Snorkeling and Diving in Okinawa
The Okinawa archipelago is known as one of the world's best diving destinations, having a number of coral species and marine lives as large as those in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. You can find over 400 types of corals, 5 types of sea turtles, manta rays, whale sharks, hammerhead sharks and many kinds of tropical fish. The main downside is that's quite expensive compared to, say, South-East Asia ? a whole day's diving off a boat (2-3 dives including insurance and lunch) costs between �12,000 and �17,000, depending on the season and island, plus an additional cost between �3,000 and �5,000 if you need gear rental. For a 3-day certification course you will need to pay between �30,000 and �60,000, depending on the season and number of participants. Fortunately, a lot of the diving on Okinawa can be done from the shore (no boat needed), in which case you can get full gear rental and tanks for around �5,000, or if you just need tanks (and can guide yourself) then it will only be around �500 per tank. To top it off many shops do not accept credit cards, so you will need to carry a thick wad of yen to pay for it all. The language barrier can also be an issue, with most shops only set up to cater to Japanese-speaking tourists, although Piranha Divers Okinawa in Onna Village, Reef Encounters in Chatan or Bluefield in Kadena on Okinawa Island, and Umicōza on Ishigaki are welcome exceptions.
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Diving glossary
Most Japanese diving terminology is imported straight from English (finzu, masuku, regyurētā, etc), but the following terms are not:
- 潜る moguru ? to dive; note that dives are counted with –本 (hon)
- 器材 kizai ? equipment
- 水中 suichū ? underwater
- 水深 suishin ? depth
- 浅い/深い asai/fukai ? shallow/deep
- 流れ nagare ? current
- 安全停止 anzen teishi ? safety stop
- 潜航 senkō ? descent
- 浮上 fujō ? ascent
- 珊瑚 sango ? coral
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If all this does not put you off, there is some world-class diving to look forward to: particular highlights include the gorgeous reefs surrounding the Kerama Islands, the manta rays of Miyako and Ishigaki and the hammerhead sharks and underwater ruins of Yonaguni. The waters are generally divable all year, although water temperature fluctuates between 22�C in the winter to around 29�C in summer. Also, beware of the typhoons during June-November and the north wind that may frequently close diving sites in the north shores of many of the islands during November and December. Many people dive in boardshorts and rashguards half the year. Most Japanese divers wear a 5mm full-body wetsuit, and dive shops usually provide aluminum tanks with American-style fittings.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Okinawa
