Whether you have decided to explore Okinawa with a rental car or a private taxi, you will need to plan in advance which attractions to visit and how to fit them all in a day. If you have never been to Okinawa and you are not very practical about the island, this task might appear a bit complicate. No worries! Here is an example of a 1 day tour in the southern part of Okinawa Island, which can be used as a basis to create the most suitable schedule for you. Without further do, let's have a look at our itinerary! 09:00 AM - Departure from Naha City We will use Naha City as the starting point of our journey, as probably your accomodation will be there. Naha has plenty of hotels, hostels and B&Bs to choose from, particularly in the area around Kokusai Street. It is also very convenient to go to/from the airport. Make sure to eat a good and healthy breakfast, as it will be a busy day! 09:15 AM - Arrival at Shuri Castle Our first stop will be Shuri Castle, the symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It takes around 15 minutes by car from Kokusai Street. There are several parking spots around the castle park. Here is a link from the official website, with all the parking prices and details. Shuri Castle is included as one of the UNESCO World Heritage designated Castles of the Ryukyu Kindgom sites. Unfortunately, in the night of October 31, 2019, the main buildings of Shuri Castle were destroyed by a fire. The fire was put down 11 hours later, after destroying an area of 4,200 square meters. Despite this incident, the castle is still an amazing place to visit, with its ancient walls and the stunning view of Naha City and the ocean from the top of the hills. One hour visiting time should be enough to enjoy this important piece of Okinawan history. 10:15 AM - Departure from Shuri Castle We will now be heading south, taking National Route 507, in the direction of Itoman City. It will take approximately 35 minutes by car to reach our next destination: the Peace Memorial Park. 10:50 - Arrival in Peace Memorial Park Located on Mabuni Hill, the Peace Memorial Park rises where the final battle in Okinawa took place during World War II. This park represents the prayer for the souls of the victims, and for a future of world peace. An estimated 240,000 people were killed during that period in Okinawa. For families with children, after the visit to the museum and the mausoleum, it might be good for the spirit to make a stop at the Inochi no Tamago playground, inside the Peace Memorial Park. It is a large playground area with two big egg-shaped structures in the middle. Kids will be able to run around, climb the structures and have fun on the many slides and games offered. Definitely a good way to lift up the heart of the younger visitors! 12:20 - Departure from Peace Memorial Park Around 1 hour and 30 minutes should be enough to visit the park. It's almost time for lunch, so we want our next stop to have both good restaurants and interesting attractions. Okinawa World theme park is a perfect combination of these two elements. We will take route 331 heading north-east, and it will take approximately 15 minutes. 12:35 - Arrival in Okinawa World Okinawa World is the best place to experience both the nature and the culture of Okinawa. It is a must visit for any visitor who wants to have fun while learning about the traditions of our island. Inside the theme park, there is a building with many souvenir shops. On the second floor, you will find a food court. After a good meal, our recommendation is to start the tour of the park from Gyokusendo Cave. You will follow a path that descends in the depths of the cave and zigzags among incredible stalactite formations. At the exit of the cave, there is Ryukyu Kingdom, a replica of a traditional Ryukyu village. Don't let you fool by the word "replica": some of the houses of the village are very ancient, 100 years old, and were moved there for the creation of the theme park. Four of these houses were designated cultural treasure and are cared under Japanese law as official historical objects. The atmosphere is very special and makes you immersed in what a traditional Ryukyu village probably looked like! Between the Gyokusendo Cave, Ryukyu Kingdom, the Habu Snake Museum and the Eisa Drum Dance show, we think that a bit more than 3 hours is the right time needed to enjoy Okinawa World. 16:00 - Departure from Okinawa World Let's take national road 506 heading west: our next destination is Umikaji Terrace in Senagajima Island. It will take around 25 minutes to reach this small island. 16:25 - Arrival in Umikaji Terrace With white houses arranged onto different layers and a beautiful view on the sea, the shopping complex Umikaji Terrace has some similarities with the greek island of Santorini. In Umikaji Terrace, there are 42 shops. From souvenir shops to cafes, from high quality brands to restaurants, visitors will be able to find a great variety of products and delicious specialties. There are easy to walk steps connecting one layer to the other, and many restaurant have a little open terrace that looks on the sea. Being Umikaji Terrace so close to the airport, it is possible to observe many airplanes departing and landing. Visitors who love airplanes will definitely know how to spend their time once on the island. The view on the sea is very nice and the beach nearby is the perfect place where to take a break from shopping and search some nice piece of dead coral. Sunsets in Umikaji Terrace are impressive and that is why we decided to keep it for this part of the day. We hope you will enjoy and amazing sunset in this cute island. Take your time in Umikaji Terrace. There are many restaurants across the levels, so having dinner there is definitely an option! Returning to Naha is just 20 minutes by car. That's it. This is the base for a nice day in the Southern part of Okinawa Island. We hope it was of some help to you! Thi schedule can be arranged according to your preferences, for example by including a stop in interesting places like Mibaru Beach, or the Himeyuri Peace Museum. In case you have any questions or need more suggestions for a nice 1-day tour, just contact us! We will be glad to assist you.
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