Okinawa offers beaches, Ryukyu castles, an Okinawan diet linked to long lives and snorkeling at the Kerama Islands. April to October is warm; typhoon season runs July to October.
Good to know
- Rent a car; public transport outside Naha is limited.
- Typhoons can cancel flights in late summer; keep schedules flexible.
- Try goya champuru, soki soba and Orion beer.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Ryukyu Kingdom's red palace, being rebuilt after the 2019 fire.
Naha's main street and a market with fresh fish and Okinawan snacks.
Wheat noodles in pork broth with stewed ribs.
Tour a traditional distillery making Okinawa's rice spirit.
One of the world's largest aquariums, with whale sharks and manta rays in a giant Kuroshio Sea tank.
Calm, family-friendly beach on the northwest coast.
Cliff shaped like an elephant's trunk with sweeping sea views.
Traditional houses, eisa dance and craft workshops.
Crystal-clear 'Kerama Blue' water and sea turtles, a day trip from Naha.
Retail and dining district with a Ferris wheel and sunsets.
Memorial and museum for the Battle of Okinawa.
Drive across a bridge to a beach island with turquoise water.