Okinawa is arguably Japan’s most popular island. Despite being well known in the press for having army bases, the region also retains plenty of beautiful beaches and sights to visit. There are an abundance of top quality hotels and city areas to enjoy; including Naha, which has some excellent options for restaurants and drinks. No visit to Okinawa would be complete without sampling the Okinawan cuisine; famous for it’s mix of sweet and sour flavours.

The best thing about Okinawa, though, is the fact that one can hire a car and drive around the island for a day or a weekend to take in most of the sights. Okinawa’s world famous aquarium can really only be reached by vehicle, so it is an ideal day trip for the kids. A travel down the northern coastline of Okinawa is not the most stunning sight, but the eventual arrival at beach resorts will delight all of the senses.

Okinawa also has a stunning reconstructed former Ryukyu royal palace at Shuri Castle, which can be visited along the way out of Nara. A must see on a visit to the island.

A trip down the coastline will give you an opportunity to really see Japan’s beach beauty and is definitely worthwhile for anyone looking to visit Japan for longer than a two week period.