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Local Staff's Selection! 10 recommended optional tours in Miyako Island!
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10 Optional Tours in Miyako Island
Miyako Island is a beautiful natural setting where you can experience a variety of optional tours.
You will surely be enchanted by the art woven by nature.
Let us introduce you to some of the many activities you can enjoy on Miyako Island.
Optional Tour ① Snorkeling Tour
The pride of Miyako Island, a tropical paradise, is its ocean!
And snorkeling is the most direct way to experience the beauty of the sea!
Miyako Island has one of the largest coral reefs in Japan, and its beautiful marine blue waters are home to a wide variety of creatures.
We invite you to dive into the sea of Miyakojima and experience the tropical coral reefs firsthand.
Optional Tour②SUP Tour
Have you heard of SUP?
Stand Up Paddleboard is an abbreviation for Stand Up Paddleboard, a new type of activity in which participants row a boat while standing up to get in touch with nature.
Unlike conventional activities where you sit and paddle, the scenery you see is fresh and you can appreciate the charm of Miyako Island more deeply.
Of course, you can fully enjoy the scenery, but SUP is recommended as a new sport that is different from both rowing boats and surfing.
SUP is the perfect way to enjoy the natural beauty of Miyako Island.
Why don't you experience the beauty of nature and comfortable fatigue together with SUP?
Optional Tour ③ Canoe/Kayak Tour
Canoes and kayaks are indispensable for enjoying the rich nature of Miyako Island.
Visitors can witness Miyako Island's unique and stunning ecosystem as they explore the clear blue waters of the tropical sea in a rowboat.
The nature on Miyako Island has a completely different atmosphere during the day and at night, allowing visitors to enjoy it even during a long stay.
Furthermore, canoeing and kayaking are not limited to the ocean.
Miyako Island has large mangroves.
In this special environment, where ocean and river waters mix, a unique ecosystem can be seen that cannot be found anywhere else.
Getting into a canoe or kayak and exploring the area will give you a valuable experience that can only be had on Miyako Island.
Optional Tour 4: Pumpkin Cave Exploration Tour
Although not widely known, there are natural limestone caves on Miyako Island.
Among them, "Pumpkin Cave" is one of the most unusual and popular.
As long as you stay on Miyako Island, you cannot leave without seeing this natural art.
As the name suggests, the Pumpkin Cave has a number of stalactites that look like pumpkins.
Surprisingly, this is a natural formation and not the result of human intervention.
The stalactites are formed in splendid phases and are a sight to behold.
Furthermore, the entrance to its limestone caves is in the sea, making it very difficult just to enter.
Because of the beauty of its enclosed space, the Pumpkin Cave is considered by locals to be a sacred place where God dwells.
Therefore, when visiting this cave, visitors should always work with a local guide and take extra care not to damage the stalactites.
Optional Tour⑤Diving Tour
It goes without saying that the sea of Miyakojima is one of the most beautiful in Japan.
Snorkeling may not be enough to fully appreciate the beauty of the vast natural coral reefs and cobalt blue waters and the diverse life that lives there.
Of course, you can enjoy snorkeling alone, but what you will see there is only a part of the marine ecosystem of Miyako Island.
To know the deeper places of the ocean, one must literally dive deep into the ocean.
It is not too much to say that you can enjoy the sea of Miyako Island to the fullest only after you have experienced diving.
The coral reefs are crowded with colorful fish, the result of the warm climate, and are well worth a visit!
If you are lucky, you may even be able to swim with sea turtles.
In addition, over a long period of time, the tidal currents have formed a complex topography on the ocean floor of Miyako Island that can be called an undersea cave.
After swimming through the dark cave, light shines through the surface of the sea, creating a fantastic sight of a blue curtain spreading out.
Everyone will lose track of time at this spectacle, but don't forget about the remaining oxygen cylinders.
Optional Tour ⑥Starry Sky & Jungle Night Tour
Miyako Island belongs to the subtropical maritime climate as a climatic classification.
As a result, there are extensive areas of native mangroves not found in other areas, and visitors can enjoy walking through the mangrove forests while the sun is still up.
The intricate tangled roots of the trees are a sight to behold, but the mangroves become even more fascinating at night.
This is because various organisms that were hidden and did not come out during the day become active at night.
These creatures are especially fascinating during a walk through the mangroves.
You will see rare lizards, crabs, kinbats, and many other creatures that you cannot find anywhere else.
Of particular note is the giant coconut crab.
You can't help but be amazed at the sight of them, raising their large shears in the dark, illuminated by flashlights.
Now, these creatures are not the only attractions of the mangroves at night.
Looking up, there is a star-filled sky peeking through the trees.
Whether looking up or down, mangroves at night are always a treat for travelers.
Optional Tour⑦Sunrise SUP/Canoe Tour
Now, here are the previously mentioned SUPs and canoes by time of day.
First is sunrise.
Rowing a boat in the fresh and quiet air while watching the morning sun shine on the horizon is a very special experience, especially in Miyako Island where you can experience the extraordinary.
For this experience, which can only be had during sunrise hours, it can be said that waking up early on a trip is not a hardship.
Optional Tour 8: Sunset SUP/Canoe Tour
The next item on our list is a boat ride to enjoy the sunset.
This is truly romantic to imagine!
Whether you are a family or a couple of lovers, you will definitely create good memories first of all.
And if the weather is fine, you can even row a boat while watching a beautiful sunset.
The sea looks completely different from the daytime, and you may even stop rowing your boat to take in the scenery.
Optional Tour ⑨Night Canoe Tour
Many people may wonder if they will be able to see anything when they go out on the water at night by boat.
However, in night canoeing, you can use a light to illuminate your way, or on a bright moonlit day, your eyes will gradually become accustomed to the light and you will be able to see the area without it.
Night canoeing in the quiet of the night is the perfect activity for those who want to immerse themselves in a fantasy.
Optional Tour 10: Fishing Tour
Miyako Island is also an attractive tourist destination for those who love fishing.
A wide variety of targets can be expected throughout the year, and among them, super-sized horse mackerels called giant jacks and kobushi-me (cuttlefish), known as a luxury food, can sometimes be caught.
The large number of fish that can be caught makes it possible for those with a deep knowledge of fishing to enjoy fishing with other anglers, and for those who do not have a deep knowledge of fishing to enjoy fishing with family and friends.
summary
Miyako Island, located at the southern tip of Japan, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, offering not only snorkeling and SUP, but also cave exploration and fishing.
The many fascinating sights produced by the unique tropical climate have captured people's hearts and minds.
To forget the hustle and bustle of daily life, a little luxury as a family service, or as a reward to yourself for a solo trip.
Miyako Island awaits you, a paradise that anyone can enjoy to the fullest.
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