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Iriomote Island Travel Model Plan - 3 days/2 nights
Suddenly, do you ever have a sudden urge to travel to a tropical country?
With its mild climate, glorious sun, and blue ocean, the South has a certain paradise-like atmosphere.
Where do you think of when you hear the word "tropics"?
A trip to Hawaii, Guam, or Saipan is always a dream come true for everyone.
However, it is not easy to go abroad because you have to get a passport and you need to spend a large amount of money for the trip.
If so, when thinking about a place in Japan where one can experience a tropical atmosphere, many people may think of Okinawa.
The main island of Okinawa, which includes Naha City, is a popular tourist destination.
But wouldn't you like to go to a place where you can feel more tropical?
In this issue, we will introduce a trip to Iriomote Island for those who are interested in such a trip.
Iriomote Island is located more than 400 km further southwest of the main island of Okinawa.
It is part of the Yaeyama Islands and has a subtropical climate that differs from that of the mainland.
Iriomote Island is the second largest of Okinawa's many islands, after the main island of Okinawa, and has a distinct and strong character.
The subtropical jungle that covers most of the island and the crystal clear waters with clusters of coral reefs make the island one of the richest in nature in Japan, and many people love it.
The island's jungle is designated by the national government as Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, and one of the island's major features is that it is home to special natural treasures such as the Iriomote wildcat and crested serpent eagle.
In addition to the blue waters surrounding the island, the island is also dotted with many beautiful bodies of water such as rivers and waterfalls, making it a popular sanctuary for a wide variety of water activities.
Since it is such an environment, to put it simply, all the elements that make up Iriomote Island are extraordinary!
The island is like a jewel box filled with excitement and thrills.
We will thoroughly introduce a trip to Iriomote Island using a reasonable itinerary of three days and two nights as a model case!
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Day 1 Ishigaki Island to Iriomote Island
Let's follow the travel itinerary in order starting from the first day.
Since this is a trip, of course, we must first head for Iriomote Island.
However, as I mentioned above, Iriomote Island is an island covered with jungle.
The jungle covers more than 90% of the island, and because of this environment, there is no airport on the island.
Therefore, in order to get to Iriomote Island, you must first go to Ishigaki Island, which is also in the Yaeyama Islands.
There is an airport on Ishigaki Island, to which direct flights are available only from airports in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.
If you live in a place where it is difficult to use those airports, fly to Naha Airport and take the route to Ishigaki Island via Naha Airport.
Now, once you arrive at Ishigaki Island, the next step is to go to the port.
There is a high-speed boat to Iriomote Island from a place called Ishigaki Port Rito Terminal in Ishigaki Port, but the route is lost here.
Iriomote Island has two ports, Uehara Port in the northern part of the island and Ohara Port in the southern part, and high-speed boats operate to both ports.
The travel time to either port is not much different, about 50 minutes, so you need to choose the route that best suits your needs.
Each port has its own characteristics, but roughly speaking, Uehara Port has many commercial facilities in its vicinity, while Ohara Port offers the tranquil scenery of a remote island.
Decide which port you want to go to by considering the sights you want to see, the activities you want to participate in, and the location of the lodging where you plan to stay.
Both ports have several car rental stores nearby, so you will have no trouble finding transportation.
In addition, we would like to introduce our plan to go to Uehara Port.
There are no convenience stores on Iriomote Island, so be sure to buy what you need before boarding the high-speed boat.
Also, please be sure to bring cash, as small stores and eateries do not support cashless transactions.
Jungle cruise along the Urauchi River where mangroves thrive
Upon arrival at Uehara Port, rent a car near the port and drive 10 minutes to Urauchi River.
Be sure to make reservations in advance, as the number of rental cars is limited.
At Urauchi River, you can explore the jungle-like river unique to Iriomote Island by a sightseeing boat.
The river is a brackish mixture of seawater and coal water, and you will be able to see the mangroves that are unique to Okinawa Prefecture thriving in the brackish water, and enjoy a tropical atmosphere with its unique appearance.
