Okinawa Whale Watching, Don Quijote… & Last Minute Plans?!

Day 2 was supposed to start out really great, but because of horrible Naha traffic and the fact that our hotel was considerably a distance from Naha city… Urgh. Pricey mistake!

This is part 2 of the Okinawan series! 

We were supposed to be at the Miegusuku Port (Naha) before 9am. As Okinawa was known for whale-watching during winter season, I definitely wanted to see some whales from a safe distance. But due to horrible traffic and slight drizzle in the morning, our drive to the port got delayed horribly.

TIP: Factor in travelling time on Google Drive + 10 minutes, just to be safe!

Luckily, we managed to get in contact with the Whale Watching tour company via booking on Klook.com. However, because of our late arrival, we had to pay an additional 2000 yen each to change the whale watching to the afternoon session (at 1pm). The original price of the tour was SGD47.60/person.

So that left us more time in the morning before 1.30pm. Plans now have changed!

Destination 1: Don Quijote

Since we were already in Naha city, we decided to go to Kokusai Dori – where we finally get to see the hype about Don Quijote! The great thing about traveling to Okinawa during low season and on a weekday was that parking was way easier to find. However, it was still quite pricey because we were parking along the touristy districts. It didn’t matter much in the end, because we had to go to the port at 1.30pm anyway.

Total parking turned out to be 600 yen.

We explored the whole 3 floors of Don Quijote, but we didn’t shop much… yet. It was only our second day (first full day) in Okinawa. So we didn’t want to shop too much and then leave no room for other souvenirs from other interesting places. We roughly took note what we wanted to get once we were back in Naha City on the last night.

And since we were along the streets of Kokusai Dori… What say you to the famous Blue Seal ice cream?

Destination 2: Blue Seal @ Kokusai Dori

I don’t remember what I had exactly, but the blue one was along the lines of Blue Coral, and the bottom flavour was more like Okinawan Salt flavour. It was really nice and affordable. Gladys had yam and the same Okinawan Salt flavour!

However, I don’t remember how much my ice cream costed. 🙁 But it was definitely less than 700 yen.

By then, we had to leave Kokusai Dori for Miegusuku Port!

Destination 3: Whale Watching @ Naha Miegusuku Port

It was an easy 20 minute drive from Kokusai Dori to Miegusuku Port. Do take note that the tour company does operate from two different ports – Miegusuku and Chatan. They are very far apart, so plan your driving distances accordingly and take into account traffic in Naha city as well. You read more about driving in Okinawa here.

Parking @ Miegusuku Port

Upon arrival at the port, you will realise that parking is not free. Of course, you may take the risk and park outside of the parking lots. However, you might be fined, wheel clamped and that might cost a hefty fine to get your car unclamped. Parking turned out to be 500 yen, a flat fee after 3 hours or so!

We found the place to meet the tour company, paid the extra 2000/person fee and waited for everyone to be present. The tour company also provided a free postcard picture of a whale, and also prepared seasick medication available for purchase (about 200+ yen). I didn’t buy any, which may or may not be a good idea. I got slightly seasick, but managed to keep my puke down, thankfully!

Whale Watching

Soon it was off to the boat! We were given life jackets (very important!) and also had the seats all the way at the back. The sea breeze was amazing! However, luck was not on our side because we didn’t see any whales. Also, the tour company took an extra hour just to find them, which was really nice. Still, Mother Nature seemed to not agree with our plans, so we didn’t get to see any hints of whales. 🙁

Because of the non-sighting, we were offered a refund (via Klook) or a reschedule to see the whales again. This was not including the 2000 yen/person penalty paid earlier. Based on company policy, there were certain days where we had a refund guaranteed if we didn’t manage to view the whales! Though I wished to see the whales, we definitely didn’t have time to see them. Our trip would be focused more on the middle and northern parts of Okinawa and we had no more extra time to focus on whale-watching anymore.

So, we decided on the refund. And thankfully, the refund was processed almost immediately, and the amount was credited back into the billing account 5 days later. Great job, Klook!

Despite the disappointment, we decided to look for dinner i.e. Coco Ichibanya!

Destination 4: Coco Curry

I don’t recall which outlet we went to, because they were so many and I had my Geotag on photos disabled. Nonetheless, Japan’s really awesome whereby there is little to no variation in the taste across Japanese “fast-food” like Coco Curry!

