Hateruma, Japan’s southernmost inhabited island, lies further south than Taiwan’s capital. That surprises people who think of East Asia as cold: the Ryukyu chain runs south from Kyushu for over 1,000 km to Yonaguni, within sight of Taiwan on a clear day, and its coral reefs and white sand are as tropical as anything in Southeast Asia.
The best beaches are in that subtropical belt: Okinawa Island and the Kerama Islands, Miyakojima and Ishigaki, Taiwan’s Kenting, Penghu and Green Island, and Sanya on China’s Hainan Island. Further north the islands change character: volcanic Jeju in Korea, the rainforest of Yakushima, and shrine islands like Miyajima and Enoshima.
Swimming season is short in the north, July and August only, and long in the south, April to October. Typhoons are the main planning risk from July to October.
At a Glance#
- Best reefs and water: the Kerama Islands off Naha, Miyakojima and Ishigaki in southern Okinawa.
- Island culture: water-buffalo carts on Taketomi, the Tao people of Orchid Island and the art islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
- Volcanic islands: Jeju with Hallasan and black-lava coves, and Udo off its east coast.
- Easy city beaches: Busan’s Haeundae and Gwangalli, Enoshima and Kamakura near Tokyo, and Lamma or Cheung Chau from Hong Kong.
- Resort sun in winter: Sanya on Hainan, warm enough to swim from November to March.
- Diving: hammerheads off Yonaguni in winter, mantas at Ishigaki and turtles at Xiaoliuqiu in Taiwan.
- When to go: April to June and October for Okinawa and Taiwan; July and August for Korea and mainland Japan; avoid typhoon peaks in August and September.
Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands#
Okinawa Island has resort beaches on the west coast and the Churaumi Aquarium in the north, but the best water is offshore. The Kerama Islands, under an hour by fast ferry from Naha, are known for “Kerama blue” water, sea turtles and winter whale watching from Zamami and Tokashiki.
Fly from Naha or Tokyo to Miyakojima for Yonaha Maehama, a 7 km stretch of fine white sand, and the bridges to Irabu and Ikema. Ishigaki is the hub of the Yaeyama Islands: snorkel with manta rays, then take a short ferry to Taketomi, a village of red-tiled houses and sandy lanes, or to jungle-covered Iriomote. Swimming is banned at Ishigaki’s famous Kabira Bay because of currents and boats; use the glass-bottom boats instead. Yonaguni draws divers for hammerhead sharks from about December to March, and Hateruma has Nishihama, one of Japan’s most beautiful beaches. Our Japan islands and beaches guide ranks them all.
Mainland Japan#
Japan’s other islands are about culture as much as sand. Miyajima, 10 minutes by ferry from Miyajimaguchi near Hiroshima, has the torii of Itsukushima Shrine standing in the sea; visitors pay a 100 yen tax on leaving. Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima in the Seto Inland Sea are art islands reached from Okayama or Takamatsu. Yakushima, 2 to 3 hours by jetfoil from Kagoshima, is moss forest and ancient cedars rather than beaches. Closest to Tokyo, Enoshima and the Shonan beaches at Kamakura are packed in July and August.
Jeju and South Korea#
Jeju Island is Korea’s holiday island, an hour’s flight from Seoul: black basalt coast, green-water beaches at Hyeopjae and Hamdeok, the tuff cone of Seongsan Ilchulbong for sunrise, and Hallasan in the middle. A 15-minute ferry from Seongsan port reaches Udo, with white coral-sand beaches and cycling lanes. Official beach seasons, with lifeguards, run roughly from early July to late August.
On the mainland, Busan has city beaches at Haeundae and Gwangalli, and the south coast around Tongyeong, Geoje and Yeosu is a maze of islands in Hallyeohaesang National Park. Remote Ulleungdo in the East Sea has cliffs and clear water. See South Korea islands and beaches.
