Most Beautiful Bridge on Earth- Okinawa, Japan (Travel Towards the sea) Composed of a chain of some sixty islands generally referred to as the Ryukyu Islands (琉球諸島 Ryūkyū-shotō), Okinawa is located south of Kyūshū and surrounded by the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The islands are generally subdivided into the Okinawa, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Senkaku groups. Okinawa, the main island of the Okinawa group, is by far the largest both in terms of size and population, and is the prefecture’s economic, administrative, and cultural centre. With the exception of the northern portion of the main island, most of the terrain is fairly level. The climate is subtropical, with abundant rainfall; typhoons are frequent. Composed of a chain of some sixty islands generally referred to as the Ryukyu Islands (琉球諸島 Ryūkyū-shotō), Okinawa is located south of Kyūshū and surrounded by the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The islands are generally subdivided into the Okinawa, Miyako, Yaeyama, and Senkaku groups. Okinawa, the main island of the Okinawa group, is by far the largest both in terms of size and population, and is the prefecture’s economic, administrative, and cultural centre. With the exception of the northern portion of the main island, most of the terrain is fairly level. The climate is subtropical, with abundant rainfall; typhoons are frequent. The only options for getting to and from Okinawa are by air and by sea. There are regular flights from Taipei (Taiwan), Seoul and Pusan (South Korea), and Tokyo (Haneda), Ōsaka (Kansai), Nagoya, and Fukuoka airports in Japan to Naha Airport on Okinawa Island. There are airports at Naha, Aguni, Kumejima, Kerama, Shin Minamidaitō, Minamidaitō, Kitadaitō, Iejima, Miyako, Shimojishima, Tarama, Ishigaki, Hateruma, and Yonaguni on the islands with most operating daily flights. Naha is the hub of all transport, and the only airport that is open 24 hours a day. Similarly, ferries operate from Naha to all the islands, often crawling from one end of the archipelago to the other. You can also take international ferries from Kaoshiung or Chilung (near Taipei) in Taiwan, or come from Kagoshima, Fukuoka or Osaka in Japan. Flying is of course faster, but if you have time, the ferry can be an interesting alternative. Consider flying if you are in the typhoon season, as you are more likely to encounter bad weather or find the ferry turned back – and you are less likely to be stranded if a typhoon does come. Okinawa has a subtropical climate, resulting in hot, humid summers and mild winters. Spring brings with it typhoons and heavy rain. Average temperatures rise from the high teens in winter to the low to mid thirties in summer, with highs approaching forty degrees centigrade not uncommon. Combined with a high humidity rate, this makes the summers fairly sticky as in other parts of Japan. Okinawa is blessed with warm seas however, so it is ideal for all kinds of watersports most of the year. Rainfall peaks in May with the onset of the typhoon season, and again in August. Summer is generally clear and sunny however, as rainfall is very heavy and concentrated. Conversely, winters tend to be fairly hazy, with less direct sunlight. Okinawa is an ideal place to visit in the winter for those trying to escape the cold of the rest of Japan, or perfect for a tropical getaway in the heat of summer to indulge in all kinds of watersports. For more: http://www.jref.com/travel/okinawa/

• published: 09 Sep 2014
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