The feeling of speed is the best! Enjoy banana boats and jet skis on Mizuna Island!
Table of Contents
What is Mizuna Island like?
Mizuna Island was an important and sacred island for the Okinawan Shinto religion, called "Mennano Utaki" before it was inhabited in the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912).
Even today, there are still spots where the island is visited by worshippers.
It is an important island for Okinawa, but now it is a tourist destination visited by 60,000 people a year.
Mizuna Island is located in Motobu Town on Okinawa's main island.
The island is popular among tourists because of its relatively easy access to the Okinawa Expressway, which opened from Naha Airport as access to the Okinawa Marine Exposition held in Motobu-cho in 1975, and its proximity to the Churaumi Aquarium.
Directions from Naha Airport and Watakuchi Port
The travel time from Naha Airport to Mizuna Island is about 2 hours.
On the way, you will go overland to Watakuchi Port, and from there you will take a boat to Mizuna Island.
Watakuchi Port is located northeast of Naha, about 100 km away.
Most of the route is on the Okinawa Expressway, making it easy to drive.
By car, from Naha Airport, take National Route 331 south along the airport toward Itoman, and get on the Okinawa Expressway at the Tomigusuku/Nakachi Interchange.
Drive about 90 km, or 1.5 hours, and get off at the final stop, the Xudian IC.
After exiting the expressway, take Prefectural Route 71 north along the coast, and you will arrive at Watakuchi Port in about 30 minutes.
For those without a car, the most common way to get there is by local bus from Naha Airport.
The Yanbaru Express Bus runs in the direction of Watakuchi Port, but this bus cannot be reserved in advance.
This is not a bus for travelers, so line up at the Naha Airport bus stop #2 where the buses will come and take your turn.
The fare to Watakuchi Port is 1,900 yen.
The bus stop in front of the Headquarters Museum is the nearest bus stop after a two-hour ride.
Once you arrive at Watakuchi Port, take a regular boat to Mizuna Island.
The boat takes 15 minutes and runs eight times a day during the busy summer season, but there is no system for making reservations in advance, as this boat is not for tourists but for daily life.
You should allow plenty of time to board the buses in the order in which they arrive at the port.
Why choose Mizuna Island?
Mizuna Island is chosen as a popular spot for marine sports not only because of its beautiful ocean.
Marine sports that use motors for speed, such as banana boats and water bikes, especially require wide open waters with no obstacles.
Despite its proximity to the main island of Okinawa, Mizuna Island is a good area for marine sports.
Attractions of Mizuna Island
The charm of Mizuna Island is that, although it is only a 15-minute boat ride from the main island of Okinawa, the sea is even cleaner than on the main island of Okinawa.
The endlessly clear blue ocean and white sandy beaches offer a variety of marine sports that can only be enjoyed on Mizuna Island.
If you get tired of marine sports, it is fun to stroll around the island's villages.
Beaches with blue sea and white sand
Mizuna Island is home to Mizuna Beach, which has even cleaner blue waters and whiter sands than the main island of Okinawa.
It is safe to say that most visitors to Mizuna Island come to this beach.
However, on the other side of the island, there are several beaches with blue waters and white sands, although they are not frequented by tourists.
For a relaxing island time, beaches with fewer tourists are also recommended.
Enjoy marine activities!
You can enjoy popular marine activities such as diving and snorkeling, where you can explore underwater.
Other activities include canoe/kayak and SUP, which is a walk on the surface of the ocean, and parasailing, which is soaring through the air.
Speedy activities using motorboats and water bikes, as described in this article, are also attractive.
Beautiful cobblestone streets
On Mizuna Island, a white stone-paved road runs from the wharf of Mizuna Harbor to the center of the village.
This cobblestone pavement is filled with white and pink hammayu (a kind of lily of the valley) that greet travelers as they enter.
Even when you enter the village, the streets are decorated with colorful flowers here and there, making it a very pleasant place to live.
Enjoy marine sports that give you a sense of speed!
