Okinawa Ishigaki Island tour, tirelessly promoting this niche island
Okinawa Ishigaki Island tour, tirelessly promoting this niche island
Ishigaki Island is one of the several islands in Okinawa, compared to Miyako Island, it is more niche because there are no direct flights from the mainland except Hong Kong, and because of this, there are relatively few tourists there, mainly Japanese domestic tourists and a few Asian tourists.
I went to Ishigaki Island in July 2019, flew from Shanghai Pudong to Naha, stayed on Okinawa Island for 2 nights, then flew from Naha Airport to Ishigaki Island, there are many flights there, one every 1-2 hours, flight time is about 60 minutes.
The weather on Okinawa Island is always cloudy and overcast, but once you get to Ishigaki Island, the blue sea and sky and the strong smell of rural cow dung make you feel relaxed and return to nature.
Stayed at IHGInterContinental - ANA Okinawa All Nippon Airways Ishigaki Island Intercontinental Resort Hotel, the sea-facing view and thoughtful service are all five-star. But the location is a certain distance from Ishigaki Town, you need to take the hotel bus to go to the town, you can also take a taxi, but taxis in Japan are really expensive, just wait for the bus leisurely, after all, there is plenty of time there.
Ishigaki Island is famous for its Wagyu beef, the restaurants in the town are rich, the ingredients are fresh, sashimi & barbecue are the delicious food that must not be missed. Because there are few tourists, the basic language is hand gestures plus translation software to make do.
You must go to Kabira Bay on Ishigaki Island, the color of the sea water is clear and emerald green, if you can't dive, you can watch the underwater creatures from the speedboat (the bottom of the boat is transparent glass), in summer you can see turtles, a large number of bat rays and various cute marine creatures gather, a magical, wonderful and unforgettable experience.
In addition to Ishigaki Island itself, you can take a short ferry ride from the town to reach Taketomi Island, this island preserves traditional Ryukyu culture and architecture, experience red tile houses. There are three ferry companies operating between the islands, every 30 minutes. The high-speed ferry takes about 10 minutes one way, and the car ferry takes about 15 minutes one way.
Memory points:
Sunscreen, sunglasses and umbrellas are essential
Every restaurant in the town can be tried, the best Wagyu beef and sea bream sashimi I have ever eaten
There is a night star watching experience, but it is all in Japanese, and it depends on the celestial phenomena of the day, so decide carefully
Asahi has a lot of beer flavors in Japan, the pineapple flavor is particularly good
You can buy swimsuits, flip-flops and sunglasses at the outlet on Okinawa Island, there are many brands and professional choices, high fashion, and the price is right
Japanese taxi uncles are really fun, they like to chat with tourists
The hotel is near the sea with high water quality, has its own beach, and there is a small chapel where weddings can be held