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. It's a lovely beach, but it can get crowded, and the presence of an occasional jet ski is a drawback. It's just before the Kurima-Ōhashi bridge, on the north side. You can rent a wide range of beach gear, and even try out fly-boarding, from the rental outfitters by the car park.
Yonaha-Maehama Beach
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.47 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…
1.58 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…
12.99 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…
10.01 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…
7.37 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.
10.65 MILES
On the southeast end of the island, this is a popular spot for snorkelling and kayaking (with a hair-raisingly steep access road).
11.42 MILES
On the north side of Miyako-jima's southeastern cape, this long, shallow beach has a park featuring showers and toilets.
9.07 MILES
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…
Nearby Okinawa & the Southwest Islands attractions
1.58 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…
5.05 MILES
Hidden away in downtown Hirara, a district of Miyakojima city, Miyako-jinja is a recently reconstructed shrine that, over time, merged two disparate…
7.37 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.
7.47 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
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…
10.01 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…
10.27 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.
10.65 MILES
On the southeast end of the island, this is a popular spot for snorkelling and kayaking (with a hair-raisingly steep access road).