Okinawa Free Travel 2022
Some people say that Okinawa, Japan, is fun in the summer just for the swimming, but in the fall, the weather turns cooler and it's not suitable for children to swim. What other attractions are there?
Okinawa is indeed fun in the summer; you can spend a whole day just on the beach. However, I missed summer due to the pandemic (Japan only relaxed its entry regulations in mid-October). There are actually many attractions to see in Okinawa in the fall!
We chose Okinawa mainly because it's perfect for a road trip. Our two children are still young (5 and 3 years old), so if they get tired during the trip, they can always sleep in the car. We can also store their belongings in the car without having to carry them around. It's so much more convenient to drive around!
This is my second time in Okinawa. Friends say Okinawa can be a bit stuffy, but I actually prefer its more relaxed feel. I love the wide sky, the glassy green water, and the cool breeze with a subtle sea scent. Of course, I love the spacious and fun-filled free playground.
Okinawa is perfect for family trips, and the attractions are all kid-friendly. This time we went to the famous Urasoe Great Park, which has the longest slide in Okinawa. My son rode it 20 times, and I rode it 5 times. It was so exciting!
This time we went to the Okinawa Zoo and Museum. Besides the giraffes, elephants, and lions I'd really loved seeing, there's also a playground with a train and electric cars. The two kids had a blast playing with the cars 🥳
We also had to visit Senagajima, the newest attraction! That all-white island, layered with shops and restaurants, really looks a bit like Greece! All the restaurants here have ocean views. The view of the glassy green and transparent blue waters interweaves, and you can even watch airplanes take off and land in the distance. It's a perfect place to relax and unwind for half a day. It's definitely worth a visit.
This time, we skipped the more distant aquarium and instead went to the DMM Kariyushi Aquarium, which just opened this year. It's located inside the iisa shopping mall, which also opened this year. The special thing about it is that there are baby sharks for the kids to pet and sloths for them to see up close, which the kids found quite fascinating!
Looking back, this was the first time I'd taken two children on a trip since the three-year pandemic. Initially, there were voices reminding me not to take risks with the kids, saying there were too many unknowns and I should wait until things settled down...
But then, another voice reminded me, isn't life an adventure? Hadn't I experienced three thrilling years in Hong Kong? After experiencing this pandemic, I realized that many things aren't inevitable. I seized the opportunity to show my children the world. Looking back, I'm so glad I made the right decision!
While traveling with children is tough, the joy is definitely multiplied. And the photos show us all smiling brightly. It was all worth it.
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