Iriomote, Yubu and Taketomi Island Tour Including Water Buffalo Cart Ride
Ishigaki, Japan
Trip Type: Day Trips
Duration: 8 hours
Tour three Okinawa Islands on this full-day tour via a ferry round-trip from Ishigaki. On Iriomote Island, take a mangrove cruise on the Nakama River followed by a buffalo cart ride to Yubu Island. Stroll the botanical garden and enjoy a Japanese lunch before taking a bus tour through the village of Taketomi Island. The trip to the third island is topped off with the sight of magical star-shaped sand and the sounds of traditional Okinawan songs.
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Tour three Okinawa Islands on this full-day tour via a ferry round-trip from Ishigaki. On Iriomote Island, take a mangrove cruise on the Nakama River followed by a buffalo cart ride to Yubu Island. Stroll the botanical garden and enjoy a Japanese lunch before taking a bus tour through the village of Taketomi Island. The trip to the third island is topped off with the sight of magical star-shaped sand and the sounds of traditional Okinawan songs.
Make your way to the tour office in the morning to pick up ferry tickets and receive a detailed briefing on your full-day tour of three Yaeyama islands off Okinawa. Then depart the Ishigaki Port ferry terminal for a 50-minute boat ride to Ohara Port on Iriomote Island, where a local guide greets you.
Once you arrive at Ohara Port, you will join a Japanese-speaking guided tour. Throughout the day, you are met and accompanied by a different English-speaking assistant who provides limited translation for each activity. In addition, you'll receive a booklet with descriptions of attractions on your tour itinerary.
First, embark on a cruise along the Nakama River, situated amid Japan's largest mangrove forest. During your 70-minute boat tour, consult your booklet about the flora and fauna that inhabit the area.
Following the mangrove cruise it’s a 15-minute bus ride to Mihara, the boarding point for your 15-minute water buffalo cart ride to Yubu Island. Travel through a shallow water to reach Yubu Island, where you can explore the botanical garden and enjoy a Japanese-style lunch in the island's only restaurant. After 1.5 hours, return by water buffalo cart to Iriomote and ride the bus back to Ohara Port, where you’ll catch the afternoon ferry to Taketomi Island.
Upon arrival, take a 30-minute guided bus tour around Taketomi, gazing out at traditional one-story buildings with red-tiled roofs. The tour includes a stop at Star Sand Beach to see otherworldly star-shaped granules formed from the shells of tiny crustaceans. You'll also learn more about the features of Taketomi Island at Yugafu-kan, a visitor's center.
Afterward, enjoy a second water buffalo ride of the day. During a 30-minute tour through the village of Taketomi, listen as your guide plays the sanshin (a traditional Okinawan instrument) and sings traditional Okinawan songs. When you reach Taketomi Port, you’ll return by ferry to Ishigaki, marking the end of your tour in the early evening.
Please note: A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.
Click on “View Additional Info” for the meeting locations.
Click on “View Additional Info” for the meeting locations.
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