If you observe the natural environment that you can encounter only in Iriomote Island while enjoying the calm and elegant cruising, you may feel the fatigue of daily life washed away.
The tour takes approximately one hour.
It is the best tour to join at the beginning of your visit to get a feel of Iriomote Island, as it includes a detailed explanation of the scenery by a guide!
Facility Name Urauchi River Sightseeing
Phone number 0980-85-6154
Address: 870-3 Uehara, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun
Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center
After enjoying the jungle cruise, get in the rental car again and head for the Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center.
The face of Iriomote Island is the Iriomote wildcat!
The facility serves as a center for activities to protect the Iriomote wildcat, a special natural treasure.
The facility is designed to provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about the Iriomote wildcat, which is found only on Iriomote Island in the world, wildlife, and the natural environment that surrounds them, and to deepen their knowledge about the island.
This facility can be enjoyed just by looking at the adorable Iriomote wildcat.
There is no guarantee that you will see Iriomote wildcat in the wild during your visit, so be sure to visit here and observe Iriomote wildcat.
If you would like to learn more about the exhibition, please ask a staff member at the reception desk for an explanation of the exhibits.
If you have children, it may be good for their free research during summer vacation.
Admission is free, and the place can be enjoyed by both small children and adults!
Facility Name Iriomote Wildlife Conservation Center (IWCC)
Phone number 0980-85-5581
Business hours: 10:00-16:00
Closed Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum is also closed on the following Tuesday) National holidays (except Children's Day (May 5) and Culture Day (November 3)), June 23 (Memorial Day), and year-end and New Year holidays (December 29 - January 3)
*The museum is temporarily closed on certain days for community events and fumigation of taxidermy.
Address: Aza-Komi, Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun (no street address)
We will take a rental car and go for a night drive! Aim for the Meridian Monument
The land of Iriomote Island, called Sonai, has a meridian line running through it at 123 degrees 45 minutes 6.789 east longitude.
The meridian is a line that intersects the equator at right angles and connects the north and south poles, a line that divides the earth vertically, so to speak.
In 1997, the GSI's Okinawa branch discovered an unusual sequence of numbers.
To commemorate this, a "meridian monument" was installed near Iriomote Elementary and Junior High Schools.
Every hour from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every night, a laser beam is emitted from the monument.
The light piercing the night sky toward the meridian of 123 degrees 45 minutes 6.789 is a spectacular sight, and the scene has a somewhat science fiction-like interest.
The night of Iriomote Island is pitch-dark with few light sources, and when you look up at the sky, you can see countless stars, making this land the most starry sky in Japan.
Iriomote Island was the first island in Japan to receive international recognition as a starry sky reserve, and even though it is in Japan, the Southern Cross and other constellations of the southern hemisphere can be seen.
The star-filled sky, which you can almost reach out and touch, is an impressive sight that is sure to catch your attention.
There may also be nocturnal Iriomote wildcat crossing the road.
To avoid accidents caused by looking away, drive more safely at night.
Day 2: Complete World Heritage Sites! Full tour for complete conquest of Iriomote Island
On the second day, you don't have to worry about boat times, so you can play to your heart's content.
This is a tour with a hearty volume that can be called "Iriomote Island Greedy Set," where you can enjoy SUP in the mangrove river, then explore limestone caves, and even land on Barasu Island all at once!
The first activity we will participate in is SUP (Stand Up Paddle Surfing), a hot new activity that has been gaining attention around the world in recent years.
This is an exhilarating water activity that can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages, as they stand on a board similar to a surfboard and use paddles to paddle forward.
The tour continues along a river lined with mangroves, with short treks in between to a waterfall called "Fortune Falls.
The next step is to explore limestone caves (caving).
Wearing helmets, visitors will explore large and small limestone caves created by the great nature of Iriomote Island using their entire body.
Exploring a natural dungeon is like an RPG.
An extraordinary experience that will make you feel like an explorer like in the movies is inevitably exciting!
