An archipelago of subtropical islands boasting great beaches, fantastic scuba diving and a distinctive culture.

Until they was conquered and incorporated into Japan, the Okinawa Islands were part of the Ryukyu Kingdom - an independent state with its own vibrant culture. This culture survives to this day in architecture such as Naha's Shuri Castle, and visitors to Okinawa will find the food, music, art and design to be quite different from that of mainland Japan.

Okinawa is a superb location for diving, offering an outstanding array of marine life from sea turtles to dolphins, spectacular coral reefs, manta rays, octopods, hammerhead sharks and even migrating humpback whales. Not only this, but the clear, warm waters mean that visibility is almost always superb.