Coastal island resorts are visited at any time of the year and are considered the best for active pastime on the water. Soft subtropics pass into the cleanest shores, surrounded by rainbow coral reefs, which conditions the variety of colours of the water surface. Tourists from all over the world go to well-equipped beaches, for walks through the amazing botanical gardens, to see the beautiful long bridges connecting the neighboring islands. Check out our top-rated Sakishima Islands beaches for a nice vacation.
Sunayama is a picturesque beach located in the north of Miyako Island, and is also the most visited beach on the island. Its name translates to "Sand Mountain" because you'll need to overcome such a mountain on your way there. It's located in Okinawa prefecture, about 5 km away from Miyako Airport and 4 km away from Hirara. It's advised to rent a car to reach this place, hidden behind a thick emerald grove.
Yonaha Maehama is a very picturesque beach located on the southwest edge of Miyako Island. Due to the contrast of blindingly white sand and emerald transparent water the local landscapes feel truly heavenly. With its length reaching 7 km and with a small amount of visitors (tourists rarely come here), this beach seems like a lost piece of Japan's heaven. You can only get here by taxi or rented car.
Yoshino, or Yoshino Kaigan, is one of the best beaches for snorkeling on Miyako Island, located on its eastern edge, about 20 km away from Hirara. Impressive coral reefs with a lot of colorful tropical fish and turtles attract those who like explore the underwater world.
Aragusuku is a picturesque beach on the eastern edge of Miyako Island that is worth visiting for those who like nature and calm solitary vacations. It's also a great place for family vacations on Miyako. It's usually less crowded here than on other beaches of the island with white sand and shallow crystal water of emerald color. It welcomes the most amount of visitors during Summer.
Fusaki is a beautiful long (about 1 km) sandy beach on the western edge of Ishigaki Island that attracts ecotourists and nature admirers. It's located just 10 minutes away from the center of Ishigaki, on the territory of the resort hotel of the same name, but it's accessible for anyone. It takes about half an hour by car to get here from the island's airport.
Yonehara is a wild beach in Kabira bay in the east of Ishigaki Island that attracts tourists with its solitude, beautiful landscapes and great opportunities for snorkeling. Just don't forget to bring your own equipment, as there are no rental stores or infrastructure as a whole here. You can get to the bay from the center of Yonehara town by bus in about 40 minutes.
Sukuji is one of the most picturesque sandy beaches on Ishigaki Island. It's located near the Kabira bay, just 15 minutes away from it and about an hour away from the island's airport. It's one of the most accessible beaches on Ishigaki, which means it may get quite crowded during high season.
Tsukigahama, or Moon Beach, is a long sandy coast in the west of Iriomote Island, and it got its name due to its perfect crescent shape. But the shape isn't the only thing that attracts tourists here. The beach is covered in powder-like golden sand, and it makes a very specific sound that resembles crying when you walk on it. That's why the beach is also called the "crying sand beach".
Ida no Hama is a relatively unknown quiet and solitary beach located in the outskirts of Funauki on the southwest edge of Iriomote Island. You can only get here via water, more specifically the ferry that makes 4-5 tours from Shirahama to the village daily. Due to its isolation from the outside world and rare visitors the coast retained the untouched nature and attractiveness of its landscapes.
Hoshizuna is a small but unique beach on the northern edge of Iriomote. This heavenly beach area is located between two coastal villages - Nakano and Sumiyoshi, and the best way to get there is from the Uehara port. Even though it's a pretty well-known and popular place, it's almost never crowded here.