Beautiful beaches of Ishigaki

Not many people realise that Japan has such fantastic beaches on the sub-tropical islands of the Okinawa archipelago.

After neon skyscrapers and temple sightseeing on mainland Japan, you deserve a change of pace. Why not spend some time on relaxing on the beaches of sub-tropical Ishigaki Island? The island has temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius from April to November.

Ishigaki, the largest island in the Yaeyama group at the southern tip of the Okinawa archipelago, has many beautiful sandy beaches and some rockier ones dotted with coral pieces. 1km long Sukuji Beach is one of the nicest sandy beaches with clear, shallow water great for swimming. Yonehara Beach is the best spot for snorkelling, while Sunset Beach is in a scenic, sheltered cove. Most beaches have netted areas to protect swimmers from habu jellyfish that can be a nuisance from June to October.