Experience the best of Miyakojima

Miyakojima is the main island of the Miyako group, a low, flat island of sugar-cane fields and coral limestone in the far south-west of Japan, about 290 kilometres from Okinawa's main island. Its water is known for its clarity, and the beaches draw visitors from across Japan. Yonaha Maehama, a ribbon of powdery white sand on the western coast, stretches for seven kilometres beside a calm, shallow lagoon.

Bridges reach out to neighbouring islands: Irabu Bridge, over three kilometres long, crosses the sea to Irabu, and the road runs on to Shimoji, where a sea-filled sinkhole, Tori-ike, attracts divers and snorkellers through underwater passages. Sunayama Beach has a sand hill leading to a natural rock arch, and Higashi-Hennazaki, a narrow cape on the east, runs out to a white lighthouse.

Miyako soba, mango in summer, island beef and sweet-potato sweets are among the island's flavours, and awamori, a clear rice spirit, is served in the bars. Summers are hot and sunny, with typhoons possible from July to October, while winters are mild.