Taiwan#
Kenting, at Taiwan’s southern tip, has the island’s warmest water, coral coast and surf, plus a busy night market. Off the east coast, Green Island has reefs and a rare saltwater hot spring, and Orchid Island is home to the Tao people and their carved canoes; both are reached by ferry or small plane from Taitung. Xiaoliuqiu, a short ferry ride from Donggang near Kaohsiung, is one of the easiest places in Asia to snorkel with green turtles.
Penghu in the Taiwan Strait has basalt columns, windsurfing in the windy autumn and winter months, and a fireworks festival over the bay through spring and summer. More in Islands and beaches in Taiwan.
Hainan and mainland China#
Sanya on Hainan Island is China’s tropical resort, with big hotels on Yalong Bay, Haitang Bay and Dadonghai and duty-free shopping. It is the only place in the region warm enough for a beach holiday in winter. On the coast of Fujian, Gulangyu off Xiamen is a car-free island of colonial villas, a World Heritage Site where you book the ferry with your passport. Putuoshan in the Zhoushan Islands is one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains, and Weizhou Island off Guangxi has volcanic cliffs. In the north, Qingdao and Beidaihe are summer seaside towns. See Islands and beaches in China.
Hong Kong and Macau#
Hong Kong has more than 250 islands. Ferries from Central reach Lamma for a coastal walk and seafood lunch, and Cheung Chau for its May bun festival. Lantau has quiet beaches at Pui O, and the Sai Kung peninsula, reached from Sai Kung Town, has the cleanest sand in Tai Long Wan. In Macau, Coloane has the black-sand Hac Sa beach. More in Hong Kong islands and beaches.
When to go#
In Okinawa and Taiwan the sea is warm from April to November; April to June and October are the sweet spots, between the cool winter and the typhoon peak. Japan’s early-summer rains reach Okinawa in May and June. Korea, mainland Japan and northern China swim only in July and August. Sanya is best from November to April.
Typhoons and ferries
Typhoons hit Okinawa, Taiwan, Hainan and Hong Kong mainly from July to October, peaking in August and September. Ferries and flights stop for one to three days when a storm passes, so leave a buffer day before any international flight.
Costs and getting there#
Most islands are reached by short flights or ferries. Naha and Ishigaki have cheap domestic flights from Tokyo and Osaka, and some international ones. Jeju is one of the busiest air routes in the world, with flights from Seoul every few minutes. Hotels on Japanese and Korean islands cost more than city hotels in July and August and fill up for Japan’s Golden Week (late April to early May) and Obon (mid-August), so book early. Sanya’s big resorts are cheapest outside Chinese New Year.
Best islands and beaches in East Asia#
More Things to Do#
East Asia islands and beaches FAQs#
Where are the best beaches in East Asia?
In southern Okinawa: the Kerama Islands, Miyakojima and the Yaeyama Islands around Ishigaki. Kenting and Penghu in Taiwan and Sanya on Hainan are the best alternatives.
Is Okinawa or Jeju better for a beach holiday?
Okinawa, for warmer water, coral reefs and a longer season from April to October. Jeju is better for volcanic scenery, hiking Hallasan and food, but its beaches are only warm in July and August.
When is typhoon season in East Asia?
July to October, with the peak in August and September, affecting Okinawa, Taiwan, Hainan, Hong Kong and southern Japan. Ferries and flights stop for a day or more when a storm passes.
Can you swim in winter anywhere in East Asia?
Sanya on Hainan Island is the reliable choice from November to March. Okinawa is mild in winter but the water is cool, and winter is better there for whale watching and diving.
How do I get to the Kerama Islands?
Fast ferries leave Tomari port in Naha for Zamami, Aka and Tokashiki and take under an hour. Slower ferries cost less and take about two hours, so book ahead in summer.
What is the best island near Tokyo?
Enoshima, an hour by train, with shrines, caves and the Shonan beaches. For real island scenery, the Izu Islands are a few hours by jetfoil or ferry from Tokyo.