A guide to scuba diving in Okinawa.

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People travel to Japan for a myriad of reasons that usually include seeing crazy Tokyo, tragic and beautiful Hiroshima, charming Kyoto, and Mount Fuji, as well as bathing in onsen, drinking matcha, and, of course, eating all the food. 

Scuba divers may look a bit further south, because diving in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost prefecture, is another excellent reason to plan a Japan holiday. 

The Ins & Outs of Diving in Okinawa

What makes diving in Okinawa so special?

I have long dreamed about diving in Okinawa, and when I moved to Bangkok, I decided to make it a reality. Okinawa is known for its tropical warm waters and is home to both beautiful coral reefs and some exciting big staff – namely hammerheads and mantas. 

Excellent visibility adds to the appeal, and unlike other dive destinations in Japan, Okinawa is also pretty well-equipped for non-Japanese divers these days.  

Best time for diving in Okinawa

You can technically go diving in Okinawa all year long. Each season has some pros and cons. If you like I get cold easily, you may want to avoid the winter months as the weather drops to 20 to 23 °C in the water, and an average of 18 °C on land. Plus, you may have to battle some colder winds, not ideal if you are on a dive boat. 

That said, hammerhead season lasts from January to March, so if those are on your bucket list, it might be worth putting on a 5 mm with a hood and head to Yonaguni Island.

In the summer months, the temperatures climb to 25 to 29 °C in the water, and it is hot and humid. However, you will need to be flexible with your plans because July is the start of typhoon season. 

Still, summer is high season in Okinawa, and even if there are no typhoons (I got lucky during my recent trip in July), it will may rain frequently. You will also need to make sure to book further in advance, as everything books out quickly. 

A great middle ground for fewer crowds, lower prices, and nice spring weather is mid-April, May, and June. 

Okinawa Dive Sites you shouldn’t miss

There are plenty of islands in Okinawa, so there are plenty of dive sites. Coming from Okinawa island, favored dive trips will take you to the Kerama Islands, Manza and Minna Island & Sesoko Island. These are usually organized as day trips with 2 to 3 dives, either from a big boat or a small boat. 

Manza

Manza is probably the most convenient option if you don’t like spending a lot of time on the boat, as you set up on shore and then take a quick ride to one of many dive sites. Apparently, it is known as the macro paradise, but I dare say, a true macro lover (aka yours truly) might be a tad disappointed. 

That said, we did find a frog fish, Shaun the Sheep, and even a pipe fish at Cross Lines. This dive site shows the remains of a whale shark trap that luckily never worked. Today it looks a bit bleak, but then again, there is some cool small stuff to find and big turtles like the leftover ropes to hang out. 

Dream Hole is another contender if you want to look for frog fish. Even if you don’t find it, you will have fun going down a narrow hole that descends from 5 to 25 m. 

Kerama Islands

The Kerama Islands are approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Naha and are considered the poster child of Okinawa diving. 

You will usually take a day boat to head out for 3 dives – there are a multitude of dive sites around the islands. While you can go deep, there is plenty to see, and the Kerama Islands are also great for Open Water divers. 

The corals here are stunning, especially if you catch a day with good visibility. Healthy table corals and staghorns, some fun caverns, bolders and swim-throughs, and plenty of marine life. We saw big shoals of small reef fish, octopus, and a lot of banded sea kraits. 

Boats are usually shared between a few dive centers. You will do a simple giant stride from the back of the boat. An unusual thing about diving in Okinawa – after your safety stop, your dive guide will get divers up and back on the boat one by one. I am not sure why it is done that way, and for safety reasons, I don’t like it, but that is how most operators do it. 

Other Okinawa dive sites

If you like I, love cenote diving, you can dive in a cavern in Cape Hedo or the Blue Cave. You can also do wreck dives at the USS Emmons. 

From Okinawa, there are also special excursions heading to other islands in the archipelago. These will depend highly on the season, and are usually scheduled as a multi-day dive trip with a domestic flight or ferry. 

Highlights include Yonaguni Island, where you can dive with huge schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, Aguni Island for Bigeye Trevally torpedos, and of course, Ishigaki Island, known for its manta cleaning station. 

Dive centers in Okinawa

As I mentioned before, quite a few islands belong to Okinawa; however, I just stayed on Okinawa, the main island. This is also home to the international airport in Naha, the island captial. There are plenty of dive centers in Okinawa that will also take you to the other islands, though islands like Ishigaki have their own dive centers as well. 

For foreigners, finding a reputable dive center can be challenging, as the language barrier is often significant. Thus, I went with Aloha Divers in Chatan, run by a Brazilian and with a pretty international team. 

Still, diving in Okinawa was a bit different from what I am used to. 

First of all, you need to book quite far in advance. Obviously, conditions pending most dive centers have a weekly schedule. So if you have dive sites in mind that are must-dives, you will need to make sure you catch one of the days they will go there and plan your trip around it. 

