Summer has officially ended and autumn is slowly rolling in as it gets cooler each day here in Osaka. However, I was not going to let my remaining summer go to waste especially when the weather has been really nice recently. Summer in Japan is practically unbearable, and this is coming from someone who grew up in a tropical country. So when I had a lot of time on my hands and the weather had gotten cooler, I had this spur-of-the-moment idea to squeeze in a final summer retreat. It was such a spur of the moment that actually I booked my tickets and hotel 48 hours before the trip. I have done way worse, all thanks to travel junkie in me. Hence, I brainstormed about where would be a fitting place to cap off summer, and I thought, where else would epitomise summer here in Japan other than Okinawa. So Okinawa it was! I was so stoked, especially because I have never been there and I was ticking another one off my Japan travel bucket list.
Okinawa, Japan
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and generally enjoys a sub-tropical climate all year round. However, during August leading up to November, Okinawa experiences the brunt of most typhoons that land in Japan. So, going to Okinawa in September was not the most ideal, but since the five-day typhoon forecast was all clear, I took the chance and it paid off. The weather was comfortably warm and mostly sunny for those days at the beach. Okinawa is a two-hour flight from Osaka to Naha Airport. From the airport, you can take an airport limousine bus that stops on the doorstep on a myriad of hotels and tourist attractions in Okinawa. You just have to pick the right route that goes to your desired stop. You can check the routes and fares here.
I chose to stay in Chatan, about an hour away from the airport. It is one of the closest areas to the airport with access to beautiful beaches. Other popular beach or resort areas are Onna or Nago further up north, which are about two hours away from the airport. Also, taxis are generally cheaper in Okinawa compared to mainland Japan. It costs approximately 4,000 Yen from Naha Airport to my hotel in Chatan per way. However, it is definitely more convenient to rent a car instead to travel around Okinawa as public transport is not as developed and reliable. If you are not planning to drive, then you definitely need to pick the right area.
One of the reasons I chose Chatan was because of the close proximity to American Village, a sprawling complex of a variety of American-centric restaurants like steakhouses, Mexican restaurants, pizzerias and a multitude of other bars, dessert shops and cafes. On top of that, it is near to a couple of beaches for your morning strolls or afternoon dips. There are lifeguards on watch and protective nets cordoning off swimming areas to keep out jellyfish, but the beach is off-limits after 5.30pm. However, I am not sure how heavily enforced this 'operating hours' rule is, so do what you will with this information. Also, the beaches are equipped with shower rooms and restrooms so you can easily travel to any beach and not worry about not having a place to change out before heading to the restaurants. Nevertheless, all the facilities that I would ever need and more are a mere stone’s throw away from my hotel, so I did not use any transportation at all. For the two nights I was there, I stayed at the Beach Tower Okinawa which was by the beach and there was an Aeon shopping mall right next to the hotel. It is also a five-minute walk to American Village. The airport bus also stops at the hotel, so location-wise, it is an ideal location to be at. The room was clean and adequate, though it did show some signs of aging, but nothing ghastly. The hotel's facade is reminiscent of Miami's art-deco architecture though. Overall, would recommend for a quick trip to Okinawa.
Lazy Afternoons
The main (and probably the only) agenda of this trip was to spend every day at the beach. For the first day, I checked out Araha Park, a park with a beach further away from my hotel, about 10 minutes on foot. You walk through a seaside promenade with many vantage points to enjoy the view. Araha Beach is a long stretch of white sandy beach where you can enjoy a slew of activities like beach volleyball or take part in some marine sports. There is also a play area for kids with a life-size pirate ship as well as designated BBQ areas you can rent. Also, you could see loads of people constantly strolling down the pavements or going for a run. The best part of it, the beach is an excellent spot to enjoy the sunset. Literally, there is something for everyone of all ages and interests.
As for me, what I was only interested in was to just chill with some drinks and snacks, a good book in hand and watch the sunset. I took a stroll up and down the park before finally settling down on some concrete steps to watch the sun dip below the horizon and people-watch. It felt so liberating and all the worries just seemed to melt away.
The next day, I woke up watching the sunrise from my balcony on the twenty-second floor. The sky was all pink and purple, birds chirping in the distance and the ocean was so calm. Serenity filled the air. It had been a while since I ever felt anything like that. It is something you can not really ever get living in the city, no matter how quiet it gets. Something about the silence and the vastness that ironically took my breath away, which made me appreciate being in that moment even more. After getting ready and headed down for breakfast, I made my way to Chatan Park Sunset Beach, the small beach steps away from the hotel.
There are picnic tables along a seawall, by the water, where I decided to just enjoy the ocean breeze and have a good read. The sun was shining and the sound of the waves were ever so soothing - the day could not have been more perfect and tranquil. Although, as the day progressed, it did get hotter and I moved to a sheltered gazebo and continued reading. Around noon, I went back to my room, had lunch and took a nap. Also, the tide goes out around noon, so you can not exactly go swimming, but people do go around looking at rock pools at low tide. I headed back to the beach at around 4 when it was high tide again.
This time, I went for a swim and it felt so good to be in the water. It has been so long since I ever went swimming in the ocean. Besides that, it was the same routine of snacking, reading and laying down in the sand, just to wait for the sunset. Like its name, the beach was an awesome vantage point to view the sunset. As the beach was "closed" by 5.30, I planted myself at the picnic tables that lined the beach and admired the sunset one last time before having to leave the following day. The beach totally lived up to its name as it was probably one of the best sunsets I have ever seen.
For my last evening there, I popped by American Village one last time and was especially craving for something sweet. So I got myself ice-cream, an artisanal bubble tea and got cake too. If I had more time, and company, would definitely check out the other cafes and restaurants in that area. It definitely looked like a happening spot to hang out in the evenings.
Goodbye, Okinawa
The next morning, I woke up super early, got ready and packed my bags, and headed down for breakfast. Before my taxi arrives to take me to the airport, I went out for one last stroll around Chatan Park. I definitely would miss that place and the much-needed relaxation it afforded me on that trip, despite being a short trip. Absolutely would love to head back there again in the future. Being a smaller beach, it just meant that there were never a crowd and especially during this pandemic, it allows for people to practice social distancing while still enjoying the beach.
Then, it was time to hop into the taxi and it was a forty-minute ride to the airport. One things for sure, Okinawa has not seen the last of me :)
Do check out my vlog about my trip to Okinawa. P.s. the video was my literal vibe for the entire trip, so just chill and enjoy!
Comments