We were definitely hungry upon finishing the whale watching tour. Plus, the weather took a turn for the worse and it started raining super heavily. So a warm plate of curry rice was definitely welcomed.

I had a plate of chicken curry, with a rather high spice level. It was interesting to note that Coco Curry had a vegetarian meal where there is no animal derivatives. That is really accommodating for vegetarians and those with other dietary restrictions!

Gladys, on the other hand, had a different type of curry with pork as the meat. I didn’t try the sauce, because of the type of meat she was eating (haha). But yeah, Coco Curry ftw! 🙂 I also ordered a potato croquette because I was really hungry. We spent a total of 2156 yen, which wasn’t too bad, considering how we skipped lunch and had a super light breakfast.

We sought refuge in the warm eatery, but soon it got darker due to the rain. I didn’t want to be too far away from our hotel, so we went to a destination that we were supposed to go to on the first day…

Destination 5: Daiso

Yes, that’s right. Daiso! The difference between the Daiso in Japan and in other countries (other than Japan Daiso being wayyyy better) is that the prices are not just SGD2 per item. There were a lot more items that were priced higher or lower, but still affordable. Trust me, I went batshit crazy in this Daiso, but still did not dent my wallet!

Even though we were both super tired from Don Quijote, Whale Watching and also having eaten a very heavy dinner – Daiso was definitely one of the shopping highlights.

I don’t remember how many items I bought at Daiso, but I knew that I spent 1080 yen on whatever I got. And that included an iron egg omelette pan. Yes (which I struggled to bring on the flight home).

Destination 6: Hotel Koza

And thus, we retreated back into the warmth of our hotel amidst the dark and rainy night. We definitely had to rest up for the next day!

Day 3 – 12 January 2019 (Saturday)

It was time to check out of Hotel Koza! But first… some breakfast.

After loading up the car with our luggages, it was time to head to our first destination – Katsuren Castle!

Destination 1: Katsuren Castle

Katsuren Castle is one of the many Okinawan castles that is not ruins. Like many of the castles from Ryukyu Kingdom, it is located on a hill. If you are familiar with mainland Japanese castles, Ryukyu castles also have similar infrastructure.

The journey up to most parts of the castle is easy, but unfortunately, not wheelchair friendly. Also, it can get really windy at the top, so secure your hats!

The view on top of the hill (and around the vicinity of the castle) spans across the seas and the nearby towns. Extremely picturesque, I must say! There are many Ryukyu castles, for sure, but I am glad that I went to Katsuren Castle.

Parking is free, and is located a 3-minute walk away from the base of the hill. Admission to Katsuren Castle is free.

After visiting the castle, we went to refresh ourselves at the Visitor Centre. The visitor centre also has very interesting additional information about the Castle. You also get to buy Okinawan sweets for 130 yen per packet. They come in various flavours. My favourite one is the soybean-coated one. I believe that it is the best-selling flavour. Try it!

Since it was nearing lunch time, we decided to head to a nearby café we found on Google Maps. But before that, we decided to head to a nearby park to see the vantage point of the countryside.

Destination 2: Yachonomori Natural Park

Upon arrival, there was only one other car parked. Not surprising, because the park is more like a local park than a touristy one.

It was an easy hike up (in comparison to Katsuren Castle) with two paths to the top. Most of the parts were stairs.

If you have plenty of time and interested to bird-watch, this place is highly recommended. Along the top floor, there are information signs telling you what birds usually hang around the area, as well as migratory birds.

By then, we were extremely hungry. Alright, time to head to the café!

Okay, Yachonomori Natural Park wasn’t chosen for nuthin’. I wanted to go café hopping for a little bit, so we went to this really hipster café called ピピネオ (Pipineo) Café.

TIP: Oftentimes, regardless of location in Japan (Okinawa, Tokyo… anywhere!), lunch sets are way cheaper than dinner sets. That’s why we mostly eat out during lunch, and eat light during dinner.

The interior of the café is very beautiful and decorated tastefully. The colours weren’t loud and we got to rest sufficiently while we waited for our food.

