We went to Naha, Okinawa for the 3 day weekend in September. We were lucky to get one nice day at the beach before the typhoon came. September it is still quite sunny and nice outside but you do run the risk of typhoon season. We took Air Asia, which is a budget airline that had just started offering really affordable flights from Tokyo to Naha, Okinawa.
We were looking for a way to spend the afternoon and be pampered but not spend a fortune. We found a resort in Chatan that was about 45 minutes by car from Naha. It only cost us 1,000 yen for the entrance fee, which included a complimentary usage of Doctor Fish Therapy, access to various outdoor pools, changing rooms, the beach and outdoor baths. Doctor Fish therapy was quite an experience: you put your feet into small pools with baby carp that eat away the dead skin on your feet. Not for the squeamish!
I preferred the affordably priced massage and nail services that they offered. What’s great about the facilities is that is only a few steps away from Sunset Beach where you can enjoy relaxing in the gorgeous crystal blue Okinawan water. They have picnic tables and a play area, which would be a great place for a barbecue. If you get hungry and don’t feel like cooking, walk on over to the food stalls to grab a burger, taco rice or Spam omusubi. Taco rice is an Okinawan staple, rice with taco meat, lettuce, tomato and hot sauce. Spam omusubi is definitely something that you can only get in Okinawa, a slice of Spam wrapped around sushi rice. But if you have a sweet tooth, then try the delicious kakigori (shaved ice). They offer many flavors, anything from Melon and Passion fruit to Blue Hawaiian and Pineapple. After spending the day by the beach or pool you can walk over to American Village just next door to Chula-U where you can find various places to shop, eat and enjoy!
For our first few nights we stayed at Mercure Hotel in Naha City and then for our final 2 nights we stayed at Vessel Hotel Campana just next door to Chula-U. The Mercure was very affordable and very accessible to the monorail. Although the Campana Hotel does boast quite a fee for their rooms it was in a great location and had the best views of the ocean. We really enjoyed our time in Okinawa and can’t wait to go back again!
