A coral reef wonderland rivaling Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – even non-swimmers will want to dive in

Photos & Text /Happy Yun

Last night’s gourmet feast was simply too satisfying, too delightful!! This morning, we’re going for coffee with the sun. Hahaha, "sunrise coffee" is a super popular activity at Hoshino Resorts Risonare Kobushi Island. Yun is curious – do people really… wake up this early to greet the sun on the beach??

The sunrise is said to be at 5:30; we arrived around 5:20. We grabbed a cup of coffee (free!!!) from the café and headed toward the beach. Wow~~~ huh? There were already so many people setting up chairs on the sand.

We waited leisurely for the sun to start its shift, but last night’s bouts of heavy rain and constant lightning did affect this morning’s sunrise. The sky was covered in thick clouds, and the low-hanging eastern clouds didn’t look promising.

Sure enough, we couldn’t see the exact moment the sun rose between the sea and the mountains. But while waiting, the sun slowly peeked out from between the clouds. We still got to greet the sun and say good morning before heading off for breakfast.

Hahaha, today really is early – even the hibiscus flowers are still asleep.

For breakfast, though there were many options, we weren’t fully awake yet, and neither was our appetite, so we kept it simple.

After breakfast, while we still had some free time, we decided to lounge around in bed for a little nap – just a few dozen minutes would be perfect. (This isn’t the room’s bed, just using a previously taken photo – what a huge room, so comfy; if I win the lottery, I’m staying here.)

After the nap, it’s time to go snorkeling Up!! Wow~~~ how is this place different from Iriomote Island?? Even though Yun can’t swim, she’s still super curious – what’s different in the nearby waters??

When we arrived at the port, the boat operator welcomed us, along with other tourists from Hong Kong and other parts of Japan. After boarding, during the ride, they handed out life vests, flippers, and snorkels. The weather wasn’t very stable today – dark clouds and sunlight were competing, so we hoped the sunshine would win in the end.

When the sunlight appeared and hit the sea surface, the water here was unbelievably beautiful, just as our travel companion described it – "like crystal." Beautiful, varied, and elusive. Our first stop was "Phantom Island," and as the name suggests, the surrounding waters were dreamily gorgeous, and the island only appears at low tide, sinking beneath the sea at high tide.

The boat operator let everyone get off to play and even gave Yun, who can’t swim, a lesson in floating. To be honest, being able to touch the bottom made it less scary. Maybe it was also because the surroundings were just too beautiful – so stunning that Yun really, really wished she could swim and play in the water.

Our travel companions described the sea as the blue of Calpis. Exactly!! It was so beautiful it made you want to drink it in. Though while learning to breathe through the mouthpiece, Yun swallowed quite a bit of water, but the salty Calpis didn’t taste good at all!!! It was really, really salty.

This time, Yun is incredibly thankful to her travel companions – everyone was such great swimmers. With beautiful instructors (both guys and girls), they taught Yun to gradually get used to the water, not be afraid, and eventually float. For Yun, it was a rare experience that made her want to learn how to swim and play in the water.

After some time, everyone got back on the boat and headed toward the snorkeling destination. Not far away, there was an area known as a "fish farm." According to the boat operator, the coral diversity around Kobushi Island is second only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Wow~~~ that sounds amazing!!! But will we get to see it?? Before long, the boat arrived at the destination, and some people had already started exclaiming "wow" at the vast expanse of ocean before them. Experienced snorkelers, seeing the changes in the water color, had already spotted the treasures, and everyone couldn’t wait to jump in.

Ah~~~ Yun wanted to jump in too. Thank you, boat operator, and thank you, fellow travelers. Aside from helping Yun overcome the fear of not having solid ground beneath her feet, they also towed her around on a float board for two big loops, letting her see so much beautiful underwater scenery. The astonishingly huge coral formations, and even seeing clownfish and some fish whose names Yun didn’t know – so beautiful, so beautiful. The breathtaking view made Yun shed tears without realizing it. This was the first time in her life she’d seen the beauty of the underwater world. She’s so thankful to her friends – otherwise, someone like her, who can’t swim at all, wouldn’t have been able to witness such a moving, gorgeous sight. She’ll always remember the sea lavender fields and rapeseed flower fields she saw with her friends underwater – the vast purple and yellow coral fields were like floral meadows on land, a delightful surprise.

With this first-ever underwater amazement, Yun will remember it forever. It’s said that this area in the Yaeyama Sea has the most diverse coral and fish species. The underwater world is truly so beautiful, so beautiful – just like on TV, but with even more real-life impact and emotion. When snorkeling in these waters, you’re close to the coral, so be careful when moving around – don’t hurt them or yourself!!!

After leaving this dreamy sea area, it was almost time to say goodbye to Kobushi Island. The beautiful beach, the ever-changing colored waters, and the healthy, delicious meals at night – wow!!!! Kobushi Island’s Hoshino Resort is truly astonishing. Time to continue our next stop, the final island of our island-hopping trip – "Taketomi Island."

[Hoshino Resorts Risonare Kobushi Island]
Website:http://www.risonare-kohamajima.com.tw/kohamajima/index.html
Address: 0907-1221 Okinawa Prefecture, Yaeyama District, Taketomi Town, Kobushi Higashidai 2954
Tel: 81-(0)50-3786-0055 (Japan reservations 8:00–21:00)

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