We got ourselves a lunch set each for 1400 yen each. This included the appetiser, a Sweet Potato porride, the main and a drink. I had grilled Japanese seabass which came with Japanese rice and black coffee. Gladys had Carbonara, which was delicious as well.

The nice thing about most Japanese cafés is that the menu is not so overwhelming. Each have their own specialty dishes, choosing to perfect the dishes instead of offering an array of cuisines which they cannot keep up. This is why I am willing to spend 1400 yen on a lunch set, because I know that the food tastes wonderful!

At the entrance of the café, there is also an array of Ryukyu crafts that are beggingggg to be bought. Simply beautiful. Prices vary a lot depending on the quality of the craft as well as the type of jewelry it is made for.

Area around Pipinéo Café

From Yachonomori Natural Park earlier, you could see waterways. Similarly, the café is located along the waterway, providing a calm atmosphere that instantly made us fall in love with the quiet location.

Soon, it was time to head to our next destination… We were really quite excited for this one – Minatogawa Stateside Town.

Destination 3: Minatogawa Stateside Town

Upon arrival, I was a little stressed out because there were very very limited coin parking. There was no free parking. Also, the streets along Minatogawa Stateside Town was very narrow. Our rental car was quite huge, so I was a little afraid that I would scratch another car or something. Thankfully, we managed to park the car. Total parking turned out to be 400 yen.

I also desperately had to use the toilet. Unfortunately, there were no public toilets so we had to sit in a cafe. The food was slightly more expensive than I’d like it to be.

We had ice cream crepe – can’t recall how much it was and where we had it. Delicious, but the quantity was small. Guess it was a 7 out of 10 for me! But like many Japanese cafés, the interior was very beautiful.

We walked around the town, which had a sleepy vibe.

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We spent so much time exploring all the shops till we forgot the time! As it was winter, daylight was shorter than usual. Our initial plan was to head to the Mihama American Village – but unfortunately, that would make us skip the sunset!

So we skipped the American Village for another day, heading to our next destination Cape Manzamo.

Destination 4: Cape Manzamo

Of course (and unfortunately), the weather didn’t agree with us still. We didn’t let that aspect affect our trip however, but instead, enjoyed the cape and the beautiful views. There were a lot of people, but there were sufficient free parking lots. The area was small and wheelchair friendly!

Even though we didn’t see the sunset at all, the dark clouds gave a dramatic feel to the surroundings. Add that to the crazy wind, you can scream all you want and nobody can hear you. (Just kidding, I jest!)

Destination 5: Centurion Hotel Resort Okinawa

As the day got darker, we decided to head to the hotel straightaway instead of exploring. Because of the long driving distances, we decided to not exert ourselves. So off we went to check-in to our second hotel.

Driving outside of Naha city was pretty fun, but the streets got pretty dim really fast. And that’s saying a lot, even though there were street lights. The area around the hotel was rather dark (but safe). We had to park in front of the hotel’s restaurant. One con of parking was that the ground was mostly gravel – Gladys had a huge, heavy wheeled luggage and it was rather difficult to push it to the hotel.

The hotel’s rather dated, but still kept beautiful and rustic. Even the door locks still utilise keys – newer hotels usually use a card to either tap or swipe. Quite interesting!

For two nights, our stay costed us 17,971 yen in total. Free parking, breakfast not included, but there is a washer and dryer on the third floor! They provide detergent powder for free – but the washers and dryers are coin-enabled. But still, really awesome!

At night, we just drove over to the nearest conbini and had dinner. For 1164 yen, I got myself soba, odeng, drinks and sushi. You definitely must try Japanese conbini food at least once in your life!

So yeap! That marks the end of day 4. It had been very challenging with the disagreeable weather and underestimated traffic. However, it’s extremely an eye opener, learning how to survive in another country!

Watch this space for the next Okinawan installment. You will want to keep your eyes peeled for this one! 🙂

Total Spent (Day 2)

Whale Watching – SGD47.60 (not including penalty fee of 2000 yen/person)
Parking – 1100 yen
Food – 2804 yen (we bought some snacks from conbini)
Daiso – 1080 yen

Total Spent (Day 3)

Okinawa Brown Sugar Sweets – 260 yen
Cafe Yachonomori Park – 1400 yen
Parking – 400 yen
Dinner (Conbini) – 1164 yen