Okinawa Main Island
Okinawa's largest island, from famous capes to quiet farm coasts
Updated: 2026-08-27
Who this island is for
Best for
- first visit to Okinawa
- road trips
- beaches
- photography
Not ideal for
- travelers who want a tiny quiet island
Why visit
Cape Manzamo
The elephant-trunk cliff in Onna is one of the island's best-known viewpoints, overlooking the East China Sea.
Kafu Banta
High cliffs on Miyagi Island, reached by the Kaichu Dōro causeway drive, overlook a coral lagoon in layers of turquoise.
Kouri Bridge
The bridge crossing to Kouri Island runs over shallow turquoise water and is one of the island's signature drives.
Ginoza coast
On the northeast coast, Ginoza has seaside pastures where bales of cut grass line up against the ocean, a side of Okinawa most itineraries skip.
What it feels like
Okinawa Main Island is the gateway to the archipelago: resort beaches on the west coast, dramatic cliffs like Cape Manzamo, and quiet farming shores around Ginoza in the northeast that most visitors drive past.
How to get there
Fly into Naha Airport (OKA); it's about two hours by car via the Okinawa Expressway to reach the Churaumi Aquarium area in the north.
Last checked: 2026-08-26
Where to stay
Stays range from city hotels in Naha to beach resorts along the west coast.
Last checked: 2026-08-20
Practical notes
Distances are larger than they look: from Naha, it's about two hours by car via the expressway to the Motobu / Churaumi area.
Last checked: 2026-08-26
Photo gallery
Trip guides
A free, downloadable Overall Guide to Okinawa Main Island — with deeper regional guides to follow as the project grows.
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Deeper guides for this island
A longer guide to Okinawa Main Island, covering more detail than fits on this page, is planned as a separate purchase. It is not available yet.