No one can argue that up here on land, we have more than our fair share of fun. Those of us left ashore sure aren’t left wanting for action, and if you’ve been following our blog, then you know for a fact there’s more than a plethora of activities to burn the day away and take home memories bursting with color and laughter. But sometimes, especially when the sun begins to beat down on your brow and the heat cranks up, or when it’s too cold at home, and you need a getaway during the winter, you can’t help but feel like visiting a tropical paradise. During the warm months, an afternoon swim meant not only escaping the oppressive heat but broadening your horizons, enriching your imagination, and finding a sense of awe in the nature of the deep ocean blue. During the winter months, taking a dive can mean the same, but you’re not staying at home freezing like a popsicle! Situated away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan titans of Japan is Okinawa, whose waters shimmer with magnificent coral reefs, teem with vibrant marine life, and offer insights into an enigmatic past.
Tropical paradise is calling! So, master your apprehension, throw on your scuba gear, bring curiosity and an appetite for adventure along for the ride, and jump into the crystal clear waters.
An underwater reef swarmed by a school of fish in Okinawa’s Karama Islands – Photo Credit: c_msmt
What Okinawa has to offer
Okinawa Prefecture, a collection of 160 islands, takes its place at the southernmost part of Japan. Its three most prominent archipelagos are the Okinawa Islands, the Miyako Islands, and the Yaeyama Islands, which constitute the Ryuku Islands.
With 200 of the Earth’s 800 coral species calling Okinawa’s reefs their home, including the largest community of rare blue coral, it makes this one of the most coral-abundant regions on the planet. Unmuddled by silt, the waters are remarkably brilliant with the sun’s rays piercing the surface and aiding in the construction of the reef. Usually being shallow a decent while away from the shore, and boasting excellent visibility which allows divers to see some forty to fifty meters down, it’s a jaw-dropping display. Because the Kuroshio current funnels water from the tropics, Okinawa is the only place in Japan where year-round wetsuit diving is feasible, with water temperatures normally staying between 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Green turtles, clown fish, red lionfish, broadclub cuttlefish, manta rays, hammerhead sharks—the list goes on and on! There’s a myriad of fascinating critters of all sizes–big and small—floating down in the briny of Okinawa. But you won’t be finding these fishy friends on land. Nope! You’re gonna have to go under.
Okinawa’s premier diving spots
The rock formation from which the dive site derives its name – Photo Credit: World Diving
Assuming you’re in for a week-long leg of deep-sea exploration, or are simply a novice wanting for some practice, Gorilla Chop is a great warm-up and way to prepare yourself for what’s to come. At a depth of 15 meters, located in the Northwestern part of Okinawa in Motobu, this dive site is incredibly beginner-friendly, with a beach being its entry point. All around you’ll be surrounded by soft and hard coral formations alike, and below a bed of sand. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled (and it won’t be hard since you’ll be able to see ahead at least 20 meters) for anemone fish, damselfish, nudibranchs, and schools of sardines. For those still wondering where the whole ‘Gorilla Chop’ thing comes from, well, the dive site owes its name to the peculiar rock formation near its shore, which resembles a Gorilla throwing some crazy karate moves!
Location: Gorilla Chop Parking Lot, Sakimotobu, Motobu, Kunigami District, Okinawa 905-0225
Website: https://gorilla-chop.com/
The azure hue of the eponymous Blue Cave’s waters surrounded by green coral – Photo Credit: 良太郎 空
Positively enchanting, the almost otherworldly lapis-lazuli illuminance of this semi-submerged cave has placed it squarely as a top-billed location in Okinawa’s pantheon of underwater attractions. Onna Village’s limestone caves in Cape Maeda are renowned for this arresting phenomenon of glistening blue water. That ethereal glow is the result of sunlight reflecting off the cave’s calcareous sand bed. The particular shade of blue is never stagnant and shifts according to the time of day, with dawn and noon regularly regarded as being the prettiest intervals to visit. Approximately 6 meters deep, blotcheye soldierfish, schools of sweepers, longfin batfish, and other rarities of the sea dwell in this 35 meters of explorable territory. If you’ve ever dreamed about being a mermaid, we’d say The Blue Cave is the darn next best thing—entering practically feels like transporting to another world!