I booked about two months in advance, which was barely sufficient in summer as this is high season in Okinawa. The other problem – high season also means typhoon season, so while you need to book in advance, you’ll need to stay a bit flexible. 

Depending on how far the dive sites are, 3 dives with Aloha will cost about 20.000 yen (about $136), which is very reasonable. That said, prices don’t include equipment, lunch, or water. Generally, tanks in Okinawa are small 10-liter steel tanks, and you will need to pay extra to get a bigger one, which is not guaranteed (as I realized to my dismay). 

If you are staying in Chatan or Kadena, you will be picked up in the morning and driven to the harbor with your dive guide and buddies. You will usually stop at a kombini so you can stock up on food and drinks for the day. 

Another big difference I realized when diving in Okinawa: most dive centers don’t have their own boat but rent boat space from a captain. Depending on your dive site, you will either do a small shore setup at the pier (like in Manza) and go out with a speedboat for each dive, or take a bigger boat for the day (like Kerama). 

Make sure to check your equipment and take a little save-the-dive-kit; don’t rely on your dive center to take care of these essentials. 

How to get to Okinawa, Japan

Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture in Japan, close to China and Taiwan. If you are coming from other Asian countries, chances are you will find a direct flight to Naha in Okinawa. I, for example, could fly straight from Bangkok with AirAsia and then fly Peach, a Japanese airline, to Tokyo.

If you are coming from Europe or the US, you will have at least one layover in Tokyo. Coming from Japan, you can fly directly from many cities, like Osaka or Sapporo, too. 

Make sure to inquire before whether you need a visa for Japan, and get your ETA here. You can fill it out once you arrive, but it will save you some time. Make sure to take no food products, as Okinawa is extra strict regarding imports. 

Tips for your Okinawa holiday

One thing you will definitely want to have is either a local SIM card or an eSIM for Japan. If you prefer a physical card, you can buy different ones at Big Camera at the airport once you arrive. 

Get an eSIM from Airalo and get 15% off your first purchase

The next useful item for Okinawa is an OKICA, Okinawa’s IC card, for payments and transport. Go to the ground floor at the airport and find the office in the picture below, where you can get it. A useful feature: you can return the card afterward and will get your money back for any unused amount (minus a small deposit). 

Japan is still a very cash-based society so I recommend drawing some money from an ATM at the airport, as they can be bit hard to come by throughout the island. 

How to get from the airport and around in Okinawa will depend on where you need to go. In Naha, you can use the Yuirail, and there are also plenty of buses. That said, the schedule is not the most reliable, and the network isn’t too extensive, but it works. 

The easiest way is probably a rental car or, my preferred method of transport, Uber. Compared to other cities in Japan, Uber is really cheap in Okinawa. There is also the app Go; however, I realized that they charge an extra 200 yen for international transactions, which makes it more expensive for short trips. 

Where to stay in Okinawa

When choosing a hotel, you will want to consider distances and how to get around because Okinawa is pretty big and as mentioned above, the public transport is not the best. Some dive centers, like Aloha, will offer a transfer if you are staying close by. 

I decided to stay both in Chatan and Naha for a couple of days and try a few different hotel options. Regardless of your budget, be prepared for higher prices and again book far in advance when coming during the summer months. 

AIEN – I spent my first night at AIEN, a lovely hostel in Chatan with a good bar and restaurant. The staff and overall vibe were really nice, and it was a rather inexpensive option all things considered. 

That said, while the beds in the dorms were quite big and comfy, getting into the top bunk was a mission, and there were literally no lockers or storage space. I only stayed my first night. A wise decision, as I would have liked some space after diving to dry stuff and rearrane my suitcase. Book a dorm bed at AIEN

The Moana – The Moana Hotel in Chatan is a local favorite and very affordable. The rooms are very big for Japanese standards, and mine even had a washer/dryer, something I really appreciated after my dive trip in Okinawa. The location is also nice, right by the ocean, and there is a bus stop with buses to Naha within walking distance. Book a room at The Moana

OMO5 – If you wanted to stay in Naha for a couple of days, I can recommend OMO5, part of the Hoshinoya Group. Luckily, it comes without the hefty price tag while rooms are well-appointed, modern, and comfortable. They also have a great co-working space and a cafe in the lobby, and offer some cool tours and activities for their guests. Book a room at OMO5

What else is there to do in Okinawa? 

Please, please skip the Okinawa aquarium. If you want to see a whale shark, just come to the Maldives or Koh Tao! 

Unfortunately, most island tours and city trips include a visit, but you can simply book a trip with the Okinawa hip-hop bus and decide yourself what you want to see. You can also book snorkeling or island trips to smaller islands around Okinawa and visit the very cool teamLab Future Park Okinawa (especially if you are traveling with kids, this is the spot to be).

• Book: Snorkeling trip to the Kerama Island
• Book: teamLab Future Park Okinawa
• Book: Okinawa Hip-hop Bus

Like most places in Japan, Okinawa is also a pretty great spot to eat. In fact, the diet in Okinawa is unique. You can find some of the best Okinawan dishes and restaurant recommendations in this post.