The best snorkelling beach on Shimoji and Irabu, Nakanoshima Beach is protected by a high-walled bay on the west coast of Shimoji-jima. You'll greatly enhance your experience by making your visit early in the morning, around lunchtime or in lower seasons, when buses and boats aren't descending on the beach all at once. Look for the sign reading 'Nakano Island The Beach'.
Nakanoshima Beach
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.16 MILES
Just 4km north of the Hirara district of Miyakojima city, you'll find this little, archetypally tropical Japan beach, which lies at the bottom of a large…
9.07 MILES
On the southwest coast, beautiful Yonaha-Maehama is a 6km stretch of white sand that attracts a lot of families and young folk due to its shallow waters…
8.44 MILES
If you've seen the crowds at Yonaha-Maehama and decided you want something quieter, head across the Kurima Bridge and drive to the northwest coast of…
21.29 MILES
If you've got a car, we recommend a drive out to the southeastern tip of the island, a narrow finger of land that extends 2km into the Pacific Ocean…
0.98 MILES
An intriguing site for a stroll or dive is this pair of seawater pools on the west coast of Shimoji-jima, known by locals as 'dragon's eyes' – these are…
2.16 MILES
On Irabu-jima's west coast, this is the island's best swimming beach, with showers, toilets and the delightful Blue Turtle bar-restaurant.
18.89 MILES
On the southeast end of the island, this is a popular spot for snorkelling and kayaking (with a hair-raisingly steep access road).
19.33 MILES
On the north side of Miyako-jima's southeastern cape, this long, shallow beach has a park featuring showers and toilets.
Nearby Okinawa & the Southwest Islands attractions
0.98 MILES
An intriguing site for a stroll or dive is this pair of seawater pools on the west coast of Shimoji-jima, known by locals as 'dragon's eyes' – these are…
2.16 MILES
On Irabu-jima's west coast, this is the island's best swimming beach, with showers, toilets and the delightful Blue Turtle bar-restaurant.
8.44 MILES
If you've seen the crowds at Yonaha-Maehama and decided you want something quieter, head across the Kurima Bridge and drive to the northwest coast of…
8.49 MILES
Hidden away in downtown Hirara, a district of Miyakojima city, Miyako-jinja is a recently reconstructed shrine that, over time, merged two disparate…
9.07 MILES
On the southwest coast, beautiful Yonaha-Maehama is a 6km stretch of white sand that attracts a lot of families and young folk due to its shallow waters…
9.16 MILES
Just 4km north of the Hirara district of Miyakojima city, you'll find this little, archetypally tropical Japan beach, which lies at the bottom of a large…
10.36 MILES
Head north to drive across Ikema-Ōhashi (池間大橋) to the little island of Ikema-jima. The shallow aquamarine water on either side of this 1.4km bridge is…
17.86 MILES
On the north side of the island's southeast end, this popular beach is great for shallow-water snorkelling and has showers and toilets.