Top > TRAVEL > Irabu Island Travel Blog with a 2-Year-Old 【Sightseeing | Hotels | Food | Everything Revealed】

Irabu Island Travel Blog with a 2-Year-Old 【Sightseeing | Hotels | Food | Everything Revealed】

TRAVEL

 

 

Trip to Miyako & Irabu Islands with our 2-year-old!

 

 

In July, we took a family trip to Irabu Island.

 

Ever since the Irabu Bridge was completed in 2015, the island has been rapidly developing as a resort destination, so we decided it was finally time to visit!

 

We stayed for four days with our 2-year-old and were able to fully enjoy Irabu’s stunning ocean views and local dishes, so I would like to share our trip in this post.

 

 

 

 

Irabu Island travel blog with a 2-year-old

 

 

To make the journey easier, we chose to stay at a hotel close to Naha Airport.

 

Since our child is still too young to swim in the sea, this trip was mainly about visiting cultural spots in central and southern Okinawa and playing at beaches and parks.

 

Here is a rough outline of our itinerary:

 

Day 0　　Stay overnight near Haneda Airport

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Day 1　　Haneda ⇒ Miyako Island ⇒ Irabu Island

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Day 2–3　Sightseeing around Miyako / Irabu Islands

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Day 4　　Irabu Island ⇒ Miyako Island ⇒ Haneda

 

 

Let’s take a closer look at each day!

 

 

Day 0: Staying near Haneda Airport

 

 

Our flight to Miyako Island was early in the morning, so the night before departure we stayed at HOTEL MYSTAYS Haneda near Haneda Airport.

 

Taking a stroller on a crowded commuter train in the morning is tough (;^_^A

 

The room was clean, and there was also a free shuttle bus from Haneda Airport, which was really convenient.

 

 

 

There were also places like Sukiya and FamilyMart around the hotel, so the location worked perfectly for us.

 

We stayed at HOTEL MYSTAYS Haneda

 

 

Day 1: Travelling from Haneda to Irabu Island

 

At Haneda Airport

 

Flying with a small child can be quite a challenge, right? (;^_^A

 

  • Will they sleep on the plane?
  • Changing nappies in a cramped toilet sounds hard
  • Should we check the stroller or take it to the gate?

 

…and so on.

 

In a separate post, I share some of the tricks we use for spending time at the airport when travelling with a little one.

 

If you are interested, please have a look later on.

 

How we spend time at Haneda Airport with a toddler

 

 

Checking in at the hotel

 

After arriving at Miyako Airport, we picked up our rental car and headed to the hotel.

 

This time, we stayed at HOTEL Kuu on Irabu Island!

 

 

 

It is an apartment-style hotel with a washer–dryer and kitchen.

 

With a small child, having wooden flooring instead of tatami was really helpful.

 

 

 

The building is quite new and the rooms were very clean.

 

We stayed at HOTEL Kuu on Irabu Island

 

 

Shima no Eki Miyako

 

Since the weather was not great on the first day, we headed to “Shima no Eki Miyako”, a roadside station where you can enjoy indoor shopping.

 

They sell all kinds of local products and souvenirs from Miyako Island.

 

This is “Satapanbin”

It is basically Miyako Island’s version of sata andagi doughnuts.

 

 

During mango season, there are mountains of mangoes for sale.

You will find everything from ready-to-eat fruit to premium boxed mangos perfect as gifts.



This is “shima banana” (local island bananas)

When they ripen, they have a fragrance similar to Kyoho grapes, and among everything we bought, these were the most memorable.

 

 

These are mini tomatoes from “Panipani Farm”.

They are so sweet that you can eat them like fruit!

 

 

And this is “umibudou” (sea grapes)

Perfect as a little snack while enjoying a drink back in the room.

 

 

Here is where you can find “Shima no Eki Miyako”.

 

 

 

Blue Turtle

 

We were pretty tired from travelling, so we kept dinner light on the first night.

 

We decided to try a restaurant & bar called “Blue Turtle”, located right in front of Toguchi no Hama Beach.

 

Here is a photo of the restaurant

You can dine on a breezy open terrace with a great view!

 

 

This is the “Miyako Beef Hamburger Steak Curry”.

The juicy hamburger steak was absolutely delicious!

