Soraniwa

Top choice in Okinawa & the Southwest Islands

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For a secluded and romantic experience, head to Soraniwa on the south coast. This small, stylish cafe-hotel is run by a young couple transplanted from the 'mainland'. The restaurant (open 11.30am to 6pm Friday to Tuesday; lunch ¥950 to ¥1400) uses local, organic ingredients, while the intimate, modern hotel features sumptuous beds, shelves made from repurposed wood and a rooftop Jacuzzi looking out to the sea.

The private 'side.B sora' condo offers 100 sq metres of refined luxury including an overflow pool off the balcony. Shhh…don't tell everyone, but it's quite reasonably priced. Check the website for details.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Sunayama Beach

    Sunayama Beach

    6.24 MILES

    Just 4km north of the Hirara district of Miyakojima city, you'll find this little, archetypally tropical Japan beach, which lies at the bottom of a large…

  • Yonaha-Maehama Beach

    Yonaha-Maehama Beach

    6.38 MILES

    On the southwest coast, beautiful Yonaha-Maehama is a 6km stretch of white sand that attracts a lot of families and young folk due to its shallow waters…

  • Nagamahama

    Nagamahama

    6.18 MILES

    If you've seen the crowds at Yonaha-Maehama and decided you want something quieter, head across the Kurima Bridge and drive to the northwest coast of…

  • Higashi Henna-zaki

    Higashi Henna-zaki

    18.11 MILES

    If you've got a car, we recommend a drive out to the southeastern tip of the island, a narrow finger of land that extends 2km into the Pacific Ocean…

  • Tōri-ike

    Tōri-ike

    3.99 MILES

    An intriguing site for a stroll or dive is this pair of seawater pools on the west coast of Shimoji-jima, known by locals as 'dragon's eyes' – these are…

  • Toguchi-no-hama

    Toguchi-no-hama

    1.12 MILES

    On Irabu-jima's west coast, this is the island's best swimming beach, with showers, toilets and the delightful Blue Turtle bar-restaurant.

  • Boraga Beach

    Boraga Beach

    15.71 MILES

    On the southeast end of the island, this is a popular spot for snorkelling and kayaking (with a hair-raisingly steep access road).

  • Yoshino-kaigan Beach

    Yoshino-kaigan Beach

    16.11 MILES

    On the north side of Miyako-jima's southeastern cape, this long, shallow beach has a park featuring showers and toilets.

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Nearby Okinawa & the Southwest Islands attractions

1. Toguchi-no-hama

1.12 MILES

On Irabu-jima's west coast, this is the island's best swimming beach, with showers, toilets and the delightful Blue Turtle bar-restaurant.

2. Nakanoshima Beach

3.24 MILES

The best snorkelling beach on Shimoji and Irabu, Nakanoshima Beach is protected by a high-walled bay on the west coast of Shimoji-jima. You'll greatly…

3. Tōri-ike

3.99 MILES

An intriguing site for a stroll or dive is this pair of seawater pools on the west coast of Shimoji-jima, known by locals as 'dragon's eyes' – these are…

4. Miyako-jinja

5.28 MILES

Hidden away in downtown Hirara, a district of Miyakojima city, Miyako-jinja is a recently reconstructed shrine that, over time, merged two disparate…

5. Nagamahama

6.18 MILES

If you've seen the crowds at Yonaha-Maehama and decided you want something quieter, head across the Kurima Bridge and drive to the northwest coast of…

6. Sunayama Beach

6.24 MILES

Just 4km north of the Hirara district of Miyakojima city, you'll find this little, archetypally tropical Japan beach, which lies at the bottom of a large…

7. Yonaha-Maehama Beach

6.38 MILES

On the southwest coast, beautiful Yonaha-Maehama is a 6km stretch of white sand that attracts a lot of families and young folk due to its shallow waters…

8. Ikema-jima

8.99 MILES

Head north to drive across Ikema-Ōhashi (池間大橋) to the little island of Ikema-jima. The shallow aquamarine water on either side of this 1.4km bridge is…