Okuma Beach
Best for. Naturalists and those after rest who want a long, calm, uncrowded northern beach beside the wild Yanbaru forest, paired with birding and slow forest drives, not a busy central resort scene.
Best spot. The quiet end of the sand in the early morning, with the forest behind and the calm shallows ahead, before the day warms and the swim area fills.
Know this. It is a long drive north and run as a resort beach, so day access can be limited and is to be confirmed. The reward is real quiet and rare wildlife close by.
Okuma is the beach you drive a long way for, and it is honest to say the distance is the point. It lies far up at Kunigami, near the top of the main island, a long, clean sweep of pale sand on a coast that the central resort crowds rarely reach, backed not by towers but by the green wall of Yanbaru, the wild forested north of Okinawa. The water is calm and clear in the sheltered shallows, the sand is broad and quiet even in season, and the whole place keeps a slow, restful air that the busy beaches of Onna and Chatan have long since lost. For a traveller who measures a beach by its peace and its setting, this is one of the finest on the island.
The honest catch is twofold. First, it is run as a resort beach, so the managed swim area, the loungers and the marine activities are organised around the resort, and day access for non guests can be limited and changes with the season, which is why we mark passes and prices as to be confirmed rather than promise them. Second, it is genuinely remote, roughly two hours by car from Naha, and there is no train, so reaching it is a commitment and a half day of driving in itself. Come expecting a quick dip near the city and it makes no sense. Come for a night or two in the north, and it comes into its own.
For a naturalist the setting is the whole reward. Yanbaru is a national park and one of the most important wild habitats in Japan, home to creatures found nowhere else, the flightless Okinawa rail picking through the undergrowth, the rare Okinawa woodpecker in the old forest, mangroves and a chorus of birds, so the beach becomes the calm edge of a genuinely wild place. Pair your swim with a slow forest drive and a careful walk, go gently on the roads at dawn and dusk when animals cross, keep to the marked paths and carry your litter out, because this is fragile country. Swim inside the marked area, treat conditions as typical rather than guaranteed, and let Okuma be what it is, the quiet, wild edged northern beach where Okinawa slows right down. For a livelier, easier resort day, the central Onna coast is the place instead.
A quiet resort beach
Okuma is run as a resort beach on the far north coast rather than a daybed club, with a managed swim and marine activities and day access set by the operator. The fuller club style days of Okinawa sit on the central Onna coast. We describe what is here honestly and mark anything we cannot verify as to be confirmed. To plan a resort style day, start with the Okinawa clubs guide.
Photo: オクマ プライベートビーチ ＆ リゾート via GoogleOkuma resort beach and marine menu
The serviced side here is the resort, with a managed netted swim, loungers, showers and seasonal marine activities such as kayaking and snorkelling trips along the quiet north coast. Day access for non guests, passes, activities and prices are set by the operator and change with the season, so treat every figure and the day use policy as to be confirmed and check ahead before driving up.
Yanbaru forest and birdlife
Behind the beach rises Yanbaru, the wild forested north and a national park, home to the flightless Okinawa rail, the rare Okinawa woodpecker, mangroves and a wealth of birds. It is not a venue but the reason a naturalist comes north, a fragile habitat to walk gently and drive slowly through. Keep to marked paths, watch for animals at dawn and dusk, and carry out what you bring.
Manza on the Onna coast
For a livelier resort day with a fuller marine menu and an easier drive, the central Onna coast is the place, with resort beaches such as Manza below its famous cliff running loungers, activities and seasonal day passes. It is busier than Okuma but quicker to reach. Operators, seasons and prices are set by the venues and are to be confirmed.
Kunigami, the wild north
Okuma Beach lies at Kunigami in the far north of the main island of Okinawa, about two hours by car from Naha, taking the expressway to Nago and then Route 58 up the coast. There is no train, so a car is the practical way, and the scenic drive past the forest is part of the day. The remote setting is the reason the beach stays so quiet.
Plan a night or two in the north, check the resort day access before you set out, and swim inside the marked area in season. Drive slowly on the forest roads at dawn and dusk, keep to marked paths and carry your litter out, as this is fragile country. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Photo: オクマ プライベートビーチ ＆ リゾート via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or resort day at a serviced beach in Okinawa, on the quiet north coast or the central Onna coast. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Okuma Beach
Is Okuma Beach in northern Okinawa worth visiting?
Yes, for quiet and nature. Okuma is a long, calm resort beach on the far north coast at Kunigami, beside the wild Yanbaru forest, with white sand, gentle water and far fewer crowds than the central resorts. The trade is the long drive north and that the beach is run as a resort, so day access can be limited. For the naturalist it is one of the most restful and wild edged beaches on the island.
Can you swim at Okuma Beach?
Yes, in the calm shallows during the swimming season, which runs about April to October with a netted swim area and lifeguard cover typical of the resort beaches. The water is gentle and clear. Swim inside any marked area, follow the staff, and treat conditions as typical and never guaranteed. Outside the season the swim area is usually closed though the sand stays open.
Is Okuma Beach a public or resort beach?
Okuma is run as a resort beach on the north coast, so the swim area, loungers and marine activities are managed for resort guests and day visitors where allowed. Day access, passes and prices are set by the operator and are to be confirmed. The sand itself sits on a quiet stretch of coast near the Yanbaru forest, far from the central crowds.
What wildlife is near Okuma Beach?
Okuma sits at the edge of Yanbaru, the wild forested north of Okinawa and a national park, home to rare birds such as the flightless Okinawa rail and the Okinawa woodpecker, along with mangroves and rich birdlife. Drive slowly on the forest roads, especially at dawn and dusk when animals cross, and keep to marked paths to tread lightly in this fragile habitat.
How do you get to Okuma Beach?
Okuma Beach is at Kunigami in the far north of the main island, about two hours by car from Naha, taking the expressway to Nago and then Route 58 up the coast. There is no train, so a car is the practical way, and the drive itself is scenic. The remote setting is the reason the beach stays so quiet.
Is Okuma or Manza Beach better?
They suit different travellers. Okuma is the quieter, wilder northern resort beach, long and calm and close to the Yanbaru forest, best for nature and rest. Manza, on the central Onna coast, is a polished resort beach with a famous cliff and a fuller marine menu, busier and easier to reach. For solitude choose Okuma, for a lively resort day choose Manza.
