Camping at Kouri Island, Okinawa
17:37This past weekend, the stars aligned, and we FINALLY got to use the tent we bought over 6 months ago! Ever since we moved to Okinawa, we have talked about going camping on a beach somewhere. The only thing in our way really was the intense heat of summer. I know a lot of people go camping in Okinawa during the summer, but the idea of camping when the temperatures don't drop below 35 celsius at night really sounded like hell to me.
Anyway, finally November arrived, and with it, beautiful, not too humid temperatures in the mid-20s. We decided to try out a secluded beach on Kouri Island. I have never been to Kouri Island before and both my blogging friends Hannah and Laura had been, so with their tips we decided to head to the beach! The main reason we chose here was because we wanted to take our dog, and as far as i'm aware, there are no "official" camp grounds that allow dogs. Driving over the bridge to Kouri Island, I was super excited because the water looked unbelievable! Probably the bluest i've ever seen (I now, I make this claim a lot about different places in Okinawa).
Getting to the beach involved a fairly long drive down an overgrown dirt road, and towards the end there was actually a part that seems to have eroded and our car simply couldn't get past. Because of this, we ended up having to park our car some way away from the beach and lug all our stuff in a few trips. Unless you have a 4WD, I might not recommend this trip. We ended up persevering because we had already driven an hour to get there, and in the end it was worth it.
All in all, i'm really glad we finally went camping, and I think all the effort was worth it. If anyone is wanting to try camping in this location in Okinawa, I must warn you that getting there was not good for our car. We came back with many scratches on the car from the overgrown track, so be warned!
Pin it for later:
 |
| Check out the colour of that water! |
We finally got all our stuff to the beach and decided on the far corner of the beach to set up. Because it was the first time using our tent, AND the instructions we all in Japanese and not that clear, it took us over an hour to get the tent up! When we were finally done though, we got to relaxing. I was so hot and sweaty I got straight into the water. It was crystal clear and so blue, but there was also an element of wildness to it, so I didn't stay in too long cause it started to creep me out!
The beach was completely secluded, and everything that I love about Okinawa. The steep, sharp rock cliffs covered in jungly trees and the turquoise blue ocean. We spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach, collecting firewood and generally appreciating nature. It was lovely and made the effort to get there so worth it.
As the sun started to set, H set up the fire, which was perfect because the temperature had started getting chilly. We ate veggie sausages for dinner and then got ready for bed. Honestly, I barely got any sleep. Even though we had futon mats to sleep on, I was so uncomfortable and ended up reading my kindle for a lot of the night. I'm pretty sure the dog had the best night sleep of all of us! If anyone has any tips on getting a good nights sleep when camping, please let me know!
I got up at sunrise, made a much needed coffee and took some photos. Unfortunately little G started feeling sick in the morning, so we basically packed up and headed straight home. Still, he was so excited that we finally went camping, and even though I was physically exhausted, it was just what we needed after the horrible news week surrounding the US elections and overindulging in the internet!
 |
| Buddies |
 |
| The water was quite eerie |
 |
| Took ages, but we got it up! |
 |
 |
 |
| Beach to ourselves |
 |
 |
 |
| Sunrise |
Pin it for later:
17 comments
Okinawa is so beautiful everywhere you go. I'm glad you guys finally made it out and I agree, camping in the summer is a no go for us too! It's a shame the camping window is small!
ReplyDeleteI know! I feel like there's only such a short amount of time that camping is possible. We've got to try and make the most of it :)
DeleteCamping on a secluded beach is a dream come true for all of us. Glad that you finally had your tent up and thereafter you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it really was lovely. So glad we finally did it!
DeleteI haven't figured out how to get a good night's sleep in a tent either! Which is why I avoid camping altogether haha. Sounds like it was an adventurous trip though and you can be better equipped next time with a 4WD!
ReplyDeleteYes a 4WD would be much better!
Deletelooks so beautiful! aiming to relocate to Naha in a couple of years, so I will add "camping tent" to list of what to bring! how did your animal companions fare with the travel? did they ride cargo?
ReplyDeleteIt was a LONG trip for the animals from Australia (3 flights in total to get to Okinawa) but they were fine. They went cargo because it's the only option from Australia.
DeleteThe beach really looks pristine and secluded. You must have had it all to yourself. Setting up the tent by in itself is an adventure. The sunrise looks enchanting. It is great to wake up to a sunrise like that.
ReplyDeleteYes, we had the beach to ourself! It was so quiet and lovely.
DeleteThats a stunning sunrise. I can imagine the sound of the waves along the shore and the serenity. Thats all that appeals to me because I'm not a camper, like tents, or sleeping on the ground. lol
ReplyDeleteYour camping spot looks amazing! I don't sleep very well in tents either, maybe it's the thin roll mats, the ambient sounds, or just the unusual smell of tents (in comparison to home) but a couple of glasses of wine (which we tend to have when camping) helps me to sleep :)
ReplyDeleteDo you have a location where exactly you guys went. Or directions somewhat? Heading up next week and thy looks like the perfect spot! Thanks ��
ReplyDeleteIt's here: https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/26%C2%B042'03.3%22N+128%C2%B001'37.2%22E/@26.700905,128.024795,1102m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d26.700905!4d128.026989?hl=en
DeleteYou need to drive down a long dirt road to get to the beach, so you need a car that can handle it. Ours couldn't make it the whole way so we ended up having to walk some of it with our supplies, which wasn't easy!
So you have a pin or remember exactly where it was? This looks beautiful!
ReplyDeletethat's my favorite type of traveling. So cozy and warm. i feel happy just looking at your pictures. would love to go on a trip like that with a campfire!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I really love camping. It can be so relaxing and so great to get away from technology :)
Delete