 hours Aeon supermarket is around 10 minutes walk from the hotel.
A few of the things are cheap. Things like Vit. C drinks supplement, miso soup power. It’s not the cheapest I came across. But ice cream and snacks are definitely in the list. Price is standard across different supermarket except one that offers promotional discount.
I will get all the snacks that I recommend on another post.
Do not park your vehicle on the street. It’s very easy to get a fine ticket.
Day 2
Naminoue Shrine -> Lunch at Tomari Iyumachi Fish Market -> Okinawa World -> Mibaru Beach -> Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street
Naminoue Shrine (波上宮)
The first place to visit after breakfast. You can park your vehicle here, but limited parking slots available. Approximately around 10 something slots locate at the top of the building. It’s around 5 – 10 mins walk to the shrine. I advise going to the bridge first to get the best view of the shrine. The bridge is behind the car park. Car park fee is paid upon exit.
I plan to rent Japanese costume over there but the store was demolished together with the building.
Tomari Iyumachi Fish Market
5 mins ride from the shrine. There are lots of free parking space available after modification.
The place inside the market is small. You hardly find any tables and chairs to eat inside. Even if you find an empty table, you can’t find chairs to sit. Those chairs are kept by some of the restaurants. Even so, it’s still recommended to try out one of the restaurants for the food they cook. I also advise not to order so much food so that you can get food from other stores as well.
Some people choose outside, at carpark area to eat.
Highly recommended shushi include:
Medium Fatty Tuna(CHU-TORO) , Yellowtail (Hamachi), Tiger Prawns, sea grapes.
Not all shushi are cheap but most got a very good taste especially yellowtail. All the yellowtail were sold off by the time I went for second round of purchase.
To my surprise, salmon (most of them are deep orange color) isn’t as good compared to the above. Got to see which part of salmon is selling.
Okinawa World
It should take 1.5 to at most 3 hours to finish the park, starting from going down the cave. Gyokusendo cave is one of the famous limestone cave in Japan. It maybe good for kids to explore but it’s nothing special if you had experienced similar cave before.
I advise skipping this if you have experienced (limestone) cave exploring before and save time to go over to the seaside for sightseeing. (unless you like this kind of cave exploring)
Mibaru Beach
Just a short ride from Okinawa World. There are two parking slots – one at Mibaru Community Center (just a few slots, remember to pay the fees, box located at stone area), another one near Ocean Shinbara Glass Bottom Boat. Sunset should be easier to look at Ocean Shinbara depending on the period.
It’s gonna to take around 45 mins to an hour back to city. I drove so slow that even the local (including lady driver) with China brand tyres drove much faster than me.
If you can’t get Hotel Lantana Naha Matsuyama, then try this one – Hotel Azat. The hotel room is much bigger but there is only one breakfast restaurant available in the area.
I recommend getting dinner at Kokusai Dori Shopping Street (10 – 15 mins walk) where you can shop and eat at the same time. Otherwise, getting dinner at 魚屋直営バター焼き食堂 魚まる, just a few minutes walk from hotel.
24 hours supermarket – Sakaemachi Ryubo
If you didn’t go Aeon supermarket, you really have to go this one. Bought quite a numerb of things, including ice cream sandwich at a discounted price 81 yen (~HK$4.05).
Day 3:
Okinawa Zoo ->American Village
Breakfast
The hotel package with breakfast didn’t worth it (a little expensive). I suggest to buy breakfast at the supermarket.
出汁ダシ is possibly the only breakfast restaurant available. If no one is queuing, it’s still okay to wait for a little for the meal.
It got a very high review in Google map, but the food is just normal. We waited for 45 mins before dining in. It doesn’t worth the waiting time.
Okinawa Zoo
We managed to arrive at the zoo around 11am. It’s considered a small but many different animals to see in the zoo. Though not as many in QingYuan Chimelong but the animals look a little healthier.
It’s not peak period but we need to park our vehicles a few mins ride away from the main entrance. We enter the park from another entrance. Touring the zoo takes about 3 – 4 hours at most. A few food stalls only available at the main entrance. Recommend to take an early lunch, or get a takeaway food to there for lunch.
American Village
From the zoo to American Village took around 20 minutes. I highly recommend seaside hotel the beach for your night if you are self-driving.
It’s noisy in the day because of fighter jet landing in the near airport but it’s exceptionally quiet at night. The room is big, the air is fresh, and the price is cheap. Sunset at the seaside is a must-see activity over there.
Dinner at Aeon Shopping Mall (American Village)
Food court on the second floor is one of the best dinner I had in the trip. It’s good and cheap. I ordered two bowls of ramen for the dinner. Though, Takoyaki on the first floor (ground floor) doesn’t stand out as much.
Free parking (outdoor) is available outside the Aeon mall.
Day 4:
Nuchima-su salt factory -> Cape Manzamo / Yaedake Sakuranomori Park -> Kouri Island
I chose salt factory over Cap Manzamo coz the view are similar but salt factory not just about creating salt from sea, but also riding through Mid-Sea Road Beach.
I went over Yaedake Sakuranomori Park to try my luck on late sakura (Sakura starts in late Jan to early Feb), but only a few left when I arrive in mid Feb.
Dinner @ Kouri Island
The hotel nearest restaurant is Izakaya restaurant (あぐー豚と寿司の島居酒屋 まーさっさー). Just 30 seconds walking distance. Food is okay but not value worth. The food here is more expensive than other areas in Okinawa (It’s like HK Island compared to New Terriorities). The portion of food is still small to moderate. Because of that, I decide to go for the must-eat food in Kouri Island.
Supper @ Kouri Island
There are several restaurants that sell sea urchin. All share mutual reviews like “bitter”, “refrigerated smell”, “not fresh” by netizens.
I got worried at first but still decided to go for it at Nishikiya (食事処 錦屋). The meal set is expensive as compared to other food. But it is still value worth because of the large portion. It’s slightly cheaper than the price in HK.
Sea urchin needs to be refrigerated in order to keep the food fresh. But it doesn’t have “refrigerated smell” as reviewed by others. It taste fresh without bitterness.
The boss and employee both act like anime characters, giving you active greetings throughout your mealtime from the time you come until you leave the place.
Day 5:
I planned to go Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium but we decide to stay at the hotel for the day. If you plan to go to aquarium or sea side for swimming, I don’t recommend staying at the pool villa.
I didn’t take the hotel breakfast (considered quite expensive). There are two places you can go for breakfast nearby – 沖縄そば食堂 ちょーでー小 and Airando Fiji Restaurant & Cafe. But I didn’t go these two places. Instead, I went to Soma Cafe.
The owner of the cafe studied oversea, speak very fluent English and Japanese. The staff is currently studying university (possibly) working as part time.
Refill your supply at the nearby supermarket – A Coop Nakijin, including lunch if you are planning to stay at the hotel.
Day 6:
Kouri Ocean Tower -> (lunch and last shopping) Naha Kokusai Dori Shopping Street -> Return vehicle at OTS DFS Branch / Airport Branch
Kouri Ocean Tower is the last sightseeing place of the journey. It got the best view on Kouri Island. There is a shell museum on the way up to the tower. You need to purchase the entrance ticket (in order to get up to the tower), and ride the automatic car up or walk up to the tower.
To purchase automotive tire, batteries and automobile, travel and personal insurance in HK, whatsapp Jimmy +852 5113 0668
Related article:
-> Okinawa OTS Rent A Car Guide
-> Most value worth Naha budget hotel
-> Naha Hotel Azat
-> Value Worth American Village hotel
-> Kouri Island Pool Villa
Other travel article:
-> Trip in China: Zhangjiajie
