Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and the relatively shallow waters surrounding Hamahiga Island help ensure peaceful and safe
swimming. Looking out over the sea, in the distance, 1.75 miles (3 kilometers) southeast off-
shore from Hamahiga, we find two small, uninhabited islets: Ukibaru and South Ukibaru.
Let's have a quick glance at them.
The small and stylish Hamahigashima Resort is oriented so that every room has a gorgeous view over the
Pacific Ocean, allowing guests to watch the morning sun rise.
9
UKIBARUSHIMA
浮原島
Ukibaru (
浮原島
; Ukibaru-shima) is one of the prettiest little uninhabited islets you'll ever
come across. It's a near perfect circle, 2,000 feet (600 meters) in diameter. It's almost com-
pletely surrounded by clean, fine, white sand. Thick vegetation covers the island's interior ex-
cept for its very center which, almost by magic, comprises more clean, fine, white sand. A
better, more sheltered spot for camping you could not find, or invent. Charter companies of-
fer diving and snorkeling trips to Ukibaru and other east coast islands out of Okinawa.
10
MINAMIUKIBARUSHIMA
南浮原島
Some 4,250 feet (1,300 meters) southwest of Ukibaru Island is “South” Ukibaru Island. It's
sort of a long, thin oval, with a hole punched in one side for a natural cove and beach. From
end to end, Minamiukibarushima (
南浮原島
); Minami-Ukibarushima) is about 1,975 feet
(600 meters) long. And it's narrow; most of its width is 500 feet (150 meters). Both Ukibarus
are within the barrier reef that shelters Hamahiga, Henza and the lower Katsuren Peninsula
from the open Pacific Ocean.
From Hamahiga we'll cross back over the bridge to Henza Town, then back over the
Kaichu-doro Causeway. That returns us to Okinawa-hontō, specifically the Katsuren Penin-
sula, a 1.5-mile (2.5-kilometer)-wide by 5-mile (8-kilometer)-long arm of Okinawa that juts
out into the Pacific. From the end of the causeway it's less than a mile (1.5 kilometers) south-
east (to the left) to Yakena Port (
屋慶名港
; Yakena-kō) and our next islet, Yabuchi.
