Okinawa Road Trip in 3 Nights / 4 Days — Naha, the North, the Central East Coast & the South
An easy first-time 3-night / 4-day loop of Okinawa's main island by car. Day 1 covers the airport area and Naha, day 2 the north, day 3 the central east coast, and on the last day you circle the south and head back to the airport. Tap "Save this course to my list" to store the stops by day.
Save this course to my listThe app opens and lets you save every stop of the course at once. You can share your saved list with travel companions by link.
Dashed lines simply connect the stops in order. For the actual roads and driving time, use "Get directions in Google Maps".
Day 1 — Arrival & Naha
- 1Naha Airport
Most rental cars are picked up at an office near the airport, reached by shuttle bus.
33 093 123 - ↓ about 2 km in a straight line2Senagajima Umikaji Terrace
A shopping terrace on Senaga Island right next to the airport. An easy first-day stop to watch the sea and the planes.
33 002 602 - ↓ about 9 km in a straight line3Shurijo Castle Park
The royal castle of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Check the official site for reconstruction status and what is open.
33 161 526 - ↓ about 3 km in a straight line
Day 2 — The north: Churaumi Aquarium & Kouri Island
- 5Cape Manzamo
A viewpoint famous for its elephant-trunk-shaped cliff. Stop on the way north.
206 312 127 - ↓ about 21 km in a straight line6Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Famous for the huge "Kuroshio Sea" tank with whale sharks. Allow a good 2–3 hours.
553 075 767 - ↓ about 1 km in a straight line7Bise Fukugi Tree Road
A village lane near the aquarium where fukugi trees form a green tunnel.
553 105 655 - ↓ about 14 km in a straight line
Day 3 — Central east coast: Kaichu Road & Miyagi Island
- 9Katsuren Castle Ruins
A hilltop gusuku with tall stone walls and a World Heritage site. The top looks out over the sea.
499 570 238 - ↓ about 5 km in a straight line10Kaichu Road
A causeway of about 5 km across the sea. The rest area halfway along has sea views.
499 577 304 - ↓ about 7 km in a straight line11Nuchi Masu Salt Factory
A salt factory on Miyagi Island beyond the Kaichu Road. A hilltop viewpoint nearby overlooks the sea.
499 674 694 - ↓ about 24 km in a straight line12Mihama American Village
A shopping and dining area with a Ferris wheel. End the day with the sunset and dinner.
33 526 542
Day 4 — The south, then back to the airport
- 13Sefa-utaki
A World Heritage site regarded as the most sacred place of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It has closing days, so check ahead.
33 024 191 - ↓ about 8 km in a straight line14Okinawa World
A theme park combining the Gyokusendo limestone cave and a traditional Ryukyu village.
232 495 218 - ↓ about 10 km in a straight line15iias Okinawa Toyosaki
A large shopping mall close to the airport. Handy for souvenirs and a meal before returning the car.
232 543 343
Driving tips
- Splitting your stay between Naha and the north or central area cuts down the driving on days 2 and 3.
- Use the Okinawa Expressway when heading north to save a lot of time.
- On the last day, plan backwards from your return time. Returns near the airport can be busy.
Distances are straight lines between stops; actual road distances and times are longer. Check opening hours, closing days and prices on the official sites before you go.
More routes
- Northern Okinawa Day Trip — Cape Manzamo, Churaumi Aquarium & Kouri Island6 stops
- Southern Okinawa Day Trip — Shuri Castle, Sefa-utaki, Seaside Café & Umikaji Terrace7 stops
- Central Okinawa West Coast Day Trip — Cape Maeda, Cape Zanpa, Yomitan & American Village6 stops
- Biei & Furano Day Trip — Hilltop Trees, the Blue Pond & Farm Tomita8 stops
- Sapporo & Otaru Day Trip — Okurayama, Shiroi Koibito Park, Otaru Canal & Mt. Tengu Night View6 stops
- Yufuin & Beppu Day Trip — Lake Kinrin, African Safari & the Hells of Beppu5 stops
- Aso & Kurokawa Day Trip — Kusasenri, Daikanbo, Nabegataki Falls & Kurokawa Onsen6 stops
Location, address and phone: OpenStreetMap contributors. Details may differ from reality; check before you go.