UK Diver wants help in organising Ishigaki/Yonaguni dive trip in April

[neilstewart]

Hi,

I get a very Zen feeling just posting in this forum.

I am travelling to Japan in April. I am meeting with a diving friend in Tokyo and we intend to spend up to one week diving in South Western Okinawa islands. Because Mika is Japanese we will not have a language problem. We are both reasonably experienced divers, 300+.

My question is - If you had 5 days diving in this area what would you do? Which operators would you use? and where would you stay? What is your ideal trip? Any other info about non diving activites would also be appreciated. Our plan is to go for 1 week from 10th to 17th April. Mika has not dived in Okniawa or been there for a very long time.

Here is a great little piece of info I have found out for any other visitors to Japan. JAL and ANA airlines do tourist airfares in Japan, it is 12,600 yen to fly anywhere one way for tourist. This is great as usual one way Tokyo - Ishigaki fare a the moment is 45,000 yen.

Anyhow I would also appreciate your thoughts on what equipment I should bring. Of course I know it would be best to bring all my own stuff but I am spending 4 weeks in Japan and using 90% of my luggage allowance for kit is just not possible. We are trying to stay within a low to medium budget. What sort of suit should I wear 5mm, 7mm?

Any info anyone feels like sharing would be very much appreciated to help us make a good plan for this part of my trip.

Many thanks

Neil

 

[japan-diver]

Hi,

I get a very Zen feeling just posting in this forum.


My question is - If you had 5 days diving in this area what would you do? Which operators would you use? and where would you stay? What is your ideal trip? Any other info about non diving activites would also be appreciated. Our plan is to go for 1 week from 10th to 17th April. Mika has not dived in Okniawa or been there for a very long time.


Neil

If I only had five days diving in the Southern Islands I would head to Yonaguni. Great viz, awesome fish life, good coral and of course Isseki Point and the Stage. I would bring all essential gear reg, bc, mask, fin, wetsuit (5mm). Packed correctly this would be quite small depending on the BC. Leave the snorkel, lights and all the other do dads at home and you will be traveling quite light. I know my BP/W, regs etc fit in one small mesh bag. Since Yonaguni is all boat diving full foot fins with no booties saves on space. If your foot is no bigger than a size 9(American)27(japanese) fins would be possible to rent easily- bigger than that can be hard to find . Yonaguni lacks in after dive activities but the diving is the best. Ishigaki or Iriomote over diving almost as good and a greater variety of after dive activities.

 

[neilstewart]

Hi Japan-diver,

Thanks for the info, especially the kit info, I can bring a lite version and make it arond 11kg's including full foots. Do you have any dive operation contacts? would it be worth 4 or 5 days? Whats the chances with Hammers at this time? Are we gauranteed a try at the ruins? I here they can be dfficult - if we get put in a large mixed experience group (which is how I uderstand Japanese operation to work) how do we do something possibly a little more challenging? It does seem quite difficult to organise and find out so much information from the web. I know Mika is feeling stress because she wants to make my dive trip memorable. Is it worth the effort, perhaps we should just go to Bali or something, it could work out cheaper. Anyone who can give me a handle on where to start with all this earns 2 gold stars.

 

[ken chung ar]

If I only had five days diving in the Southern Islands I would head to Yonaguni. Great viz, awesome fish life, good coral and of course Isseki Point and the Stage.

Yonaguni lacks in after dive activities but the diving is the best. Ishigaki or Iriomote over diving almost as good and a greater variety of after dive activities.

hi neil,

i agree with japan-diver. it's a bit late for seeing hammerheads, but instead, it's getting a better season for diving in ISEKI (underwater ruins) point because of weather changes in the spring season. as you have no language problems, i recommend Yonaguni Diving Service, which is the oldest and has got a long-standing experience of guiding numerous divers.

ishigaki is also a good choice. actually i'm going there in the middle of march. seeing manta rays and gobies during diving and enjoying social life after diving, your total experience of staying on ishigaki island is as good as in yonaguni island.

have a good diving

ken chung ar

 

[japan-diver]

Yonaguni is definately worth 4-5 days. I will be spending two weeks there in Feb and it is never enough. If you get some exact dates we can probably set something up for you that will include some small group diving. Yonaguni is a unique dive experience not to be missed if you are in Japan. April should be pretty much a lock to get on the ruins.