I cannot believe we have already been living in Okinawa for 8 months! In some ways it feels like we just got here and in other ways it feels like we have been here forever! We are having the most fun exploring this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific. Here are my 8 favorite things about Okinawa so far!
1. Okinawa’s Islands. Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu Islands that consist of about 55 islands in the Pacific. Our favorite islands so far are the Keramas! We visited Tokashiki Island last October for my birthday and it had the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.
2. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. This is by far the best aquarium I have ever been to. It is also known to be one of the best in the world. We loved the dolphin show and sea turtles outside the aquarium. The best exhibit was the whale sharks. We sat and watched them swim and it was such a beautiful sight to see. The drive up to the aquarium along the western coast of Okinawa is absolutely beautiful.
3. Oh..the Cafes. I have had the most fun exploring all the little cafes on this island. My friends and I love to meet for lunch and try a new cafe. For anyone new coming to the island..find a friend and start exploring the cafes as soon as you get here.
4. Tedake Falls. We loved visiting this waterfall. I will admit that the hike up to the falls was not as easy as I had imagined. I was having to climb and hang on to ropes in some spots but when you finally reach the amazing waterfall it is so worth it. The boys loved swimming in the falls and swinging from the ropes. It was such a fun day!
5. Scuba Diving. This is the one thing my boys were the most excited about doing when they moved here. They were able to get certified over Christmas vacation. I have never seen my boys so focused on learning something. They studied there guide books from cover to cover the first week of vacation and then completed their training and dives the next week. I was so proud of them. I’m hoping they will be able to dive all over the world!
6. Castle Ruins. My boys love visiting all the castle ruins on Okinawa. They love to learn about the history of the castles. It is amazing how they were able to build these castles so long ago without modern tools. The views from the castles are amazing.
7. Flower Festivals. I just love the beautiful flowers here on Okinawa. I love how the local farmers will share their fields of flowers with everyone. My boys know how much I love flowers so they go with me to the fields and even let me take their picture!
8. The Beaches. The beaches here in Okinawa are so beautiful. We have the best time exploring all the different beaches here. Each one has something unique that makes it special!
We have absolutely loved our first 8 months living in Okinawa! I can’t wait to see where the next 2 years takes us!