 

 

For more about “Blue Turtle”, click here >>

 

We visited “Blue Turtle”, a restaurant on Irabu Island

 

 

 

 

Day 2: Sightseeing around Miyako / Irabu Islands

 

 

The weather on Day 2 was beautiful, so we focused on enjoying the sea.

 

 

Morning: Nakanoshima Beach (Shimoji Island)

 

This is a natural beach located near Shimojishima Airport.

 

There are no facilities like showers or changing rooms, but it is a fantastic snorkelling spot.

 

Even if you swim just a little, you can see plenty of tropical fish and coral.

 

 

 

On this day, the waves were a little high, so the water near the shore was mixed with sand, but once you swam out a bit, the water became crystal clear and full of tropical fish!

 

There are also many rocks, so I definitely recommend bringing beach shoes when entering the water.

 

 

 

Here is where Nakanoshima Beach is located.

 

 

 

For adults

 

 

For kids

 

 

Lunch: Obanmai Shokudo

 

This is a casual restaurant directly operated by Sarahama Fishing Port.

 

You can enjoy seafood rice bowls made with fresh local catch from Irabu Island, as well as Miyako soba and other local dishes at reasonable prices.

 

This is the “Miyako Soba Set”.

You can enjoy both Miyako soba and fresh seafood from Irabu Island in one set.

 

 

For more about “Obanmai Shokudo”, click here >>

 

We visited “Obanmai Shokudo” on Irabu Island

 

 

Afternoon (1): Rakuen no Kajitsu (Kurima Island)

 

This is a popular café on Kurima Island.

 

The most popular items are parfaits made with seasonal fruit, but there are both a “café space” and a “dining space”, so you can also enjoy proper meals.

 

If you visit in summer, you should definitely try this: the “Fully Ripe Mango Parfait”.

Someone in your group should absolutely order this!

 

 

Another popular choice is the “Dragon Fruit Parfait”.

You rarely get to eat this much dragon fruit at once, so it feels very special.

And of course, it is perfect for Instagram!

 

 

 

 

Near Rakuen no Kajitsu, you will find the Ryugujo Observatory.

 

The view of Kurima Bridge and the deep “Miyako blue” sea from the observatory is a very popular photo spot!

 

 

 

On the opposite side you can enjoy the peaceful countryside scenery of Kurima Island.

It is honestly one of my favourite views.

 

 

Here is the location of Rakuen no Kajitsu.

 

 

 

Afternoon (2): Kurima Fishing Port Beach

 

 

The sea we saw from the observatory was so beautiful that we decided to head down to “Kurima Fishing Port Beach” at the foot of the hill.

 

The waves were calm and the water was this clear!

 

 

 

Our 2-year-old was super excited and played in the water for about an hour!

 

Just note that there are no facilities such as showers or changing rooms, so if you plan to play in the sea, get changed and ready before you arrive.

 

 

 

Dinner: Bijashi

 

Since we had already had parfaits as an afternoon snack, we wanted something that felt half meal, half drinks, so we went to a local izakaya called “Bijashi”.

 

In the relaxed tatami-mat seating, we enjoyed Orion beer and dishes made with local ingredients!

 

Here is a photo of the restaurant.

There is also a car park (space for two cars).

 

 

First up, draft Orion beer.

Cheers for a great day! 🍺

 

 

This is the sashimi platter.

So fresh and tasty!

The “miibai” (grouper) in particular was absolutely outstanding.

 

 

For more about “Bijashi”, click here >>

 

We visited “Bijashi”, a local izakaya on Irabu Island

 

 

 

 

Day 3: Sightseeing around Miyako / Irabu Islands

 

 

We had another beautiful sunny day on Day 3, so we enjoyed more time in the sea and a relaxed drive.

 

 

Morning (1): Sawada-no-hama Beach

 

 

This beach has been selected as one of the “100 Best Beaches in Japan”.

 

The scattered rocks offshore look almost surreal, and the water is incredibly clear.

 

 

 

The waves are gentle, making it an ideal spot for small children to play in the sea.

 

The beach is a wide stretch of sand with very few rocks, so it feels quite safe.

 

However, there are no showers or changing rooms, so it is best to get ready before you head there.

 

 

 

Sawada-no-hama is also famous as a sunset spot.

 

Here is a photo I took on a previous visit.