Since you are on a remote island in Okinawa, enjoy marine sports in the clean ocean.
Even if you have never experienced this sport before, you will surely enjoy it on Mizuna Island.
Attraction of Marine Sports
The charm of marine sports on Mizuna Island lies in the fact that you can enjoy them as much as you like in the wide, obstacle-free sea.
Exhilaration of running through the sea
Many of the marine sports on Mizuna Island use motors to generate speed, such as water bikes and boats.
The exhilaration of riding around on a water bike or boat in all directions across the wide expanse of ocean is something that is hard to experience in the seas of the mainland.
Enjoyable for both children and adults.
Even though the speed of the boat is high, the staff who operate the boat also devise various ways to make the marine sports experience enjoyable.
If there are many children or women, try running slowly, and if there are only men, try running wildly,
That exquisite degree of control is the charm of marine sports.
The thrill is irresistible.
The most exciting part of marine sports pulled by water bikes and motorboats is the speed and thrill.
As the banana boat, which has no place to hold on to other than its grip, moves forward at speed, the waves of the pulling boat rock it back and forth from side to side.
The sensation of desperately clinging on to the slippery banana boat so as not to somehow fall off is extremely thrilling.
Other people can say that the sensation of being pulled up to amazing heights in the blink of an eye by parasailing is something that cannot be experienced in everyday life.
Recommended Marine Sports
When you come to Mizuna Island, please try marine sports.
There are many types of marine sports, but here are three.
banana boat
This is an activity in which participants cling to an inflatable boat shaped like a banana, which has only a simple grip, and are pulled over the ocean by a boat or water bike.
Fun & Attraction
The staff who pull you in a boat or water bike will change the speed and route based on who is riding.
Banana boats are a satisfying activity for families with children, as they naturally run at a gentle speed if there are many children or women.
jet ski
The name Jet Ski is one of the brand names for water bikes.
The motor glides over the sea, providing a sense of speed and thrill.
Fun & Attraction
The sense of speed and exhilaration of a motorcycle is different when it is on the waters of Mizuna Island.
Above the crystal clear water, you even feel as if you are flying in the air.
Normally, a staff member will ride with you, so there is no need to worry, but life jackets are always worn for your safety.
parasailing
Parasailing is an activity in which you carry a parachute on your back and are pulled by a water bike or boat to a height of 40 to 90 meters at a stretch.
Fun & Attraction
Enjoy the scenery of Mizuna Island and Okinawa from a drone-like perspective.
You can view Mizuna Island, the coral reef sea, and the main island of Okinawa from the sky like a bird.
Even those who worry about being afraid of heights seem to have their fears flown away by the spectacular view from the sky.
Three recommended tours
There are a variety of marine sports that can be experienced on Mizuna Island, but we will introduce three representative ones.
Snorkeling at Mizuna Island! (No.604)
A very popular boat entry snorkeling plan where you can see colorful corals and fish!
Boat entry takes you directly to the point by boat, so you can enjoy a bit of a cruising sensation while snorkeling at your leisure.
Experience diving in Mizuna Island! (No.605)
With the support of your instructor, dive into a world of excitement!
Clear waters, beautiful corals, and vivid fish welcome you.
Boat entry allows you to dive directly to the dive site by boat, so you do not have to walk around with heavy equipment on your back.
Summer Only] Mizuna Island Swimming Free Plan (with parasol) (No.613)
Let's make your own original plan by combining your choice of different types of swimming at Mizuna Island!
Of course, you can apply for swimming only! We can make a plan according to your travel schedule.
summary
How were the marine sports on Mizuna Island?
We have featured marine sports that use power to move around in an exciting way, rather than sports that are enjoyed by nature or human power, such as diving, snorkeling, and canoeing/kayaking.
These are all sports that cannot be enjoyed without power like a motor.
The sports introduced in this article can only be enjoyed with a considerable amount of space, so we encourage you to try them when you come to Mizuna Island.
