Sunayama Beach

Sunayama is situated in the north of Miyako-jima Island which is part of Japan’s tropical Okinawa Prefecture. This pleasant little white sand beach is immediately identifiable by the rock arch at the southern end of the beach. The arch was formed by the exposed coral reef being eroded by the sea over the centuries.
Besides the arch, Sunayama beach’s main feature is its powdery white sand, and the sheer quantity of it. The name means “sand mountain beach” and there is little in the way of exaggeration - to get down to the shoreline you must firs ascend the mountainous sand dune that sits behind the beach. Once on the beach Sunayama is a great place to unwind and is generally fairly quiet.

The water is here invitingly warm and the beautiful turquoise colour found throughout Okinawa. The Miyako islands are regarded as one of the best diving destinations in the world with 100s of species of coral along with sea turtles, whale sharks, manta rays and various tropical fish to be found in the crystal clear water. Whilst snorkelling is a highlight of a visit to Sunayama care must be taken; the waves can be powerful here and with this comes strong undercurrents.
A less energetic and more romantic option is to take in the amazing sunsets that can be seen here.