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There are tons of fun activities that you can do and cool places to explore while on this sunny island. Just to give you an idea, here is a list of some activities you can do to have a really awesome time. |
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Beach
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When in Miyako Island, the beach is one of the best places to go to cool down and have some fun. There are many beaches you can go to such as Maehama Beach, Nagama Beach, Yoshino Kaigan, Toguchi Beach, and Sunayama Beach.
When you step foot on some of the beaches, one of the first things you'll notice is how soft the sand is.
You can run your hands through it, run across it, or sleep on it. Some beaches may also be completely filled with pieces of corals instead. While that may be painful to run across,
you can also have some fun looking at the different sizes and shapes of those corals.
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*Some currents are very rapid.
Please be accompanied by an adult when you swim.
The sunlight is very strong, so do not forget to put on sun screen.
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Coral Reef
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Miyako Island is an island made of coral reefs and is surrounded by them. All together, there are 250 species of corals.
You can see some corals in the shallow water but there are also tours that take you on a glass boat to observe corals that live in more deeper parts of the ocean.
In the northern area of Ikema Island, there is a group of coral reefs called "Yabiji" (yah-bi-ji).
It is said that the size of the "Yabiji" makes up one-tenths of Miyako Island. "Yabiji" is called the illusional land because it can only be seen a couple of times a year in April.
Due to their colorful and vibrant appearance, they are also known as the flower garden of the ocean.
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*Corals are very delicate, please be careful when you
touch them.
Do not step on corals, they can be easily broken.
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| Diving
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Miyako Island is a popular diving spot in Japan due to its clean water and coral reefs. You can also enjoy all of the tropical sea creatures. There is a spot called "Touri Ike" on Shimoji Island (northwest of Miyako Island) that attracts many divers because of its unique structure. If you look from above, it looks like there are two separate ponds, but underwater, they are actually connected. This huge pond is also connected to the ocean so you can see creatures living in both salt water and freshwater. You can take a quick ferry ride to Shimoji Island to check it out. |
*The edge of Touri Ike is like a cliff and is quite high. The water is deep so, please be careful and try not to lean against the fence when you observe it.
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Fishing
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Both kids and adults can enjoy fishing. You can also have fun just by looking at those tropical fish because they are full of many bright colors.
The water of Miyako Island is very clear so you can see all
the fish swimming in the ocean from above. Have fun and catch lots of fish! |
| *Please do not throw away fishing lines and trash at fishing points to protect the environment and sea creatures. Take your own trash home. |
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Underground Dam
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There is a large scale underground dam that is very rare in the world. This unique dam uses the island's land form and soil to build on the natural well underground. Underground water had once wastefully flowed into the ocean, but since building a concrete wall, water has been preserved. It took workers fourteen years to build because this had been the world's first underground dam. Before this dam had been built, many suffered from severe droughts and water shortages because there were no rivers on the island.
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Photo courtesy by: Okinawa General Bureau of the Cabinet Office |
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| Pigging Out
Miyako noodle
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There are many fresh and tropical food on the island. You can go to open markets and buy fresh fruits like mango, dragon fruits, passion fruits, island bananas, and papayas.
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| For lunch, why not have some Miyako Noodle, the island's delicacy. The taste can only be found on Miyako Island. You can also eat many dishes with the island's fresh fish. You'll find that many restaurants carry healthy meals. |
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dragon fruit |
local fish |
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Nature Walk
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You can go to the Ohno Trail and take a nice walk through the thick trees and plants. This area has the most trees in Miyako
Island.
This is also a very popular bird watching spot and if you go there early in the morning, you can hear all kinds of birds and insects. |
You'll feel as if you are in the middle of a jungle.
*When you go to the Ohno Trail, please bring your own trash bag and do not leave your own trash behind. If you see any trash, please pick them up.
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