7 Best Hotels in the Yaeyama Islands Surrounding Ishigaki Islands

About 3 hours and 10 minutes by plane from Haneda Airport. The Yaeyama Islands, which are located further south of the main island of Okinawa, are home to many remote islands rich in nature, centering on Ishigaki Island. Japan's southernmost Hateruma Island, Japan's westernmost Yonaguni Island, Iriomote Island, Kuroshima, Kohama Island, Taketomi Island, etc. A remote island with a lot of personality that seems to be similar everywhere. It is easily accessible by ferry, so why not enjoy island hopping from Ishigaki Island?

The Yaeyama Islands are made up of more than eight islands, but there are so many that you can't see them all, so we recommend choosing a hotel based on where you want to stay. You can choose a hotel where you can enjoy snorkeling or canoeing, choose a hotel where you can taste Okinawan meal, or choose a hotel based on the beauty of the sea. We have carefully selected recommended hotels in the Yaeyama Islands, where there are endless ways to enjoy yourself. Please use this as a reference when choosing a base for your trip.

If this is your first time in the Yaeyama Islands, head to Ishigaki Island first. ANA InterContinental Ishigaki Resort is close to Ishigaki Airport and the city center, making it the perfect first-time stay. Among them, the Club InterContinental, which opened in July 2020, is a luxurious accommodation building that has a reputation for being the most luxurious. In addition to being the most luxurious rooms in the resort, it also comes with a private wing and pool, allowing you to enjoy a higher level of relaxation.

The standard rooms at the Club InterContinental are a spacious 43.2㎡. You're sure to find a room you like, whether it's a room facing the garden or a room with a balcony overlooking the beautiful blue ocean. The bath amenities are from the popular cosmetics brand HARNN, and the soaps are carefully selected by a soap sommelier, making it more luxurious than other accommodation buildings. There are plenty of services to make your stay on Ishigaki Island even more luxurious.

Another attractive feature of staying at the Club InterContinental is the various benefits that come with it. At the Club InterContinental lounge, you can enjoy complimentary breakfast and afternoon tea made with local Okinawan ingredients, as well as cocktails and canapes, depending on the time of day. Of course, meal such as coffee, tea, and juice are also available. You can also check in and check out at the lounge, and the service concierge will provide you with tourist information, arrange tickets, and make restaurant reservations, so you can be sure of everything. You can easily plan your trip to Ishigaki Island.

The pool adjacent to the private wing is also a luxurious space exclusively available to Club InterContinental guests. It is set back a little from the main area, so you can relax in a quiet space away from the hustle and bustle. Why not relax by the elegant poolside?

About 10 minutes by ferry from Ishigaki Island. "Hotel Peace Island Taketomijima" is a cottage-type hotel located on Taketomi Island, surrounded by the beautiful sea and coral reefs, where the original scenery of Okinawa remains. All of the cottage-type rooms are built in a traditional Okinawan style with striking red bricks. You can enjoy your stay as if you were living on Taketomi Island. About 20 minutes on foot from Taketomi Port. We can also arrange a pick-up car from the port, so be sure to contact us in advance.

There are three types of guest rooms: standard twin rooms, connecting rooms, and family rooms. I'm happy that it can be used in a variety of situations, such as couples, married couples, families, and trips with three generations. The walls of the rooms are made with Okinawan traditional Ryukyu plaster, which absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. How about relaxing in a space where you can feel the warmth of natural materials?

Breakfast and dinner are served at the on-site restaurant, "Akabana." Enjoy meal made with local seasonal ingredients while looking out at the dazzling green courtyard. For dinner, you can also enjoy local brand beef, Ishigaki beef! The Ishigaki beef grilled in an iron pot is plentiful and will surely satisfy even meat lovers. Enjoy the rare taste of Ishigaki beef.

Haimurubushi (Kohamajima) Kohamajima is located on Kohamajima, which is located between Ishigakijima and Iriomotejima. This resort hotel is sure to satisfy both those who want to exercise their bodies with marine activities and those who want to relax in a quiet environment. In front of the hotel is Haimurubushi (Kohamajima) Beach, the largest coral reef in the northern hemisphere, Sekiseishoko. In addition, from the emerald green sea and the white sandy beach, you can see the islands of the Yaeyama Islands such as Taketomi Island, Kuroshima Island, and Aragusuku Island.

There is a wide variety of guest rooms available, from standard rooms to superior rooms and suites. For those who want to enjoy a luxurious stay, we recommend the suite rooms, which feature an outdoor bathtub where you can enjoy a view of the ocean. The traditional Ryukyu culture and warmth of wood can be felt throughout the rooms, which are spacious and comfortable, allowing you to relax comfortably. Enjoy a relaxing island experience on the vast grounds.