After exploring the limestone caves, we will have a lunch break.
We can choose our own stores, or we can ask our guides for their recommendations.
Once you've eaten, it's time for the final activity.
We will take a boat to Baras Island.
Barasu Island is made of "barasu," or coral fragments, and is sometimes described as a "miracle island" because it appears only at a certain time during low tide.
The coral fragments are pure white, and the entire island of Barras, made of such fragments, is also pure white! The contrast between the blue sea and the blue sky is outstanding, and the location is so beautiful that it is almost unreal.
By the way, this may be a little off topic, but have you ever heard of Orion Beer?
Orion Beer is headquartered in Okinawa and is so well rooted in the region that it is referred to as the prefecture's beer.
It is the fifth largest share and most popular brand of beer distributed in Japan, so many drinkers may be familiar with it.
In fact, Barasu Island was once used as a filming location for an Orion Beer commercial.
When you hear that a local company that knows the prefecture well has chosen this location to shoot a beer commercial, you can probably imagine how beautiful the place is.
Such beautiful scenery has recently become very popular as a social networking spot.
Numerous popular Instagrammers have visited the island and taken beautiful pictures.
From mangroves to waterfalls, limestone caves, the sea, and phantom islands, this is truly a complete tour plan that packs the great nature of Iriomote Island into a single day.
All activities can be enjoyed by beginners as well, as guides will provide good support while wearing safety gear.
If you are staying in the Uehara area, you will be picked up and dropped off at your lodging, so you will want to use this service wisely!
Facility Name Iriomotejima ADVENTURE PiPi
Phone number 0980-85-7240
Business hours: 7:00-22:00
Day 3, morning: Yubu Island
Since the second day was a full day of physical activity, how about a relaxing day of sightseeing on Yubu Island on the last day?
Yubu Island is a popular remote island located about 15 minutes by buffalo car from Iriomote Island.
The island itself is a botanical garden called "Subtropical Botanical Paradise," where visitors can see bougainvillea, hibiscus, and other unique subtropical plants.
The buffalo pond is an oasis for resting buffaloes, and the lovely sight of buffaloes resting can be seen.
In the Butterfly Garden, one of Japan's largest butterflies, the "Oogomadara," can be seen flying gracefully.
The chrysalis of the giant sesame butterfly is the dazzling golden color of life, and is said to bring good luck in the form of money.
There are also restaurants and stores on the island that offer tropical cuisine and sweets, so there is no need to worry about eating and drinking.
Original buffalo goods that can only be purchased here are popular as souvenirs, so why not make them a candidate for souvenirs on your last day?
Facility Name Subtropical Botanical Paradise
Phone number 0980-85-5470
Business hours: 9:00-17:00
Restaurant 11:30-17:00 (*Last order 16:00)
From Iriomote Island to Ishigaki Island
After three days and two nights in the blink of an eye, we will return to Ishigaki Island, bidding farewell to Iriomote Island with a sense of regret.
This is the last chance to buy Iriomote Island limited goods, so do not forget to buy them!
Since it is a remote island, it is not easy to return to Iriomote Island if you have left something behind.
Therefore, be very careful not to forget anything.
After an eventful trip, you will surely sleep soundly on the high-speed boat on the return trip.
Summary
How was your trip to Iriomote Island that we introduced in a slightly hectic schedule of 3 days and 2 nights?
Iriomote Island is filled with colorful fun.
We hope we have conveyed some of its appeal.
For your information, the route to Iriomote Island is introduced as approximately 50 minutes, but there may be delays of the ship due to wave and wind conditions.
Keep in mind to plan your trip with plenty of time to spare.
Also, on some days the ship is rocked by the wind and waves, so if you are worried about getting seasick, it is recommended that you bring an anti-sickness medicine.
Iriomote Island is full of attractions and fascinating activities that we have not been able to introduce in this article!
Please carefully research the places you want to visit and the activities you want to experience, and make your trip to Iriomote Island meaningful.
This article was written by.
