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Okinawa Itinerary: 7 Epic Days of Things to do in Okinawa Honto

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Okinawa Honto, is the main island and the largest island in the Okinawa Prefecture. It has ALOT to offer and is best known for its incredible beaches and reefs. What you will discover in this Itinerary is Okinawa has more to offer than just its coastline. So, let’s dive into this guide to soak up the best of Okinawa. Included below, you will find our TOP 10 things to do in Okinawa and an awesome 7-day Okinawa itinerary to make your visit unforgettable!

Beach shot from Okinawa Honto

Table of contents

Top 12 x Things to Do in Okinawa Honto

  1. Day Tour to the Outer Reef and nearby Islands!
  2. Hire a car and explore Okinawa’s BEST beaches (checkout our map below)
  3. Visit Naha’s Naminoue Shrine and Beach.
  4. Shop and dine at Chatan’s American Village.
  5. Wander through Naha’s Fukushuen Garden.
  6. Explore Kokusai Street, Naha’s main street lined shops, restaurants, and street vendors selling local crafts, souvenirs, and delicious Okinawan cuisine.
  7. Be amazed at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the world.
  8. Snorkel or Dive Blue Cave and Cape Maeda. 
  9. Visit Okinawa World Cultural Experience & The Gyokusendo Cave.
  10. Escape to a private island – Aji Island.
  11. Cross the famous Okinawa bridges.
  12. Visit Ojima Island known as Cat Island.

Download our Pinned Okinawa Honto Map:

Okinawa Map

7-Day Itinerary for Okinawa Honto

Day 1: Arrive to Okinawa and Explore Naha (Okinawa Itinerary)

For the first part of our Okinawa Honto Itinerary, we suggest basing yourself in the capital of Okinawa, Naha. Naha is a great base for exploring Okinawa’s other nearby islands by ferry or day tour, as well as enjoying some of the city’s highlights.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS for Days 1-4 of your Okinawa Itinerary:

1. LUXURY OPTION: Hotel Collective Naha Okinawa Honto

Hotel Collective Naha is located in the center of Kokusai Dori Street and is a modern 5-star property with a beautiful pool, spa, gym, and modern large rooms. Hotel Collective also has on onsite bar and restaurant.

Hotel Collective Naha Okinawa
Hotel Collective Naha Okinawa Honto
Hotel Collective Naha Okinawa Honto

2. BUDGET OPTION: Art Stay Naha Okinawa

We loved our stay at the Art Stay Naha. Its location was meters from Kokusai Street and what we LOVED the most was all the FREE add-ons. Every evening between 3.30-10.30 they offered a FREE SAKE bar, Beer, snacks, Ice Cream and other delicious drinks!

Where to stay in Okinawa Honto Main Island

We have taken the hard work out of finding Where to stay in your Okinawa Honto itinerary & curated a list of the BEST and most central hotels across the whole island.

  • Morning: Arrive at Naha Airport and check into your hotel.
  • Afternoon: Start your exploration with a visit to Kokusai Street for lunch and a spot of shopping. After a few hours of exploring, wander down to Naminoue Shrine and beach for the late afternoon.
  • Evening: Dinner at Kokusaidor Norengai, a casual dining venue with a variety of venues serving local dishes including Tacos and Taco themed dishes.
Naminoue Shrine and beach - 7 Day Okinawa Itinerary & things to do in Okinawa
Things to do in Okinawa Kokusaidor Norengai restaurants

Day 2: Continue to explore Naha and surrounding islands (Okinawa Itinerary)

  • Day Tour: On todays itinerary, you will explore the outer islands and reefs of in an all-day excursion. This was an absolute highlight for us, and the snorkeling here will be the best you see for the entire trip! We went on this tour: Kerama Islands 1-Day Snorkeling Tour
  • Evening: Enjoy some local authentic dishes and explore the Kokusai Street Food Village, located adjacent to Kokusai Street, tucked away in an Alleyway.

Day 3: Continue to explore Okinawa’s Capital Naha (Okinawa Itinerary)

  • Morning: Today you will spend the morning exploring the beautiful Fukushuen Garden.
  • Afternoon: Visit the trendy and fun vending machine bar / cafe @4kleft which is hidden behind a vending machine.
  • Evening: Tonight is your choice, pick one of the local restaurants in Naha or even take in a Show.
Fukushuen Garden things to do in Okinawa - 7 day itinerary Okinawa
Fukushuen Garden things to do in Okinawa - 7 day itinerary Okinawa
Things to do in Okinawa - 7 day itinerary Okinawa

Day 4: Northern Okinawa Adventure (Okinawa Itinerary)

For the next part of this 7-Day Okinawa itinerary you will need to HIRE A CAR. We always use a 3rd party website to hire a car, like Rentalcars.com. It will search ALL available rental cars from ALL the companies and give you the best price.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS for Days 4 – 7 of your Okinawa Itinerary:

1. LUXURY OPTION: Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island

Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island Okinawa how can you beat this unique location… Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island is a 5-star hotel with all the features and luxury you come to expect at a Hyatt branded property.

2. BUDGET OPTION: Hotel Miyuki Beach

Hotel Miyuki Beach if you are looking for a more budget friendly beachfront resort, then Hotel Miyuki is the perfect choice. It offers a beautiful private beach, onsens with views of the ocean and a swimming pool. Rooms include a Tatami area overlooking the ocean

Day 4: Onna and Chatan (Okinawa Itinerary)

  • Morning: Arrive to your accommodation in Onna, and spend the morning, relaxing and exploring your hotel and the beach.
  • Afternoon / Evening: Head to Chatan’s American Village for an afternoon and evening of exploring, shopping and dining.
American Village Chatan Okinawa
American Village Chatan Okinawa

Day 5: Northern Okinawa Adventure (Okinawa Itinerary)

  • Morning: Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: Spend a few hours exploring the exhibits including the whale shark aquarium. You can grab your tickets with the link below, so you don’t have to line up and use our code (TRAVELLIVNKLOOK) to get up to 10% off: Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
  • Afternoon: Pick a few beach stops on the northern coast, from our map to explore. Our pick would be the Blue Cave and Cape Maeda region.
  • Evening: Enjoy a traditional dinner at a local restaurant in the northern region or at your Hotel.

SUGGESTED TOURS for Day 5 of your Okinawa Itinerary:

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Day 6: Eastern Okinawa Exploration (Okinawa Itinerary)

  • Morning: Spend the morning either exploring some of the best beaches on the eastern side of Okinawa (refer to our map), or catch a boat over to Aji Private Island (Tickets can be bought at the jetty for 4000 yen per person)
  • Afternoon: Okinawa World Culture experience and the Gyokusendo Cave. You can get your tickets here and save up to 10% by using our code: TRAVELLIVNKLOOK , click here Okinawa World
  • Evening: Choose a local restaurant for you last meal.

Day 7: Departure day and the end of your Okinawa Itinerary

  • Morning: Check out of your hotel and head to Naha Airport for your departure.

Continue your Okinawa Itinerary

If you want to extend your Okinawa itinerary, you might consider adding a visit to some of the more remote islands, such as Kerama Island, Kume, or Zamami by ferry, or Miyakojima and Ishigaki Island by flight.

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