Location: Blue Cave, 469-1 Maeda, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-0417
Website: https://blue-cave.okinawa/
A portion of the Yonaguni Monument referred to as the “Main Terrace” – Photo Credit: Melkov
Speaking of “other worlds” and all that, you’ve probably heard the legend of “The Lost City of Atlantis”, right? Well, what if I told you it exists and it’s in Okinawa? 50 meters long, 20 meters wide, and an impressive 25 meters tall, Yonaguni Monument is a megalithic pyramid-like rock structure off the southern coast, in the prefecture’s most remote and hard-to-reach island. It is purported to have been formed at the end of the ice age, and though this would make the formation over 10,000 years old, there is heated debate about whether the monument is natural or manmade. One aisle argues humans of this era would not have the tools necessary to build such a Goliathan, while their opponents cite osstensible steps, stone pillars, and plazas—indications of civilization. All this has bequeathed it the fitting sobriquet of “Japan’s Atlantis.” But what do you think? Could this truly be the submerged remnants of a once-thriving kingdom? You just might have to see for yourself, but be careful! Though it’s in shallow waters, the currents are known to be quite strong.
Location: Yonaguni Monument, Yonaguni, Yaeyama District, Okinawa
Contact: +81 980-87-2241
The sunken USS Emmons – Photo Credit: Piranha Divers
This memorial diving site, located in Northern Kourijima, is the resting place of the fallen USS Emmons, a United States ship that saw service during World War II. It began life as a Gleaves-class destroyer before being repurposed into a minesweeper in 1944 with the aim of expunging Okinawa’s coast of sea mines. On April 7th, 1945, it suffered a salvo of 5 kamikaze planes but nonetheless put up a relentless fight. The attack lasted two minutes and, despite their best defense, rendered the ship inoperable. Rather than allow vital information to fall into the enemy’s hands, the remaining crew decided to intentionally sink it, leaving it deteriorating to be rediscovered years later in 2001. At a depth of 40 meters and inclined to strong currents, this dive site, while a sure-fire challenge, is a must for history geeks.
Location: 〒905-0406 Okinawa, Kunigami District, Nakijin, Kouri, 島
Website: https://www.owd.jp/top/ussemmons/
A Pikachu-shaped hole in the tunnels of Manza Dream Hole that is being swarmed by a school of fish – Photo Credit: World Diving
One of, if not the most popular diving site in Okinawa, many consider Manza’s Dream Hole this tropical prefecture’s quintessential underwater experience. Befitting of its name, this hypnotic attraction is an encapsulation of wonder; the reef is flourishing and breathtakingly lush, with a robust cast of marine life—weeperfish, soldierfish, royal angelfish, lobsters, garden eels, nudibranchs, fan coral, and a handful of other colorful creatures that live here are the Dream Hole’s pulse. It begins at a depth of 5 meters, but as you descend further into its expansive vertical tunnel system, the chimney brings you down to a whopping 25 meters. It’s a narrow dive that demands of its swimmers the necessary buoyancy control to traverse it. We recommend that if you haven’t clocked in the necessary hours of practice (or if you are just feeling a bit daunted by those depths), you should check out the Mini Dream Hole, which only reaches 15 meters and is equally spectacular.
Location: Cape Manzamo, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-0411
Website: https://piranha-divers.jp/diving-spots/manza-dream-hole
Some things to keep in mind
All right, before you run off to book your flight to Okinawa, here are a couple of universal tips that might just keep you out of trouble.
- Know yourself. That is to say, know your limits and capabilities. For your own safety, avoid taking on dives that are above your current skill level. In addition to this, listen to your body. If you were out drinking the night before or are experiencing some form of sickness, you might want to take a break for the day.
- Try not to go on a flight the same day you’re planning a dive—decompression sickness, or more commonly “the bends”, is not fun.
- Nor is dehydration. At all costs: Stay hydrated. Stay hydrated. Stay hydrated.
- And in that same vein, generously apply sunscreen and protect yourself from UV rays (the midday sun in particular is a doozy) that can mean hats, parasols, or sunglasses. We’d recommend investing in a rash guard for swimming, too—just cause you’re in the water does not mean you’re invulnerable.
- We don’t want to scare you too badly, but it’s better to know than live in ignorance; there is venomous marine life down there. One to look out for is: box jellyfish, Portuguese man-of-wars, night anemone, cone snails, sea snakes, blue ringed octopi, stone fish, striped eel catfish, lionfish, black longspine urchins, and crown-of-thorns starfish. If you encounter any of these animals while in the area, be sure to swim the other way. However, if you are diligent in staying within designated swimming areas, the likelihood you’ll encounter these guys on your next dive isn’t that high.
A smiling porcupine puffer fish swimming amongst the reef – Photo Credit: Stefanie Akkerman
The sea is a mysterious kingdom with a humbling majesty. It is a chamber of silence that can derive, within all who enter it, a sort of meditative marveling. We’re left speechless at its shimmering beauty, unable to take our eyes off the vivid life that calls it home. Its true nature and depth continue to be elusive and unknowable to us, but it’s because of this inexhaustible potential for learning that we return to it. Learning about the past, about worlds older than our modern world, can bring us inner peace and a calm that sometimes is hard to find on dry land. A time spent in Okinawa’s seas? Why not dive right in?
Featured Photo Credit: Cindy Chan
