【A Taiwanese Woman's Secret Okinawa Dive Spots】Yonaguni: Hammerhead Shark Storms & Underwater Ruins — A First-Hand Account

On a clear day, you can see Taiwan's silhouette from Yonaguni. After six years of diving experience, I finally conquered this mysterious dive destination so close to Taiwan — in 2020! Let me share my dive trip highlights with you.

First of all, how do you get to Yonaguni?

- For friends in Taiwan and Hong Kong: although Taiwan is very close to Yonaguni, there are currently no direct flights from Taiwan, so you'll need to fly to Ishigaki or Naha Airport and transfer. Flights from Naha depart around 7 a.m. and return flights are around 11 a.m. From Ishigaki, you have the choice of either a boat or a plane! - Back when Olive was still a beginner, I heard of divers chartering a plane to get there — but since I have no personal experience with that, let's call it a diving urban legend! 😅

Book accommodation first or book the dive shop first?

Warning ⚠️ You absolutely must secure accommodation before booking a dive shop. There are very limited places to stay on the island, and during peak season (December through early March) rooms are especially hard to come by! Here are a few accommodation recommendations to share with everyone!

The most luxurious option recommended by my Japanese diver friends: Ailand — I stayed here this time as well. The rooms are very spacious, clean, and quiet. The island bus stops here too. If budget is no object, Ailand is highly recommended — and there's even a bathtub to soak in.

Link: Ailand

Local guesthouse 与那国ゲストハウス フィエスタ — This guesthouse is right next to a dive shop. If you're willing to sleep in a bunk bed, it's really very affordable! I've heard the owner loves fishing and will sometimes cook the day's catch for guests!

Link: 与那国ゲストハウス フィエスタ

Dive shop accommodation よしまる荘 — The attached lodging of Yonaguni Diving Service (YDS). After chasing Hammerhead Sharks in the winter cold, you'll want a hot shower immediately — and this is the facility closest to the port! Most experienced Japanese divers highly recommend it too.

Link: よしまる荘

[caption id="attachment_8384" align="aligncenter" width="1478"] Boarding a tiny little plane to get there[/caption]

Getting There:

Naha to Yonaguni flight prices: JAL domestic 35,000–39,000 yen, fare includes 20 kg checked baggage *excess baggage fee: 200 yen per kg~

Link: JAL Official Website

Ishigaki to Yonaguni flight prices: JAL domestic 15,000–17,000 yen, fare includes 20 kg checked baggage *excess baggage fee: 200 yen per kg~

Link: JAL Official Website

Ishigaki ferry ticket prices:

*Schedule information is subject to change by season and is therefore not provided here

6,750 yen~

Link: https://fukuyamakaiun.ti-da.net/

[caption id="attachment_8381" align="aligncenter" width="1478"] A bird's-eye view of the island from the plane[/caption]

What to eat on the island?

Honestly, I didn't have high expectations for food on such a small island! But this time in Yonaguni, thanks to introductions from my Japanese instructor friends, every dinner was a delightful surprise! I won't keep these gems to myself — here are my recommendations! Advance reservations are strongly advised!

Island-style sashimi goes without saying — a must-order!

• Izakaya　どぅーらい　(Dou Rai)

This place keeps it simple — the menu is clearly divided into chicken, pork, beef, fish, sashimi, and skewers. It's a genuine local izakaya and you genuinely can't go wrong with anything! I especially recommend the pasta, which is incredibly fragrant with a deeply satisfying flavor! And the deep-fried fusilier fish (gurukunn no karaage) — this became my favorite fried fish dish after coming to Okinawa! The three of us that evening kept ordering more and more and still couldn't get enough!

• 創作kitchen風土

This restaurant plays jazz music, creating a very relaxed atmosphere with a Western restaurant vibe. The owner even sports a slick pompadour — which I found quite charming! The shop features daily specials written on a chalkboard. We were lucky enough to snag the very last portion of red wine braised beef and cured egg yolk — don't miss out! Also must-orders: French toast with a mysterious dipping sauce, tofu salad, and Japanese-style pizza!

I always go off on a tangent when it comes to food 😅 Back to the dive trip report...

[caption id="attachment_8382" align="aligncenter" width="1558"] Hammerhead Sharks~~~[/caption]

So when is the best time to go to Yonaguni? And how does the diving work?

The dive season runs through winter — from late December to late March — with Hammerhead Sharks as the main attraction, so that speaks for itself! I once heard a veteran Japanese diver share his experience, and he told me: you absolutely have to go and witness that ocean teeming with life — Yonaguni! Hearing those words gave me goosebumps all over. What surprised me even more was that this seasoned diver dives at Yonaguni throughout the year except winter! The reason? He got tired of chasing Hammerhead Sharks in winter! OMG — hearing that only made me want to return to Yonaguni no matter what. The summer months from May to October are also a great season! There are big creatures and large schools of fish, and you can also explore the famous "Underwater Ruins" dive site.

