Hotels in Okinawa (and vicinity)

How to Find the Best Okinawa Hotels with Hotels.com

Okinawa is the largest of the Okinawa islands of Japan. It is a popular tourist destination for the mainland Japanese, and is home to sandy white beaches and sapphire blue waters. The island has the longest living people in the world, with 34 centenarians per 100,000 people. There is also a large United States military presence on the island, particularly Marines. Okinawa has a long history, having not officially been part of Japan until 1879, allowing it to have close relations with both Japan and China simultaneously. The island is also the site of the Battle of Okinawa, where US troops sought to establish a forward air base close to the mainland. Finding a hotel in Okinawa can be a difficult task, especially if you have certain expectations. Hotels.com makes the process much simpler with the aid of user submitted reviews and hotel photo galleries.

What's Okinawa Like?

Okinawa is an ancient island full of history and culture, as well as plenty of modern shopping opportunities, beaches, and sights to see. There are many beaches around the island, which tends to attract tourism from mainland Japan. The 300 meter long Manza Beach is the largest on the island and has soft white sands. Sunset Beach is located near the Mihama American Village in central Honto, and is a popular entertainment area. If you decided to swim in the waters, bear in mind that Habu Jellyfish are active from June to October. Southeast Botanical Gardens and the small zoo Okinawa Kodomonokuni (Okinawa Children's World) are ideal places to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.

Tips for Getting Along with Locals in Okinawa

The island is primarily a popular tourist destination for mainland Japanese, yet is also home to 32 United States military bases. Many of the populated areas around these bases will have locals which speak English, as their economy will be supplemented by providing for these personnel, however the tourist areas will speak mostly Japanese only, so it is advised to carry a pocket phrase book. Okinawa has a subtropical climate, with the Summer months of June to August experiencing temperatures of approximately 28°C, with highs of 32°C. It is also important to carry bottled water with you, ideally in a backpack, as the hot and humid climate can takes its toll. You can find the tourist information center on 1831-1 Oroku in Naha city. Be sure to check the Hotels.com website before you travel, and you can take advantage of the Google maps applet to enjoy a virtual tour of the area around your hotel.