Japan’s Ultimate Island Hopping Tour

8 days from £7,865 for 2023 per person

• Okinawa
• Yaeyama Islands

The 1,000 km Okinawa island chain extends from mainland Japan into the tropics, and the islands featured on this itinerary have some of the best beaches in the whole of Asia. Our favourite properties on these islands also stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in more established Asian destinations. Waters are warm year round, making this the perfect addition to any mainland Japan trip (or even a holiday in its own right for those who don't mind the amount of time in the air).

Fly from mainland Japan down to Okinawa main island, where the Busena Terrace Club Suites are the epitome of luxury with private outdoor pools with panoramic sea views. Ingenious features like the terrazo saltwater pool and access to all pools and restaurants in the sister hotel make this the perfect place to begin an exploration of the archipelago.

It's a short hop on to Ishigaki and a ferry to the idyllic little island of Taketomi in the tropics, where water buffalo and cart is still a form of transport, and life moves at a sedate pace at the charming all-villa Hoshinoya property and open terraces of little cafes in the nearby town. Kaiji beach with its star-shaped sand and the white sand stretch of Kondoi are refreshingly uncrowded even in high season.

Last but certainly not least, Miyakojima island has one of Asia's best kept secrets - the seven mile stretch of Yoneha beach which is regularly voted the best by Asian visitors but is little frequented by westerners. The Shigira property, with its range of suites and private villas on a secluded peninsula, is a beautifully designed property with every imaginable luxury from en suite private pools, steam rooms, sea turtles swimming in a 'lagoon' and even a hot spring swimming pool. Lap up the luxury and the panorama of the Pacific before flying back to Tokyo.

This tour is purely a suggested itinerary; it can be booked as it is, or alternatively used as a starting point for creating your own ideal tailor-made holiday in Japan. If you'd like to see similar trips, take a look at our favourite Beach and Scuba Diving itineraries as well as our Honeymoon and Ultimate Luxury collections.

The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.
G. K. Chesterton