Okinawa – our first tropical island experience

As if the last fifteen blogs didn’t cover enough travelling for us, Sammy and I decided on the Wednesday after Ellen and Michael left, that we would book a long-weekend in Okinawa. Less than 48 hours later, we were in Narita airport, waiting to board the plane. 

Honestly, it sounds crazy, but the trip with my sister and brother-in-law was so great, but it was full-on and this trip to Okinawa was just the complete opposite of all that. We had no plan and no expectations. We booked a nice hotel with an incredible onsen and spa, hired a car and just went! We drove up to the mountains, along the coasts, enjoyed the beaches and good food and coffee. There was no place to be at any particular time, and when we found something that looked or sounded interesting, we could just stop and check it out. It was bliss! 

I also managed to book a last-minute snorkeling session, which I absolutely adored. If I could, I would want to snorkel every day for the rest of my life. It felt like where I was meant to be, among the fish and the coral and I really didn’t want the session to end. Sammy was a bit scared to do snorkeling or scuba diving, sounding not fussed when I asked him about it. However, we soon realised he still hadn’t sorted out any contact lenses for when we do water sports anyway, so he said there wouldn’t be a point in him joining in because he wouldn’t be able to see anything clearly. We agreed that next time we’re on a tropical island, we’ll be sure to take some contact lenses for him and we can do it together. However, Sammy also didn’t want me to miss the opportunity this time around because of how much I like swimming and the ocean. I wasn’t sure about doing it by myself, but I’m so glad he talked me into doing it alone because it was one of the best experiences of my life! I’m so buzzing to do it again as soon as we can! Sammy went to a lighthouse and a coffee shop nearby while I had my session. He said the drive along the coast was nice and who doesn’t love to see a good lighthouse, which I have to agree, does sound nice. I hope I can see it next time we’re in Okinawa.

We never planned on visiting any touristy sights on the island, but we did end up at a few observatories, we saw the caves in the south and then finally we explored Shuri castle on our final day. The castle was being restored, which at first I thought I wouldn’t like, because we couldn’t see it completed in all its glory. However, the exhibitions showing how they restore the buildings, each step of the process, and then being able to look at the current progress of the restoration, was incredibly fascinating. Sammy and I spent hours longer than expected enjoying each element of the grounds. There was a little festival going on in the courtyard near the exit too, with musicians playing traditional music and children doing traditional dance sets. We enjoyed a matcha kakigori whilst watching them and reflecting on our time on the island. We also went to the prefectural museum, but we didn’t really enjoy the permanent exhibition, apart from the folklore section which was the best section by miles. Next time, we’d try the memorial museum, as this was recommended by a friend as it meant to be very good. 

Whilst on holiday, we bought some wonderful souvenirs for friends and ourselves to enjoy including: chinsuko (an Okinawan biscuit, similar to shortbread, made with lard) for our neighbour, the children I teach and for my dad when he arrives next month; vegan chinsuko for ourselves; okinawan salt for ourselves and some for our friends who are great cooks; shikuwasa (an Okinawa citrus fruit kind of somewhere between a lemon and a lime) jelly for ourselves; shikuwasa dressing for our friends who enjoy food but don’t like to cook, and finally, a beautiful, traditional Minsah cotton woven cross-body bag for us both to share. (If you wish to know more about minsah, you can find out about how it is made and the meaning of the patterns here.) We love learning about all the delicacies and famous crafts of each region of Japan, as it really allows us to connect with the culture and history of the land. What Okinawa had to offer also did not disappoint, and we were very happy with the quality of everything we bought and ate. 

We had such an amazing long weekend in Okinawa. The weather during our getaway was great because it wasn’t too hot nor too cold and the drives were beautiful and very serene. Of course, my highlight of our time there was snorkeling, but there was so, so much more that we did which I also adored. I cannot wait to get back out there soon and experience more of what the little islands surrounding the mainland have to offer too, because it seems that they will each hold their own adventures!

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