After our first two days in Tokyo, we hopped on a plane to Okinawa, flying into the capital, Naha, but immediately taking a two-hour bus ride from the airport to Hotel Mahaina, in Motobu, in the north part of the island. The heat and humidity of Okinawa are another level compared to Tokyo, so our first stop was the hotel pool, which is large and incredibly warm, and gave us both a refreshing and relaxing way to end the day.
The next morning, we set off on foot, heading to a seaside path that stretches north through parkland toward the Churaumi Aquarium. Along the path we found a hidden beach, where we spotted small scrambling white crabs and even smaller meandering hermit crabs in the sand.
Further on, we explored a site with old, traditional Okinawa homes and buildings that conveniently had descriptions posted in English, as well as Japanese. We learned a lot about how the homes were designed, how different family members used them, and even the animals people raised as part of their lives on the island, including pigs that came to Okinawa from Europe and the US that are now a big part of Okinawa cuisine, and small horses they used for farming.
After a short break at a rest stop that offered air conditioning, bathrooms, and an animated video that told a story about the life and culture of old Okinawa, we walked further north, past the Churaumi Aquarium, to a restaurant for lunch and a short walk through these narrow walkways shaded by a canopy of leafy green trees. The walk was still hot and humid, but the paths were a super cute way to explore a different part of this side of the island.
Then, we walked back south to the Aquarium, which is a big attraction for visitors to Okinawa because of its massive Kuroshio Sea tank, which holds a huge whale shark, several manta rays, and other large and small fish that you can view through one of the world’s largest acrylic viewing panels, measuring 8.2 metres high, by 22.5 metres wide.
The rest of the Aquarium doesn’t take very long to visit, but the Kuroshio tank is where everyone, including us, spends the most time. We never tired of watching the whale shark and manta rays swim past the viewing panel, as if they were flying, gracefully, in slow motion.
After a walk back to the hotel, another luxurious swim in the pool, we were off to dinner just a few steps north at a pop-up food park, where we enjoyed delicious falafels at Arabian Nights, and crepes, at Bachikwai. Both were amazing and we’re so thankful to the owners who welcomed us with so many smiles, offered us such amazing home-made meals, and shared their hospitality so warmly.
The next day, we took another two-hour bus south to our second hotel stay, this time at the Moon Beach Museum Resort, where our days are filled with swimming and spotting tropical fish and sea cucumbers in the ocean, and spending time in the pool overlooking the beach.
The resort is huge, with beautiful breezes flowing through the hallways all the time, and gorgeous grounds filled with lush plants and comfy seating everywhere we look. We could seriously get used to this. And we will – at least for the next four days…
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