Zamami, Okinawa: What It’s Like To Visit Japan’s Tropics

Let me walk you through what it’s like to visit Zamami Island in Okinawa — Japan’s remote beach paradise with clear waters, sea turtles, and almost no tourists.

The ferry to Zamami Island gives you just enough time to start wondering if you’ve made a mistake. You leave Naha behind — all humidity and vending machines — and 90 minutes later, you dock somewhere that feels like it couldn’t possibly be part of the same country. Which, geographically, it barely is.

I came here half-curious to see if all the photos were lying, but they weren’t. Zamami’s beauty is absurd, the water doesn’t make sense, turtles show up uninvited while you swim, and yet there are barely any people around. There’s also no resort culture here and definitely no welcome drinks. Just a couple of guesthouses and a few nice ladies renting snorkels out of their garage.

I basically spent the first hour recalibrating what I thought “beach destination” meant. That’s the thing about Zamami, it’s really not trying to be a tropical getaway. Which is exactly why it ends up being the perfect one.

• Planning a trip there? I’m also writing a no-nonsense guide on how to get to Zamami, where to stay, and how to get around. It answers everything I couldn’t find online before I went. 👉Read it here.

It’s small. Not postcard-small, actually small. You can get from one end to the other in about 40 minutes on an electric scooter, which you’ll want — bikes are an option, but the hills will kill that idea fast. There’s one main road, a handful of guesthouses, and a couple of shops selling snacks and all the reef-safe sun protection you forgot to pack.

What makes Zamami feel different is also that there are barely any tourists. I was there in peak season and half the beaches were empty. The town operates on its own slow-motion logic: people open when they open, close when they’re done, and no one’s performing hospitality.

Still, it works so well. You wake up, walk a few minutes, and you’re in the water. You dry off, grab a snack from a beach kiosk, maybe an iced coffee, and then do the same thing in a slightly different spot. Swim, snack, repeat. That’s the whole rhythm.

Beaches are undoubtedly the main attractions in Zamami, with around 20 to choose from. However, a few truly stand out:

Furuzamami Beach

This is the one that gets all the attention, and fair enough — it’s the closest thing Zamami has to a “main” beach. It’s a 15-minute walk from the port, and it actually feels like a destination: a few sunbeds lined up in rows, shaded chairs you can rent, and a wide arc of blindingly clear water.

There’s a designated swimming and snorkeling area marked off by buoys, mostly to keep people from trampling the coral that starts almost immediately off the sand. Outside that zone, the reef continues, but you’ll need to join a tour to snorkel it. The water’s full of life, with colorful fish everywhere, and if you’re lucky, the occasional turtle. Kayaks and SUPs are available too. It’s busy, by Zamami standards, which still means maybe two dozen people spread across an enormous bay.

Ama Beach

Ama is on the opposite side of town — also 15 minutes from the port, but in the other direction. It’s less groomed, less “crowded”, and better for it. No pre-set umbrellas, no structured rows of chairs. There’s a kiosk at the entrance where you can rent everything — snorkeling gear, SUPs, umbrellas, drinks — and it’s open every day from 8am to 6pm.

This is where I kept coming back. It’s calm, with an incredible, lively reef, and if you’re there at the right time (early morning or just before sunset), there’s a good chance you’ll see a sea turtle paddling near the rocks. Not guaranteed, but possible enough to keep you watching. It also has the best sunset view on the island, with nothing but water and sky.

Inō Beach

This one feels like a secret. It’s a 30-minute scooter ride from the port and there’s nothing out there: no shops, no people, no infrastructure at all. Just a wide, pale strip of sand and a still ocean that feels like it was placed there for one person at a time. When I went, I didn’t see a single other person. Not one.

It’s also one of the few beaches without entry restrictions, so you can snorkel straight in without worrying about zones or lifeguards. Bring everything you need: water, snacks, shade, because there’s absolutely nothing on site. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to having a private beach without a boat or a billion-dollar villa.

One important note on tides: Depending on the day, especially around early afternoon, the tide can drop so much that the beaches look half-erased. When I went (late April to early May), this happened around 2pm almost daily. It’s a year-round phenomena with some slight variation, and it’s worth planning around — low tide means harder access to snorkeling, and in some spots, almost no water near shore.

This won’t take long, which is part of the charm. There isn’t a list of attractions to tick off, but if you’re not the type to lie on a beach for six hours straight, there’s still enough to keep your brain awake between swims.

Snorkeling is the obvious one. I booked a combo kayak-and-snorkel trip through Kerama Kayak Center, and it was easily the day I had. You paddle out to the uninhabited islets just off Ama Beach, tie up the kayaks, and snorkel off the rocks into deep coral gardens that somehow aren’t even mentioned in guidebooks. The water was glassy, no one else around, just us, the reef, and a lot of fish that didn’t seem to care we were there.

If you’re up for some light climbing and sun exposure, walk up to Kami-no-hama Observation Deck — about 15 minutes from Ama Beach. The view is full wide-screen with turquoise sea, uninhabited islands, and maybe a couple of fishing boats if you’re lucky. Or rent an electric scooter and spend an afternoon hitting every lookout on the island, just because it’s the fastest way to get that “okay, I’ve seen the whole place” satisfaction.

Near Ama beach and at the port you’ll find a few low-key spots to eat or grab coffee. Nothing trendy, definitely no acai bowls. You’ll find Okinawan staples, plate lunches, and cafés that double as someone’s front porch. One night I ended up drinking Orion beer with two locals who seemed surprised I’d made it to Zamami on purpose.

You spend enough time in Japan and you get used to a certain efficiency — trains that glide in on time, convenience stores that are better stocked than your kitchen. Zamami ignores all that.

Part of it is geography. You’re nearly 1,000 miles from Tokyo, floating in the East China Sea. Zamami is part of the Kerama Islands, a scattered archipelago southwest of Okinawa’s main island. Technically Japan, but closer to Taiwan than to Tokyo in both distance and temperament. This was once the Ryukyu Kingdom, with its own language, its own trade routes, and a cultural identity that never really snapped into the mainland mold (and still hasn’t).

Bus schedule exists, technically, but mostly so it can be ignored. There are no 7-Elevens and no chain anything, really. If you want dinner, you better have thought about it earlier, because by 9 p.m. most places are closed or full.

You’re just on an island that moves at its own pace, and you either fall into it or you don’t.

Where is Zamami Island located?
Zamami is part of the Kerama Islands, an archipelago of little islands about 40 km west of Okinawa’s main island. You’ll need to take a ferry from Naha to get there. It’s technically Japan, but once you arrive, it won’t feel like anywhere else in the country.

Is it worth staying overnight on Zamami instead of just doing a day trip?
Yes. The best part of Zamami happens before and after the last ferry leaves, when the beaches empty out, the air cools down, and you finally understand what silence sounds like.

Is Zamami good for solo travelers?
It’s perfect. Safe, quiet, and peaceful without being boring. You won’t be entertained, but you’ll just be left alone in the best possible way.

Is English spoken on the island?
Barely. But people are friendly, signs are manageable, and once you’ve ordered one meal with hand gestures, you’ve basically figured it out.

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