Okuma Private Beach & Resort

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to Okuma Private Beach & Resort – it’s way up in northern Okinawa, about an hour and a half from Naha, and the drive through Kunigami gets pretty rural pretty fast. But you know what? Sometimes the best places are the ones that make you work a little to get there.

The resort sits right on this gorgeous stretch of white sand beach that feels almost untouched, which is saying something in Okinawa where good beaches can get packed with tourists. What I love about Okuma is that it’s actually on a former U.S. military recreation site, so the whole property has this interesting mix of tropical resort vibes with some surprisingly solid infrastructure – like, the rooms are spacious in a way that Japanese hotels sometimes aren’t, and there’s actual decent parking (trust me, this matters when you’re road-tripping around the island). The beach itself is the real star though. I mean, you’ve got crystal-clear water that stays pretty calm thanks to the way the coastline curves, and honestly, even during peak season it never felt crowded. There’s something about being this far north that keeps the day-trippers away.

The resort definitely shows its age in places – it’s not one of those sleek modern places you see in Naha or down south – but there’s a laid-back charm to it that actually works. The staff genuinely seems to enjoy working there, which you notice in little ways, like how they remember your name after day one or how they’ll casually mention the best times to hit the beach based on the tides. Food-wise, you’re pretty much eating at the resort or driving back toward Nago for options, but the buffet breakfast is surprisingly good (they do this local bitter melon dish that I was skeptical about but ended up loving), and there’s a decent izakaya-style place on-site for dinner. Pro tip: if you’re driving, stock up on snacks and drinks in Nago before you head up – there’s not much around Okuma itself except for a small convenience store that closes early. The whole area gets pretty quiet after sunset, which is either perfect or boring depending on what you’re looking for. For me, falling asleep to actual ocean sounds instead of traffic was worth the trip alone.