Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
large. Someone, or rather some generations of caretakers, have watched over and nurtured
these giant cycads for more than two centuries. It's a remarkably peaceful garden spot.
Lastly, shortly before the cycad display, you would have passed by the Maja Fukugi
Tree Display (
真謝のチュラ福木
; Maja no Chura Fukugi). It's a straight line of Fukugi trees
planted literally in the middle of the road.
From the sago palms and Une, it's less than three-quarters of a mile (1 kilometer) east to
the port, Madomari-kō (
真泊漁港
; lit. “True Night Fishing Port”), and the furthest east one
can go on Kume Island. From here it's about 2.25 miles (4 kilometers) southwest to Eef Beach
(
イーフビーチ
; Īfu-bīchi) and the hotels and resorts you'll find there. There's a choice of sev-
eral routes. One hugs the southern shoreline and passes the bridge to Ōjima along the way,
another runs through the village of Nakazato (
仲里
; Nakazato) and passes by the town office.
Either road will take you in about five minutes to the Eef Beach Hotel, the Kume Island Re-
sort, several other smaller hotels and a large handful of
minshuku
.
Kume is justifiably famous for its fine beaches. There are a number of them, but the best
known is Eef Beach. Several years ago, in a global survey, it was voted as one of the 100 most
beautiful beaches in the world. It's a 0.75-mile (1-kilometer)-long white fine sand beach on
the island's southeast side. It's just below, and not far from, the bridge over to Ōjima, and has
more hotels, restaurants and
minshuku
than any other place on Kume. For most tourists this
is the most popular place to stay when visiting the island.
If you get bored on Eef, or just wish to check out some other beaches, on the other side
of the island, along the southwest coast, there are three more. Closest to Eef (though it's
not close) is Ara Beach (
アーラ浜
; Ārahama), then Gushikawa Beach (
具志川浜
; Gushikawa-
hama), then Shinri Beach (
シン リ浜
; Shinri-hama). They all provide a change of scenery, but
frankly none of them are as nice as Eef Beach. Ara Beach is the most private. It's so isolated
that you'll usually have the whole beach to yourself.
Eef Beach Hotel
