Tour participation is required to visit Phantom Island (Hamashima)! Introducing the attraction of joining a tour & recommended tours!

What is Phantom Island (Hamashima)?

Phantom Island is a crescent-shaped uninhabited island about 10 km west of Ishigaki Island.

Located between Kohama Island and Taketomi Island, Hamajima is its original name.

It is called a "phantom island" because it appears only for a limited time, depending on the tide.

The island is unique in that its shape varies from a crescent shape to a continental shape with the tides, and its size can vary up to 300 meters.

The contrast between the white sandy beach and the blue sky and sea is beautiful, and visitors can spend their free time taking pictures and picking up seashells.

The sight of pure white sandy beaches stretching as far as the eye can see in 360 degrees is truly spectacular.

 

How to get to Phantom Island (Hamashima)

The only way to get to the island is by boat, but since there are no regular services, it is necessary to join a tour organized by a travel agency or marine store.

The most common ways to get to Phantom Island are from Ishigaki Island and Kohama Island, which are close enough to reach in about 30 minutes from Ishigaki Island and 15 minutes from Kohama Island.

When using the tour, many tourists combine it as an optional tour within a half-day tour that lasts about 3 hours.

However, it should be noted that in January and February, it may not be possible to launch the boat itself due to waves and wind.

Also, during the season, there will be more people, so if you want to take good photos, it is better to visit in the morning when there are fewer people.

 

Why is Phantom Island (Hamashima) so popular?

Phantom Island is a popular tourist spot that is visited by visitors throughout the year.

There are several good reasons for its popularity, and here are some of them.

 

A popular uninhabited island attracting attention from all over the world!

There is no vegetation or anything on this phantom island, but the beautiful sandy beach stretching 360 degrees and the crystal clear ocean are truly spectacular, and it has been used as a filming location for many commercials and music videos.

Since the whole area of the island is made of sand, the best sightseeing at this location would be to enjoy the scenery.

Tourists from all over the world come to be healed by this spectacular view.

Some people have even held their weddings on this fantastic island.

 

Small children can also have fun together! Great spot for families with shallow waters!

The waters around Phantom Island are shallow, so small children and even the elderly can enjoy playing safely and happily.

There are also tours that include a snorkeling experience, which are very popular among families.

The ocean appears cobalt blue at lower depths and dark blue from deeper depths, creating a beautiful gradation when photographed.

Please bring your waterproof camera and enjoy taking pictures!

 

The waters surrounding Phantom Island are a treasure trove of coral reefs! Ishisei Jagako, one of the largest coral reef areas in Japan

The waters around Phantom Island are home to one of the largest coral reef areas in Japan, "Shihsi lagoon.

Ishinishi Jogoko is a lagoon that stretches between Ishigaki Island and Iriomote Island, and is called Ishinishi Jogoko after the stone of Ishigaki Island and the west of Iriomote Island.

This Shihsi lagoon is home to more than 360 species of corals and is a popular diving and snorkeling spot as well as a fishing ground.

For this reason, marine leisure activities are a standard sightseeing activity around the Phantom Island.

 

Recommended Clothing and What to Bring

When going to Phantom Island, you will need to bring a swimsuit, sunglasses, a bath towel, and a rash guard or something to wear over your swimsuit.

Swimsuits are recommended to be worn in advance.

Even if it is cloudy, the amount of ultraviolet rays is said to be more than five times that of the mainland Japan, so be sure to take at least some sunburn protection.

In addition, it is recommended that those who get seasick easily take anti-sickness medicine in advance, as it takes about 20 minutes by boat to reach the phantom island.

If you are worried about getting seasick, try signing up for a tour to/from Kohama Island, where the travel distance is relatively short.

 

Recommended activities on Phantom Island

Here are some recommended activities that you can enjoy on the Phantom Island.

To visit the island, you will have to sign up for a tour, and we encourage you to do so as an optional tour.

Some of the activities that can be enjoyed on Phantom Island are easy to participate in, even for those who are not confident about their physical fitness, so you may want to consider those activities.

 

Landing on Phantom Island (Hamashima)

Some tours to the Phantom Island only allow visitors to land on the island.

There is no regular boat service to the island, so those who wish to visit the phantom island should join some kind of tour.

Tours do not require swimming and there is no need to worry about getting wet, so everyone from small children to the elderly can easily enjoy the tour.

You can spend your time freely on the island, taking pictures, relaxing on the beach, etc.

The tour takes about 90 minutes if you just want to go ashore, and is recommended for those who are wondering how to spend the gaps in their trip.

Some tours can be booked on the day of the tour.

 

snorkeling

One of the most popular activities on Phantom Island is snorkeling.

Short tours, about 3 hours, are available and can be easily combined with other schedules.

Depending on the tour, some tours rent complete snorkeling gear, wetsuits, life jackets, etc., so little special preparation is required.

In addition, a guide will always be with you if you join a tour, so even those who are not good swimmers or small children can enjoy snorkeling safely.

If you are lucky, you may have a chance to see clownfish, made famous by "Finding Nemo," or endangered sea turtles!

We invite you to enjoy up close and personal one of the largest and most colorful coral reef spots in Japan, as described above.

 

 Experience Diving

Diving is another popular activity, comparable to snorkeling.

Diving tours also take about half a day, so many tourists enjoy them in combination with a landing on the island of illusion.

Most tours are accompanied by careful lectures and support from experienced guides, and even inexperienced divers can participate, as long as they are at least 10 years old.

In addition, the area around Phantom Island is a very good diving spot for beginners, with shallow water depths of 3 to 6 meters.

Basically, there are no long boat rides, so you will be able to enjoy yourself with plenty of time to spare physically.

However, for medical reasons, you may not board an airplane for 12 hours after one dive and 18 hours after two dives, so be careful how you schedule your dives.

 

Charter

The plan to charter a boat is recommended for those who want to enjoy a luxurious trip to Ishigaki Island, special occasion such as anniversary, family trip, graduation trip, honeymoon, etc. and want to have private time.

Many plans allow for about a half-day charter, and the destinations can be customized to a certain extent, making them very flexible.

Of course, you can also leave the destination to the captain and ask him to take you to his recommended spots.

For charter plans that include phantom islands, Ishigaki Island, Kohama Island, Taketomi Island, Kuroshima Island, Aragusuku Island, Iriomote Island, Hatoma Island, Kayama Island, and Barasu Island are often mentioned as candidates.

Visitors can also experience marine activities while cruising by boat.

In addition to the snorkeling and diving mentioned above, boat fishing and island hopping are also available.

In addition, if you would like to have your wedding photos taken, we can arrange for you to take your wedding photos at a time when there are fewer people around so that you can capture the spectacular view.

 

summary

I hope you found this article about the Phantom Island and related tours helpful.

On Phantom Island, there is a very wide range of elements to enjoy, from marine sports to photography.

There are no regular boats, but tours are offered almost daily, so there is no inconvenience in terms of transportation.

Experienced tour guides also offer safe and fun activities, so if you want to spend a special moment in Okinawa, please join a tour to the Phantom Island.