Yonaguni Island
Diving Yonaguni Island
The waters of Yonaguni are where you can get close to hammerhead sharks. Usually, during the winter season, between November and April, you will have the chance to swim alongside large groups of up to 100 sharks. In the warmer months, you can dive Yonaguni Island’s cavesat the Palace of Light and Double Arch dive locations.
The island currents are strong as there is no surrounding reef for protection, so most of the dive sites are only for advanced divers.
Probably the biggest draw for divers is a group of apparent megaliths lying on the seabed to the south of Yonaguni Island. The mysterious 100-meter-long stretch of a series of steps and stone pillars is a man-made relic of a lost civilization or a natural occurrence. Experienced divers should book a tour at one of the local dive shops.
Yonaguni
Yonaguni Island is a small island that can be easily seen and experienced by car. You can rent one for a day or two and watch incredible sunsets and horses.
Where to Stay
Hotels and guesthouses are plenty on the island. Accommodation is concentrated near the two ferry terminals: Sonai Port in the north and Kubura Port in the west. There are a couple of additional accommodation options at Hikawa Beach in the south.
How to get there?
Yonaguni Island can be reached by air or sea. Flights take 90 minutes from Naha Airport or 30 minutes from Ishigaki Airport. A ferry from Ishigaki Port takes about four hours, and the service operates on Tuesdays and Fridays. Both flights and ferries can be canceled at short notice due to bad weather, particularly during typhoon season. So be aware.
You can fly to Ishigaki City from Tokyo, Osaka, Naha, or Hong Kong, Taipei, and Fukuoka.