Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cape Kyan, the southwesternmost tip of Okinawa.
The South can more or less be said to end shortly above Naha, around Urasoe and Ginow-
an, giving way to the island's Central section. This area includes most of the US bases on the
island and much of the US-influenced culture, such as fast food places, Starbucks and the
“American Village” at Chatan. The Central section includes the
gusuku
(fortresses) at Nak-
agusuku and Katsuren, the Yomitan area and Cape Zanpa, and the Katsuren Peninsula and
its little collection of causeway-connected islands. The Central section runs a total of about
25 miles (40 kilometers) north, to just below the island's second largest city of Nago. The Cen-
tral part also includes virtually every one of Okinawa's prime beachfront resort hotels. These
string along Okinawa's central west “Onna” coast, from Cape Zanpa to just below Nago.
That leaves the island's Northern section. It begins around Nago and continues north to
the end of the island at Cape Hedo, a total of about 25 miles (40 kilometers). In addition to
Nago and its few sights, the north includes what many consider to be Okinawa's premier at-
traction, the Churaumi Aquarium, located near the end of the Motobu Peninsula. Offshore
from there, both to the west and north, are about a half dozen inhabited islands included in
the Okinawa-shotō. The Motobu Peninsula also holds some
gusuku
ruins. Almost the entire
top northern end of Okinawa, the uppermost 20 or so miles (32 kilometers), is virtually un-
inhabited. It's literally a jungle out there and, in fact, contains the very large, and restricted,
US Marine Corps Jungle Warfare Training Center at Camp Gonsalves. One of its more fam-
ous former commanders (1973-4) was Captain Oliver North (1943-present), perhaps best
known for his role in the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration.
Busena Terrace Beach Resort
Okinawa's top luxury hotel hosted the Year 2000 G-8 Summit. US President Bill Clinton, Russia's Vladi-
mir Puin, Great Britain's Tony Blair, France's Jacques Chirac, Canada's Jean Chréien, Japan's Yoshiro
Mori, Italy's Giuliano Amato and Germany's Gerhard Schröder were housed in private villas costing
from $2,000 to $5,000 per night.
"
Regular
"
rooms run a bit less, from $500 to $1,200 a night, break-
