Kerama Island for non-swimmers?

Hello

This might sound like a silly question, but I'm going with friends to Kerama Island out of Naha, and was wondering what else to do there if I'm not going to snorkel/swim... Biking around and seeing the beaches sounds fine for me, but might there be anything else, like bus tours or other places to see here? how about special food found here?

Thanks...

visit "Geruma Island[Œc—ÇŠÔ“‡]"?
or "Kerama Island(s)[Œc—ÇŠÔ�”“‡]"?
Tokashiki island[“n‰Ã•~“‡] biggest closest Naha[“ß”e](main land).
"Geruma Island[Œc—ÇŠÔ“‡]" between "Aka[ˆ¢‰Ã“‡]" and "Fukaji[ŠO’n“‡]" small one.
other one "�ÀŠÔ–¡:Zamami".
http://www.okinawainfo.net/kerama/


When?

in Winter "Whale watching" famous.
http://www.churashima.net/shima/kerama/kujira2008/index.html


food?

small islands so mainland Naha better.
mainly "Seafood".


play?

rent a cycle[Ž©“]ŽÔ],bike[ƒoƒCƒN/Œ´•t(50�`125cc)],mini-car[ƒoƒM�[(Buggy)/ATV(50cc)]
http://www.miyahira.jp/kaniku/rental.html
http://www.kunisawa.net/kuni/product/D2007/206.JPG
bike and ATV need "drivers license".
also bike need a "Helmet".(cannot no helmet by Road Traffic Law)


more info will get a lot in main land easy.

gerard,

I guess you will visit Kerama islands, probably Tokashiki or Zamami.

If you are not able to swim, I think you can enjoy snorkeling with a life-jacket or a float, in the shallow pool inside of the coral reef. When I went to the mainland Okinawa, many people were on the beach, some were snorkeling on the shallow water and many were just looking the beach.

Take care of sunburn: you should wear a worn-out long-sleeve shirt. You can enter the water wearing your clothes. Most locals do that.

I hear Kerama is very beautiful. Enjoy your trip!

I've been to Tokashiki twice. The first time was in winter, so we didn't go snorkeling or diving. It was too early for whale watching. So we walked across Aharen Beach to the far end, walked up to the observatory at the end of Aharen Beach, explored a beach on the west side of the island, ate lunch at a cafe near the entrance of Aharen Beach (which by the way, had excellent tonkatsu (pork cutlets) and draft Orion on tap that you poured yourself), then took a cruise around Aharen Bay in the Yellow Submarine (a glass-bottomed boat). This took up most of the day.

Take the high-speed ferry as this will give you more time on the island. That is, if you are going to Tokashiki. I haven't been to any of the other islands.

Here's some more info on Tokashiki:

http://www.vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp/en/lets_go/ett.htm

This the high-speed ferry (Marine Liner Tokashiki) that you want to take:

http://www.vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp/en/ship_inf/set.htm

and the schedule and fares:

http://www.vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp/en/ship_inf/set.htm

and maps of the port in Naha:

http://www.vill.tokashiki.okinawa.jp/en/ship_inf/set.htm

Here's another link with stuff to do on Tokashiki:

http://ww3.okinawajet.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id...

A pamphlet on Zamami:

http://www.opencoastravel.com/pdf/OCT_Zamami_Trip.pdf

...and a link:

http://www.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp/village.aspx?RL=R&LK=134

How to get to Zamami:

http://www.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp/village.aspx?RL=R&LK=101

and schedules/fares:

http://www.zamamienglishguide.com/ferries.html

Thanks everyone for very informative replies!

The links have been useful for our planning. Looking forward to our trip :)

Last question: most of the ship routes travel to/from Naha. From Any of the islands in Kerama, what is most convenient way to get to another island? For example, Tokashiki toZamami? Is it possible?

Thank you again!

I was unable to find a regularly scheduled service (in English). However, I did find a 2007 article saying that there was supposed to be an inter-island ferry service starting soon. Another option is going to a dive center and chartering a boat to the other islands (probably around 7,000 yen or so).

I'll see if I can find anything in Japanese, shortly.

Sorry, no luck. As you can see from this website, (Keramas are at the bottom “n‰Ã•~“‡ and Œc—¯ŠÔ“‡) the only scheduled ferries originate in Naha.

http://www.tabinchu.net/acce/ferry/