Umi Café is located in a perfect location overlooking the ocean. The atmosphere changes dramatically depending on the time of day, with “blue sky time” during the day and “starry sky time” at night. At night, you can enjoy wine and cocktails while gazing at the sky full of stars on the rooftop, so why not visit and make memories of your trip? You can meet a starry sky so beautiful that you can't even see it in Honshu.

If you are on Iriomote Island, which has been certified as a World Heritage Site, how about a wild “Iriomotejima-Jungle Hotel Painumaya” nestled in the jungle? On the street of "Oriental Galapagos", there are no private houses or shops around the hotel, only the jungle where nature spreads! You can enjoy the precious experience of staying in a subtropical forest. It is recommended for those who want to enjoy activities that can fully enjoy nature, and for family trips.

There are four types of guest rooms: standard rooms, deluxe rooms, Japanese-Western style resort rooms and cottages. The subtropical jungle spreads out from the balcony of every room except the cottage, and you will be healed by the chirping of birds and the murmuring of the natural river flowing in front of you. Owls sometimes come to the balcony at night! You can experience the nature of Iriomote Island, which has a rich ecosystem and nature, up close.

Painu Maya offers many nature experience programs that allow you to fully enjoy the vast subtropical nature of Iriomote Island. There are many exciting programs, such as canoe and kayak tours and trekking through the jungle, as well as tours to explore the island at night. Come and experience the feeling of adventure with your family, friends, partner, or spouse.

About 90% of the island is occupied by subtropical jungles of Iriomote Island. "La Tida Iriomote Resort" is a cottage-type resort hotel surrounded by this majestic nature, with a beautiful sea spread out in front of you. It takes about 10 minutes by car to Haemida no Hama, which is known as the longest beach on the island. During the day you can enjoy the beautiful sea and majestic nature, and at night you can enjoy an unobstructed sky full of stars. If the season and weather conditions are right, you may be able to see the Southern Cross and the Milky Way. The experience of being surrounded by stars will be a lifetime memory.

Enjoy breakfast at the 180-degree ocean view restaurant "Suou," and dinner at "Naikaemi Terrace," which serves Okinawan cuisine and alcohol. You can enjoy Okinawan cuisine made with plenty of fresh, locally caught fish, meat, and vegetables. Awamori is also a great accompaniment to the food. There is a wide variety of alcohol available, from the familiar drinks that islanders drink on a daily basis to vintage drinks and plum wine, so even alcohol lovers are sure to be satisfied. Be sure to enjoy the visually stunning, fresh, and delicious dishes to your heart's content.

The resort also has a natural onsen facility, Campanella no Yu. You can relax in onsen while gazing at the sky full of stars, and if the conditions are right from December to June, you can even see the Southern Cross from the bathtub. You can heal your fatigue slowly.

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Hakona ryokan is the first ryokan to open on Hateruma Island, the southernmost island of Japan. Inside the inn surrounded by sugar cane fields, you can feel the Okinawan atmosphere everywhere, and it is very comfortable. There are only 3 guest rooms that are based on white, and Ryukyu tatami mats are laid out, and there are shower booths and toilets. also fully equipped. The washing machine can be used for 200 yen once, so it is recommended for long-term stays.

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The accommodation plan basically includes breakfast. The healthy breakfast is made with rare ingredients unique to the island, such as green papaya and Otaniwatari, which has leaves that look like ornamental plants. It seems they are open. You may also get fish caught by the owner, who was originally from Hateruma Island and was a sushi chef.

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Yonaguni Island, located at the westernmost point of Japan, is a "border island" near Taiwan surrounded by precipitous cliffs. It is popular as a spot for diving and fishing, and you can also enjoy a horseback riding experience where you can come in contact with Yonaguni horses that are only found here on the island.
“Island Hotel Yonaguni” is one of the few resort hotels on Yonaguni Island. It is very close to Yonaguni Airport, about 3 minutes by car, and has a comfortable space in harmony with nature.

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There are basically three types of rooms: twin rooms, triple rooms, and deluxe rooms. It can accommodate 1 to 4 people, so it is suitable for a variety of occasions, such as traveling alone, with a lover, with friends, as a family, or as a couple. The spacious guest rooms are spacious enough for one person to relax. It's quiet at night so you can sleep soundly.

Ishigaki Island, which has become convenient due to development, and the Yaeyama Islands, where there are still many places where untouched nature remains. Each island has its own culture and traditions and is full of charm. For those who want to be healed by nature and enjoy activities, please consider island hopping in the Yaeyama Islands.