Yaeyama Islands
At the north end of the island, on the west coast, you will find this long strip of sand with a bit of offshore reef. As the name implies, this is one of…
©shikema/Shutterstock
Yaeyama Islands
At the far southwestern end of the Southwest Islands are the gorgeous Yaeyama Islands (八重山諸島; Yaeyama-shotō), which include the main islands of Ishigaki-jima and Iriomote-jima as well as a spread of 17 isles. Located near the Tropic of Cancer, they are renowned for their lovely beaches, superb diving and lush landscapes.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
-
Yaeyama Islands
Kabira-wan is a sheltered bay with white-sand shores and a couple of interesting clumplike islets offshore. Swimming is not allowed in the bay, as pearls…
-
Yaeyama Islands
From Shirahama, at the western end of the north coast road, there are four daily boats (¥500) to the isolated settlement of Funauki. Once there, it's a…
Yaeyama Islands
If you're looking to do a bit of snorkelling, head to this beach on the northwestern tip of the island. The beach is named after its star sand, which…
-
Yaeyama Islands
At the back of a mangrove-lined bay called Funaura-wan, a few kilometres east of Uehara, you can make out the lovely Pinaisāra-no-taki, Okinawa’s highest…
-
Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center
Yaeyama Islands
If you are at all intrigued by the yamaneko (Iriomote's endemic wildcat), whose critically endangered population hovers around 100, it's worth stopping by…
-
Yaeyama Islands
This modest museum has exhibits on the culture and history of the island, which are quite well presented with English explanations. Notable among the more…
-
Yaeyama Islands
At the southeast corner of the island is this impressive 1km-long cliff of Ryūkyū limestone, pounded by the Pacific Ocean. There's a small observatory…
Plan with a local
Articles
Latest stories from Yaeyama Islands
Filter by interest:
