experience・tourism 2023.12.03

Cape Maeda (Blue Cave) is the most famous snorkeling spot on the main island of Okinawa.

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左右田 知子

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Born in 1979 in Kanagawa Prefecture. Rough personality but serious. Moved to Okinawa on a whim and opened a cafe. Fascinated by the sea and people, he is still enjoying Okinawan life with a fresh feeling even after more than 10 years. She loves the ocean, traveling, tableware, and trying new foods.

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As a diver who is fascinated by the sea of ​​Okinawa, I would like to introduce this to you. The spectacular view spot “Maeda Misaki” and the “Blue Cave” will tickle your sense of adventure!

A mysterious blue world created by the shining light

Isn’t it exciting just to enter a cave? What’s more, when you go deeper into the cave and turn around…you’ll be captivated by the sparkling blue light. You can encounter such mysterious scenery in a cave that you can swim to from Cape Maeda in Onna Village, located in central Okinawa.

Photo by oasis divers

Whether scuba diving or snorkeling

Although this cave is underwater, the upper part is above sea level, so you can enjoy snorkeling as well. You can also scuba dive into the cave and rise to the surface.

A blue space created by sunlight, the white calcareous seabed, and excellent transparency. Depending on the direction of sunlight and where you look at it, such as underwater or on the water’s surface, it shows various blue colors such as turquoise blue and marine blue.

Photo by oasis divers

The clear sea and fish inside and outside the cave will soothe you.

There are many fish inside the cave, and together with the light, it creates a mysterious world. Many of the guides bring cameras with them, so you can take pictures of wonderful memories with the fish!

Photo by oasis divers

Some people might get nervous if they suddenly jump into deep water, but don’t worry. It gets deeper once you go a little offshore, but the inside of the cave and near the entrance are about 6 meters deep and the transparency is good, so you can clearly see the ocean floor, and I think even people trying snorkeling for the first time can enjoy it without fear! There are many popular clownfish and colorful fish around the cave, so there’s plenty to look forward to along the way.

Photo by oasis divers

There are 2 ways to get there

There are two ways to get to the cave: by boat or beach entry. If you take a boat from a nearby port to the cave and then swim into the cave, you can enjoy a short 10-minute cruise, and the swimming distance is short, so it’s easy.

For those who are worried about entering the deep sea from a boat, or those who would like to enjoy the scenery from land, it may be better to enter the sea from Cape Maeda. You can reach the cave by swimming about 150m. However… please keep in mind that there are about 100 steps at the entrance from the cape to the sea.

By the way, I didn’t have any problems snorkeling, but walking up and down these stairs carrying diving equipment on my back caused a lot of muscle pain for several days.

Spectacular views from Cape Maeda overlooking the wide ocean

I mentioned earlier that there are stairs to enter the sea from Cape Maeda, but Cape Maeda is also attractive. There is a beautiful plaza on the other side of the diving shop and management office, and from the gazebo beyond that, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the west coast. If you are lucky, you might be able to see whales from February to March.

You can also step down a bit from the storyline. The narrow path covered with plants is perfect for a walk, and once you get off the water, you can enjoy a beautiful view a little closer to the water’s surface.

Cape Maeda has facilities such as showers and lockers, and there is also a shop where you can purchase snacks and ice cream. You can relax here before and after entering the sea.

If you want to go to the Blue Cave, use a tour.

The view of Cape Maeda is nice, but if you go here, you should also see the Blue Cave!

Anyone can check the sea conditions based on the color of the flags being raised, but unless you are very experienced, it is better to use a diving shop or tour from a safety standpoint.

There are a variety of options available, including marine walk tours, free diving tours, and tours that take you to the vicinity of caves by sea kayak. Choose the style that suits your taste and go on a small adventure experience!

Recommended points from our writer

Personally, my favorite time is October to early November, outside of the top season. Sea conditions here are said to be stable from June to early September, but July and August are especially crowded, with the stairs at Cape Maeda becoming clogged with people, and the inside of the cave not being very spacious, there are times when the inside is full of people.
Also, if many people come and go, the visibility will be slightly affected, so if you want to see it at its best, we recommend visiting in the morning!

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