Where to stay · Okinawa · Japan
Where to stay in Okinawa
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Naha (Kokusai-dori). City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya. Best alternatives — families: Chatan.
Key facts
- First visit
- Naha (Kokusai-dori)
- Families
- Chatan
- Budget
- Naha (Kokusai-dori)
- Nightlife
- Naha (Kokusai-dori)
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Naha (Kokusai-dori) | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Families | Chatan | Seafront mall district with American Village, sunset beaches and a seawall promenade |
| Couples | Chatan | Seafront mall district with American Village, sunset beaches and a seawall promenade |
| Budget | Naha (Kokusai-dori) | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Luxury | Onna | The main resort coast, with beachfront hotels, Cape Manzamo and dive sites |
| Nightlife | Naha (Kokusai-dori) | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Food lovers | Naha (Kokusai-dori) | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Shopping | Naha (Kokusai-dori) | City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya |
| Quiet stays | Yomitan | Quiet west-coast villages with potters, Zakimi Castle and Cape Zanpa |
| Beach | Onna | The main resort coast, with beachfront hotels, Cape Manzamo and dive sites |
Okinawa neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, food lovers, nightlife and shopping
Naha (Kokusai-dori)
Okinawa's capital is the practical base for travellers without a car: the Yui Rail monorail runs from the airport to Kokusai-dori in about 15 minutes and on to Shuri Castle. Around Kokusai-dori are the Makishi public market, the covered Heiwa-dori arcades and the Tsuboya pottery street, plus the widest range of hotels and restaurants on the island.
- Good
- Monorail from the airport; Best choice of restaurants and bars; No car needed for the city
- Watch out
- City beach only; 1.5–2 hours from the Churaumi Aquarium
- Nearby
- Kokusai-dori, Makishi Public Market, Tsuboya Yachimun Street, Shuri Castle
$$$ · Best for families, shopping, nightlife and couples
Chatan
Chatan, about 40 minutes north of Naha, grew up next to US military bases and has an American-influenced mix of diners, burger bars and the Mihama American Village shopping and dining complex. Araha and Sunset beaches face west, the seawall walk fills at sunset, and hotels here suit families who want shopping and restaurants within walking distance.
- Good
- Restaurants and shops on foot; West-facing sunset beaches; Halfway between Naha and the north
- Watch out
- Heavy traffic on Route 58; Not as scenic as the resort coast
- Nearby
- Mihama American Village, Sunset Beach, Araha Beach
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and couples
Yomitan
Yomitan is a rural village of sugarcane fields and craft workshops between Chatan and Onna. The Yachimun no Sato pottery village has climbing kilns and studios, Zakimi Castle's curving walls look out to sea, and Cape Zanpa's lighthouse stands above sheer cliffs. Several resort hotels sit on the coast nearby.
- Good
- Calm and rural; Pottery and craft studios; Within an hour of the airport
- Watch out
- Car essential; Few restaurants in the evenings
- Nearby
- Zakimi Castle, Yachimun no Sato, Cape Zanpa
$$$$ · Best for luxury, beach, couples and families
Onna
Onna's west-facing coastline is lined with Okinawa's large resort hotels, most with their own beach, pools and marine activity desks. Cape Manzamo's elephant-trunk cliff and the Cape Maeda Blue Cave snorkelling site are here, and the drive to the Churaumi Aquarium takes about an hour on the expressway.
- Good
- Beachfront resorts with calm, netted swimming areas; Snorkelling and diving on the doorstep; Central for day trips north and south
- Watch out
- Expensive in summer; Car or resort bus needed to leave the hotel
- Nearby
- Cape Manzamo, Cape Maeda, Manza Beach
$$$ · Best for families, beach and quiet stays
Motobu Peninsula
The Motobu Peninsula juts into the East China Sea about 90 km north of Naha. It has the Ocean Expo Park with the Churaumi Aquarium, Bise village's fukugi-tree lanes, Nakijin Castle and bridges to Sesoko and Kouri islands. Staying here lets you see the aquarium before or after the day-tripper rush.
- Good
- Aquarium and best northern beaches nearby; Clearer, quieter water; Close to Yanbaru
- Watch out
- About 2 hours from the airport; Limited dining at night
- Nearby
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Bise Fukugi Tree Road, Nakijin Castle, Kouri Island
$ · Best for nightlife, budget and culture
Okinawa City (Koza)
Koza, now part of Okinawa City, grew around the Kadena Air Base and is known for its rock-and-roll history, live houses and international diners along Gate 2 Street. It hosts the Okinawa Zento Eisa festival in late summer and is a cheaper, less touristy base in the middle of the island.
- Good
- Low prices; Live music and local character; Central for exploring by car
- Watch out
- Few sights in the town itself; Some streets feel run-down
- Nearby
- Gate 2 Street, Okinawa Zoo and Museum, Nakagusuku Castle
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and families
Nanjo and the south
The southern tip of the island holds Sefa-utaki, the most sacred site of the Ryukyu religion, the Okinawa World cave park, Ou Island's fried-fish shops and the Peace Memorial Park at Itoman. Cafés on the cliffs look over the Pacific, and it is only 30–45 minutes from the airport.
- Good
- Close to the airport; Important cultural and historical sites; Quiet coast
- Watch out
- Few swimming beaches; Car needed
- Nearby
- Sefa-utaki, Okinawa World, Peace Memorial Park, Ou Island
$$$ · Best for beach, quiet stays and couples
Kerama Islands
Tokashiki, Zamami and Aka form a national park of white-sand beaches and coral reefs west of Naha. Staying a night or two at a guesthouse on Zamami or Tokashiki gives you the beaches before and after day-trippers, and whale watching runs from about January to March.
- Good
- Some of Japan's clearest water; Snorkelling from the beach; Whale watching in winter
- Watch out
- Ferries cancel in rough seas; Few restaurants and no nightlife
- Nearby
- Furuzamami Beach, Aharen Beach, Ama Beach
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Naha (Kokusai-dori) | $$ | Kokusai-dori, Makishi Public Market, Tsuboya Yachimun Street, Shuri Castle |
| Chatan | $$$ | Mihama American Village, Sunset Beach, Araha Beach |
| Yomitan | $$$ | Zakimi Castle, Yachimun no Sato, Cape Zanpa |
| Onna | $$$$ | Cape Manzamo, Cape Maeda, Manza Beach |
| Motobu Peninsula | $$$ | Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Bise Fukugi Tree Road, Nakijin Castle, Kouri Island |
| Okinawa City (Koza) | $ | Gate 2 Street, Okinawa Zoo and Museum, Nakagusuku Castle |
| Nanjo and the south | $$ | Sefa-utaki, Okinawa World, Peace Memorial Park, Ou Island |
| Kerama Islands | $$$ | Furuzamami Beach, Aharen Beach, Ama Beach |
Getting to your hotel
Naha Airport is about 5 km south-west of the city centre, and the Yui Rail monorail reaches Kenchomae (for Kokusai-dori) in about 15 minutes. Airport limousine buses run to the resort hotels at Chatan, Onna and Motobu, taking roughly 1–2.5 hours, and car-rental shuttles leave from outside arrivals.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Okinawa for first-time visitors?
Naha (Kokusai-dori). Okinawa's capital is the practical base for travellers without a car: the Yui Rail monorail runs from the airport to Kokusai-dori in about 15 minutes and on to Shuri Castle.
+Where should families stay in Okinawa?
Chatan: Restaurants and shops on foot.
+Which area of Okinawa is best for a budget stay?
Naha (Kokusai-dori) ($$): City base on the monorail with Kokusai-dori, the markets and late-night izakaya.