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There are hot springs in Iriomote Island! Enjoy healing after activities!
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Hot Springs of Iriomote Island of Great Nature
Iriomote Island belongs to Taketomi-cho, Yaeyama-gun, Okinawa Prefecture, and has the largest area in the Yaeyama Archipelago.
Iriomote Island, where more than 901 tp3t of the island is occupied by mangroves, a naturally growing subtropical plant, has numerous natural hot springs.
Marine sports such as snorkeling, canoeing, trekking, and other activities that take advantage of the great nature abound on Iriomote Island.
Iriomote Island has many attractive spots, such as Yutun Falls, a sightseeing spot where you can experience the nature of Iriomote Island to the fullest, and Pinaisara Falls, the largest waterfall in Okinawa Prefecture.
In this issue, we would like to introduce you to the "hot springs" of Iriomote Island, which is rich in such wonderful nature.
After enjoying sightseeing and activities to your heart's content, why not soak your tired body in a hot spring?
Where is Iriomote Island?
Iriomote Island is located in the Yaeyama Islands and belongs to Taketomi Town, Yaeyama County, Okinawa Prefecture.
It holds the largest area in the Yaeyama Archipelago, with Iriomote Island covering an area of about 284 square kilometers.
To reach Iriomote Island, fly to Ishigaki Island, then board a ferry connecting Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island, which takes about 35 minutes to Ohara Port by high-speed boat and about 40 minutes to Uehara Port.
Ohara Port and Uehara Port are located approximately 35 km apart, so it is recommended that you consider whether to use these ports depending on your sightseeing spots and travel objectives.
Iriomote Island belongs to Okinawa Prefecture, but the distance to the main island of Okinawa is about 430 km, and the distance to Taiwan is about 200 km, which is located close to the border.
Therefore, when you listen to the radio, you will also hear Chinese, which makes you feel like you are visiting a foreign country.
Iriomote Island is a World Heritage Site
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has selected the Yanbaru region in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Iriomote Island as World Natural Heritage candidate sites, with the aim of registering them as World Heritage sites, and in 2021, they were cleared for registration as World Natural Heritage sites.
Iriomote Island falls under two of the criteria for World Heritage registration: ecosystems that represent a unique biological evolutionary process and areas important for biodiversity conservation.
Iriomote Island's first hot spring facility, "Campanella no Yu
Campanella no Yu is Japan's southernmost and westernmost natural hot spring adjacent to La Tida Iriomote Resort, a hotel that opened in November 2017.
Located on a hill, the spa offers a magnificent location and sunset view in front of you, and is highly reputed for its openness.
Now, let us introduce in detail the first hot spring facility in Iriomote Island, "Campanella no Yu".
The starry sky seen from the open-air bath is like a natural planetarium!
Campanella no Yu, the first hot spring facility in Iriomote Island, is equipped with two types of bathtubs, an indoor bath and an outdoor bath. The spring water is low-tension simple hot spring, and is characterized by its light yellow color.
It is also known as "rejuvenating hot water" because it improves blood circulation and is effective for neuralgia, arthritis, sensitivity to cold, chronic women's diseases, and recovery from fatigue.
When you bathe at night, you can enjoy bathing while looking at the star-filled sky in front of you. From December to June, if weather conditions are favorable, you can enjoy bathing in a perfect location to observe the Southern Cross and Southern Star Cluster, which will relieve your daily fatigue.
Soaking in the open-air baths is very liberating, as you can enjoy bathing while experiencing the air and breath of nature up close.
Next to the outdoor bath is a wooden deck, which may be used to cool down your body after a hot spring bath.
At dusk, you can enjoy the sunset up close, and at night, you can relax and enjoy the star-filled sky.
Jacuzzi at Hotel Tinnukara
Hotel Tinnukara is a three-room petit resort hotel located about 10 minutes by car from Uehara Port.
All rooms have an Asian taste and a stylish atmosphere with a tropical feel, and are open to the public with hibiscus trees and the good aroma of aromatherapy.
All rooms are equipped with an outdoor Jacuzzi, allowing you to enjoy the Jacuzzi to your heart's content in a private space without worrying about your surroundings.
The name of the hotel, Tinnukara, means the Milky Way, and when you enter the Jacuzzi at night, you can enjoy a relaxing and luxurious time while gazing at the star-filled sky and the Milky Way.
The hotel is about a 10-minute walk from the star sand beach, where you can see the ocean close by. If you take a Jacuzzi in the evening, you can see the contrast between the setting sun and the ocean, which is very fantastic.
After enjoying marine sports such as diving and snorkeling, it is nice to enjoy a relaxing Jacuzzi while working up a sweat.
The hotel is also known for its hospitality, as the staff will fill the Jacuzzi with hot water for you in consideration of the time it takes you to return from sightseeing or leisure activities.
Cautions for taking a hot spring bath in Iriomote Island
Now, let us introduce what you need to pay attention to in order to fully enjoy hot springs in Iriomote Island.
Not many hot springs to begin with.
The only hot spring facility on Iriomote Island is Campanella no Yu, which is gaining popularity as the first hot spring facility on Iriomote Island.
Iriomote Hot Spring used to be located at the Iriomotejima Jungle Hotel Paine Maya, which was the southernmost hot spring resort in Japan, but it was regrettably closed in 2012 due to difficulties in securing the source water necessary for the hot spring business.
When it was in operation, it was a unique hot spring facility with a jungle bath, a courtyard with a swimming pool and iwaya sauna, an open-air bath, and a bath with a view.
Difficult without lodging.
Please note that the hot spring of Campanella, which is adjacent to the hotel, La Tida Iriomote Resort, is a facility available only for guests, so you cannot enjoy a day-trip bathing.
Therefore, if you want to enjoy hot spring in the full starlit sky and nature of Iriomote Island, please stay at Hotel, La Tida Iriomote Resort and enjoy the hot spring.
Bathing hours for the hot spring facilities are 7:00-10:00 and 15:00-22:00, and you can bathe as often as you like during the available bathing hours.
Please note, however, that the open-air baths may be temporarily closed during the summer season from May to September due to the large number of winged ants.
Admission is 1800 yen for adults, 900 yen for elementary school students, and free for children 5 years old and younger.
Note ferry times.
Since there is no airport on Iriomote Island, you must first take a ferry to Ishigaki Island and then fly home.
From the two ports on Iriomote Island, Uehara Port and Ohara Port, there are seven to eight ferry services a day, but if you are inadvertently late for departure, you may have to wait several hours for the next sailing.
It is recommended that you consider in advance which time of day you wish to board the ferry.
summary
Iriomote Island is known as the Galapagos of the East and the last unexplored region of Japan, and is home to Iriomote wildcat and other precious natural treasures.
Iriomote Island has many tourist attractions such as Pinaisara Falls, a powerful sightseeing spot with a 55-meter drop, and Urauchi River, the longest river in Okinawa, which attracts many tourists throughout the year.
It is also a place where many people visit for the purpose of enjoying physical leisure activities such as marine sports like canoeing, sea kayaking, and diving, and trekking to fully enjoy the nature unique to Iriomote Island.
After enjoying Iriomote Island to the fullest, why not soak in a hot spring while gazing at a star-filled sky, and heal your body tired from sightseeing and leisure activities?
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