When most people think of diving in Okinawa, the Blue Cave is almost always the first thing that comes to mind. Whether it's a discover scuba experience, snorkeling, or a Fun Dive, anyone who has ever looked up Okinawa diving will be familiar with it. To be honest, after I got my dive certification in 2015, I headed to Okinawa on my own, randomly booked a local dive shop through a tourist information center brochure, and was taken straight to the Blue Cave for a Fun Dive. The Blue Cave is celebrated as a world-class dive site and is truly ideal for those just stepping into the world of diving — abundant fish, beautiful light effects inside the cavern, and a variety of Clownfish and coral reefs visible right in the shallows. If you're a beginner, this is the number one dive site to visit!
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Okinawa's Hidden Dive Gems
But what I want to introduce today is Cape Hedo (辺戸岬), located at the very northern tip of Okinawa's main island — mysterious and absolutely spectacular! If you're not a complete beginner and, like me, love exploring off-the-beaten-path dive sites, you absolutely cannot miss what I'm about to share! Who says the Okinawa main island only has the Blue Cave!? Keep following my lead — Let's go!
First, I need to go over a few important notes. Because this area involves small boat departures, drift diving, and deep diving, it is not well-suited for beginner divers. Details are as follows:
Difficulty: Advanced Dive style: Boat dive drift diving (no anchoring) Recommended qualifications: AOW 50+ dives / experience with boat drift diving / good neutral buoyancy / bring your own dive computer and know how to use it, and understand what Deco means (says the very naggy instructor — that's me). Note: As this dive involves entering a dark, enclosed space, it is not recommended for anyone with claustrophobia.
Feeling like giving up after reading all that!? No — please don't worry at all. For beginners, keep building your skills — places like the Kerama Islands or the Blue Cave are already wonderfully luxurious training grounds. And for the more experienced divers out there, feel free to book those flights right now!
So let's talk about what's actually at these dive sites: Everyone who has visited Okinawa has heard of Gyokusendo Cave. But as a diver, if you don't know that there's a stalactite cave up north where you can explore underwater, you're really missing out!
辺戸 Domu (Stalactite Cave Dive Site)
A true cavern dive — the entrance sits at around 15m deep and is extremely dark. Once inside, you'll be treated to breathtaking stalactites said to have formed some 20,000 years ago!
The unique topography also creates a halocline inside the cave where freshwater and saltwater meet. Deep within the underwater stalactite cavern lies an air dome that only divers can ascend into — an utterly mysterious space. Rumor has it that a new species of cricket was discovered inside the air dome — a cricket with no eyes and no ability to make sound! Wasn't this supposed to be accessible only to divers? It's truly mind-boggling — how did a cricket even get in there?! You absolutely have to come dive this one; it's incredibly fascinating. The exit is a large, backlit opening, with schools of small snapper circling through from time to time — a hauntingly mysterious space all around!
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
Futagami-iwa (二神岩)
The depth here is around 40m, and the main features of this dive site are two massive reef rocks. Visibility is excellent, and since it's a drift dive, the formations look absolutely spectacular even from a distance. There are gorgeous soft coral walls here, along with frequent walls of large pelagic fish — tuna, fusiliers, and anthias — which never fail to send an inexplicable rush of excitement through me every time I visit! Divers have also spotted Whitetip Reef Sharks, Whale Sharks, and Humphead Wrasse here!!
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
Banta
About a 5-minute boat ride from the harbor, this site is often used as a check dive on the first dive of the day or as an alternative when wind conditions aren't favorable. The dive along the cliff face is genuinely fascinating! Maximum depth can extend to 50m, and when visibility is good it's truly breathtaking. Must-sees here include the dawn goby and the elegant deep-water goby — though note that the deeper ones require extra care to avoid entering deco! Schools of grouper-family fish and fusiliers make regular appearances, and there's always a chance of encountering large pelagic species too. This site has also reportedly seen Thresher Sharks!!
photo credit Takatsuki
photo credit Takatsuki
Of course there are more dive sites beyond these three — but these three alone are already classics! If you're looking to dive somewhere a little different, keep following my updates! Beautiful Okinawa has so much more to offer beyond the Blue Cave. If you're a diver with a bit of experience under your belt, I really do recommend making a special dive trip to Okinawa. Feel free to hit me up for insider tips anytime!
About Diver_Olive's Diving Journey
2015 — Earned OW certification in Orchid Island 2016 — Took a year off from diving 2017 — Joined a dive group and earned AOW (Dive trips to Green Island / Orchid Island / Xiaoliuqiu / Penghu / Okinawa / Cebu / PG / Sipadan) 2018 — Earned scuba instructor certification in Okinawa (PADI (certification agency) JAPAN) and passed the Japanese national dive professional exam Currently working at mic21 Okinawa Naha store (Feel free to consult me about diving in Okinawa!)
And of course, don't forget — mic21 Okinawa Naha Store and BlueTrend
have teamed up this year for a limited-time exclusive deal. When you're in Okinawa, shop till you drop!!!
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2019 mic21 Okinawa Naha Store Limited-Time Offer
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