 

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Lunch: BOTTA

 

 

This is an authentic pizzeria located right in front of Sawada-no-hama Beach.

 

You can enjoy pizza and milkshakes while gazing at the blue sea and watching planes land at Shimojishima Airport.

 

 

 

This is the “Puttanesca” pizza.

The thin, crispy crust and fresh tomatoes are incredibly good.

The anchovies also add a lovely punch of flavour.

 

 

For more about “BOTTA”, click here >>

 

We visited “BOTTA”, an authentic pizzeria on Irabu Island

 

 

Afternoon: Cape Higashi-Hennazaki

 

This is one of the most iconic scenic spots on Miyako Island.

 

It is located at the eastern tip of Miyako Island, about a 50-minute drive from Irabu Island, so we timed the drive to match our child’s nap time.

 

Before you reach the cape itself, there is the “Higashi-Hennazaki Lookout”.

 

This is the perfect viewpoint if you want to see the cape.

 

 

 

The lighthouse at the cape closes at 16:30.

 

Unfortunately, we arrived too late and could not go up the lighthouse that day (´；ω；`)ｳｯ…

 

Next time, we will definitely keep an eye on the time!

 

 

 

Here is the location of Cape Higashi-Hennazaki.

 

 

 

Dinner: Heaven's Truck

 

Since it was our last night on Irabu Island, we had a barbecue at “Heaven's Truck”.

 

It is a barbecue area inside the glamping resort Glamtech Resorts Heaven, which has also been featured on the TV show “Tabi Salad”.

 

In the new and open-air BBQ area, you can enjoy thick-cut steaks and Orion beer.

 

 

Here is a photo of the venue.

It is a brand-new and very clean space!

 

 

We started with a toast of Orion beer and “Sunset Ocean Lemonade”. 🍻

 

 

 

This is the “Heaven BBQ Plate”.

The steak is huge and looks amazing!

 

 

For more about “Heaven's Truck”, click here >>

 

Barbecue at “Heaven's Truck” on Irabu Island

 

 

 

 

Final Day: Travelling from Irabu Island back to Haneda

 

 

Our Irabu Island trip had finally reached its last day.

 

We enjoyed our stay right up until it was almost time for our flight!

 

 

Morning: Driving around Irabu Island

 

We drove along the northern side of Irabu Island (towards Shiratori-zaki).

 

There are several lookout points along the way, so we stopped now and then to take photos while making our way towards Irabu Soba Kame for lunch.

 

This is “Sabautsuga”.

 

 

 

This is “Funau-sagi Banata”.

 



 

This is “Shiratori Cape Park”.

 

 

 

Lunch: Irabu Soba Kame

 

Here you can enjoy Irabu soba with a rich bonito-based broth.

 

It is a popular restaurant that has also been featured on the TV show “Tabi Salad”.

 

Here is a photo of the restaurant.

The bougainvillea is beautiful, isn’t it?

 

 

This is the “Irabu Soba”.

It includes namari-bushi (semi-dried bonito), which makes the bonito flavour in the broth stand out even more.

 

 

For more about “Irabu Soba Kame”, click here >>

 

We visited “Irabu Soba Kame” on Irabu Island

 

 

Afternoon (1): Nakayukui Shoten

 

 

This shop is famous for its beni-imo (purple sweet potato) sata andagi doughnuts, known as “beni-imo panbin”.

 

There is almost always a queue in front of the shop.

 

 

 

I heard that even tourists staying on Miyako Island come over to Irabu just to buy these “beni-imo panbin”.

 

They are so popular that during peak holiday seasons purchases may be limited to three pieces per person.

 

 

 

From the outside they look like regular sata andagi, but as you can see, the inside is bright purple.

 

They have a fluffy texture and are indeed delicious.

 

 

 

There is plenty of parking behind the shop, so coming by car is no problem.

 

 

 

Afternoon (2): Departing from Miyako Airport

 

At last, it was time to say goodbye to wonderful Irabu Island ( ﾉД`)ｼｸｼｸ…

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s it for this trip report.

 

Thank you so much for reading to the end!

 

Search for tours to Miyako / Irabu Islands!

>> Rakupack – Domestic tours (flight + hotel) [Rakuten Travel]

 

Search for snorkelling tours!

>> Local optional tours [VELTRA]

 

Helpful guidebook

 

 

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