Yaeyama Islands

Sunset Beach

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…

Kabira Bay

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…

Ida-no-hama

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…

Hoshisuna-no-hama

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…

Pinaisāra-no-taki

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…

Ishigaki City Yaeyama Museum

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…

Takanazaki

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…