Without further ado, here are some video clips of swimming alongside hundreds of Hammerhead Sharks!

The dive shop we went to this time was "Sou Wes Dive Shop" — which most of you are probably familiar with. It's one of the few dive shops that accepts foreign divers. The whole shop has an atmosphere of pirate adventure! Even the dive boat looks like a warship — super cool! The shop has one dive guide who is especially beloved by Japanese divers; apparently, he can sense Hammerhead Sharks that other guides miss, and leads everyone on wild chases after them. It's an absolute thrill!

Though honestly, I still think luck plays a big part! A typical Yonaguni trip usually involves three days of diving with 9 tanks, giving you roughly an 80% or better success rate. My own score this time was two misses and two sightings — 50% — but during one of the successful dives at the "Nishizaki" dive site, we saw a school of 300 Hammerhead Sharks at a maximum depth of just 25 m. The guests went wild, screaming along with the dive guide — pure madness! I was incredibly lucky. The four of us swam alongside the Hammerhead Sharks for nearly 10 minutes. I wasn't able to capture great footage or photos — which was a bit embarrassing — but the entire experience is burned into my memory forever. It was a deeply complex rush of excitement, tension, and awe all at once!

[caption id="attachment_8380" align="aligncenter" width="1568"] Swimming alongside 300 Hammerhead Sharks[/caption]

That said, I feel compelled to share some important information on behalf of the local dive shops! Diving at Yonaguni in winter means cold water, strong currents, and big swells. Getting on and off the boat is a serious challenge in itself, and the physical demands are enormous! If you spot Hammerhead Sharks, your excitement will go through the roof; if you don't, you'll just be drifting endlessly in a vast blue expanse. Mentally preparing yourself for the experience beforehand is genuinely important!

Divers looking to chase Hammerhead Sharks in Yonaguni absolutely must have a thorough understanding of drift diving, as well as the experience, physical fitness, and proper thermal protection gear. The water temperature in January is 24°C. I wore a 6.5 mm skin wetsuit — wind-resistant material included — and I was still freezing cold, probably because I have no body fat! Note: don't be fooled into thinking 24°C is warm! The north wind blows for most of the time, making it feel bitterly cold. In my personal opinion, a hood, vest, and 3 mm wetsuit would be dangerously cold!

What experience should you have?!

1. Boat dive drift diving experience and the ability to perform a giant stride entry from a boat
2. After entering the water, wait at around 10 m depth. Therefore, make sure to fully dump all air from your BCD before descending, and continuously monitor your equalization throughout the dive
3. Ability to free-descend (same as above)
4. Ability to set up your own equipment (basic self-management)
5. Follow all instructions from the dive guide at all times.

After laying all that out, it really does seem quite challenging to get there... Simply put: chasing Hammerhead Sharks here is genuinely not suitable for beginner divers! You might consider visiting in summer instead, where you can also explore the incredibly unique "Underwater Ruins" dive site!

[caption id="attachment_8375" align="aligncenter" width="1086"] Are the mysterious underwater ruins man-made or naturally formed?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8376" align="aligncenter" width="726"] The breathtaking terrain is perfect for stunning photo shots[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8378" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Shallow depths, yet the extraordinary terrain is a wonder to behold[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8379" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Even without Hammerhead Sharks in summer, the underwater ruins are well worth a visit[/caption]

Although I skipped island sightseeing this time, the connections I made with Japanese and international divers more than made up for it.

I love traveling solo for diving. I was once a beginner too, and I always wanted to become a stronger, more confident diver. Through years of accumulation, travel has become my diving itinerary. Okinawa is a place I've always wanted to truly understand. I once chatted with Japanese divers who wondered why, given how close Taiwan and Japan are, they had no idea Taiwan had such great diving. While still in Taiwan, I took a few Japanese friends diving at Xiaoliuqiu and Green Island — and they were absolutely blown away! Now that I'm in Okinawa, I hope to inspire even more people to be changed by the ocean — to know themselves through the sea!

I'm a diver crazy enough to now live and dive in Okinawa — and diving has changed my life! Every time I think about it, I get goosebumps and my eyes well up with tears. Thank you, ocean! Thank you to every ocean-loving soul I've had the privilege of meeting!

If you'd like to learn more about dive travel to Yonaguni, feel free to send me a direct message! Perhaps by the end of this year or in 2021, we can set off on another adventure together! I can't wait!

A Taiwanese Woman's Secret Okinawa Dive Spots — to be continued....

Related links:

• Author Olive's personal Facebook
• Author Olive's Instagram: diver_olive
• A Taiwanese Woman's Secret Okinawa Dive Spots: Diving inside a stalactite cave!
• Diving Mecca: A Liveaboard Dive Trip to Sipadan