Nature left alone
This is the western entrance to Nagahama Beach. It gives you the feeling that somewhere like this escaped development altogether. Carry on past the rock at the right of the photograph and the beach opens out.
BeachNorthern Okinawa (Nakijin)
Nagahama Beach
A long natural beach ringed by the huge rocks only Okinawa has
A vast natural beach ringed by the huge rocks only Okinawa has. The water is outstandingly clear and richly coloured, and the limestone formed from accumulated coral gives the place a character of its own.
Clarity
4/5
Colour
4/5
Views
5/5
Shade
3/5
Facilities
0/5
Unspoilt
5/5
Highlights
A landscape of rock that only Okinawa has
Vast limestone formations sit all around, giving the place a character of its own. That limestone is said to have built up over a very long time from the skeletons and shells of coral and other lime-forming creatures.
A superb barbecue spot
There is a large rock at the eastern end of the beach too, which casts shade on a clear day. The atmosphere there is wonderful — it makes you want to barbecue and stay a while. See Camping and barbecues below.
Good to Know
Water clarity and gradation
The water is clearer here than at most beaches. At Nagahama and neighbouring Akabaka Beach, the reef edge shelters the shore from ocean swell and the sand grains are large, so sand does not stir up into the water. The gradation is finer than elsewhere too. On a clear summer day you get three layers of colour with real depth: clear blue at the water's edge, emerald green out to the reef edge, and deep blue beyond the reef.
Shade
As noted above, the large rock at the eastern end of the beach casts shade. Waves have eaten away at its base into something like a small cave, which has a mysterious feel to it.
Swimming and snorkelling
The reef edge is several hundred metres out, and the water stays around adult hip depth the whole way. It does not drop away suddenly, so children can swim here safely. No swimming area is marked even in summer and there are no lifeguards, so you are free to snorkel. That said, the fish you see easily are small ones of a few to a dozen or so centimetres. The coral where larger fish gather is inside the reef edge, but more than 200 metres from the water's edge.
Toilets, showers, foot rinse and changing rooms
The toilets are at the eastern entrance to the beach. They are public toilets in the plainest sense and not especially well maintained. There are no showers or foot rinse, so it is worth bringing water in a container or bottles. There is no changing room either, so bring a tent if you need to change properly.
Water sports
The water at Nagahama is too shallow for jet skis, so the range of water sports on offer is limited. The pick of them is stand-up paddle, shown in the photograph — the shallow water means falling off is nothing to worry about. There is no water sports desk at the beach, so book in advance through Nice Time Okinawa or similar.
Equipment hire
No shop hires out parasols or rings, even in summer. Bring whatever you need.
Camping and barbecues
The rock shade at the eastern end of the beach is the barbecue spot — a natural roof that could wake some sleeping prehistoric memory. Camping would be possible, but with only toilets on site and the danger of pitching a tent near the water's edge, it is not something I would recommend to beginners.
Restaurants and shops
There are no restaurants or shops beside the beach. On a fine day it is a pleasure to buy an Okinawan-style bento at Hokuzan Shop, eight minutes by car and eat it on the sand. For a sit-down meal, Tasora no Eki Haso Park, ten minutes away has an unfussy local feel; Lion Shokudo, seven minutes away does smarter set meals; and for Okinawa soba it is worth going the fifteen minutes to Kajimaya.
Beach yoga
We do not run beach yoga at Nagahama Beach. The nearest beach where we do is 21st Century Forest Beach, 40 minutes away by car.
Note
Apart from the lack of swimming facilities, there are no drawbacks. If anything, this is a beach where you hope nobody ever builds anything artificial.
Information
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Last checked: September 2018
In Japanese (for maps, taxis and car navigation): 長浜ビーチ 沖縄県国頭郡今帰仁村諸志７４４
Morning and evening yoga
at Nagahama Beach
We run beach yoga here too. Check availability and book in a few steps.