Zamami Island is one of the most beautiful places you can visit on a day trip departing from Okinawa main Island. This island is second largest of the Kerama Islands is famous for its amazing beaches, peaceful atmosphere, and emerald waters. This articles will provide all the useful information about how to get there easily! So sit back, relax, and join us in our day trip to Zamami! There are two ways to reach Zamami: The Ferry Zamami and the speed boat "Queen Zamami". The ferry takes two hours to reach the island, while the speed boat takes only 50 minutes. They both depart from Tomari Port, in Naha city. For information about departure times and costs, here is the link of the official website: http://zamamienglishguide.com/ferries. A reservation is suggested, especially during high season. You can call the number of the ticket office 098-868-4567 and reserve your ticket. Today, we will guide you to the Ferry, a slower but more fascinating way to reach Zamami. It is also the only way to bring your car or bike with you. Tomari Port: 3 Chome-25-1, Maejima, Naha, Okinawa Prefecture 900-0016 The ticket office is on the right, just after entering the Tomari Port building. If you plan to bring your car or bike to Zamami, you will first have to go to the Ferry (go outside and turn right, until you see a ferry boat with a horizontal orange line on it). It is recommended to get there before 9:00 AM to do the procedures and leave your vehicle to the staff. After that, you can go to the ticket office to purchase your ticket. Before queueing, make sure you fill in the small paper (you can find it on the table in front of the office) with you name, the boat you want to take, and your reservation number, if you have one. On the other side of the ticket office, you will find a convenience store, where to buy the drinks and snacks for your trip, and also a small shop selling bento! Prices are cheap and there are many varieties of boxes to choose from. Yummy! The departure is at 10:00 AM but it will be possible to go onto the ferry from 9:00. There are three levels with different types of seats. You can choose between a closed room with air conditioning or seat in the open air, with the ocean breeze, as in the photo below. On the ferry there are toilets and vending machines selling drinks. The trip is very comfortable and the boat does not shake too much. Visitors suffering from sea sickness should not have many problems with it. The ferry will first reach Aka Island at around 11:30 and make a brief stop there. It is very fascinating to watch the crew throw the ropes and do all the procedures for a safe docking. The ferry will arrive in Zamami Island at 12:00 PM! As soon as the passengers get off the boat, the staff will immediately bring out from the ferry all the cars and vehicles. We were very surprised from the speed of this service, we did not wait more than 5 minutes to get our bikes! If you want to admire the amazing sea of Zamami, we recommend your first stop to be Furuzamami Beach. It is located 10 minutes by car east of Zamami Village. The sea here is simply gorgeous. On a sunny day, the water color is just like in the photos and videos that you see in Youtube videos or in documentaries. There are many activities that can be done here. As you can imagine, snorkeling is the dominant activity, with many varieties of tropical fish and the amazing coral reefs surrounding the island. Also the paddle board is very popular and useful to reach some unhabited islands nearby. At Furuzamami beach, there is a swimming area, and it is also possible to rent a chair and parasol. A small shop near the beach will sell many japanese dishes like yakitori and soba. In a hot summer day, our suggestiong for the dessert is the kakekori, a japanese ice sorbet that will help you defeat the heat with a delicious fruit taste in your mouth. Heading west from Zamami Village, the road proceeds along the coast, for a ride with a nice view on the sea and the nearby islands. Not more than 10 minutes from the village, there is a curious statue. It is the statue of a dog named Marylin, also known as "Zamami's Hachiko".
Nowadays, there is a statue of Marylin on Zamami Island and a statue of Shiro on Aka Island. Both statues look at the sea in the same direction, in a representation of their strong love continuing forever. After wiping away the tears in our eyes, let's have a look at the Zamami Village itself. The village is very small, with a population of slightly less than 1000 people. It is very cute and the atmosphere is definitely special. On the front, there is Zamami harbor, while on the back there are beautiful hills covered by vegetation. In the village, you will find many shops selling marine equipment and many little bars and restaurant where to relax and take a break from the heat. If you do not plan to spend a night in Zamami, your ferry will depart at 16:00 PM, four hours after its arrival on the island. It will open around 30 minutes before departure. If you are early, there is a waiting room inside the harbor, with air conditioning, vending machines, and comfortable seats. Also for the return, the ferry will stop briefly in Aka Island and then arrive to Tomari Port in Naha city at 18:00 PM. That's it, our day trip to Zamami Island. Zamami is just incredibly beautiful and it is one of the best ways to spend one or two days in the nature! We hope you will have soon the chance to explore this amazing place!
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