Snorkelling

Overview

Swimming with turtles

From April to November a very popular ocean activity is snorkelling. The rocky shore has some interesting underwater life to explore and the local marine guide will know which places to go to at different times of the year. The sea temperature ranges from 20C in the winter to 28C in the summer and the warm seas mean that there are a whole array of fish and other marine life.  There are coral areas where the marine life is abundant and it becomes quite common to observe adult turtles throughout the year.

Sea turtles around Yakushima

Yakushima is an important nesting site for both the endangered loggerhead and green turtles and this especially the case for loggerhead turtles in the North Pacific.
Both turtles visit Yakushima to nest on its beaches, so a visit to the island has plenty of opportunities for turtle-watching.

Enjoy a relaxing time with the sea turtles of Yakushima in their natural environment.

Note:
There is not a 100% guarantee of observing turtles during this activity.  The turtles numbers are affected by the seasons and sea conditions.

Daily Schedule

The snorkelling activity is in morning sessions (starting at 8:00 AM) and afternoon sessions (starting at 1:00 PM).
A general schedule can be viewed below:

Morning (e.g., 8:00 AM onwards)

07:40 – Hotel (in Miyanoura) pick-up
08:00 – Meet at dive site
08:00-08:30 – Pre-briefing
08:30-08:45 – Preparation of gear including fitting wetsuits
08:45-09:45 – Enter the sea
09:45–10:00 – Rest and get ready to go
10:00 – (Dismissal time at the location)
10:00–10:15 – To move
10:15–10:45 – Shower & change
11:00 – Finish (at Miyanoura)

Afternoon (e.g., 1:00 PM onwards)

12:40 – Hotel (in Miyanoura) pickup
13:00 – Meet at dive site
13:00-13:30 – Pre-briefing
13:30-13:45 – Getting ready, including wearing wetsuits
13:45-14:45 – Let's enjoy snorkeling!
14:45–15:00 – Rest and get ready to go
15:00 – (Dismissal time at the location)
15:00–15:15 – To move
15:15–15:45 – Shower & change
16:00 – Finish (at Miyanoura)

Locations Map

Field Data

Level:

Age restriction:

Ages 5-65

Time:

3 hours

Altitude:

-m

Tour fees

A half day snorkelling activity is 8,000 yen per person.

Tour Information

What's Included:

  • Experience / Course fee
  • Full snorkelling equipment
  • Photo / video shooting & gifts
  • Transportation to / from the Miyanoura area
  • Insurance fee
  • All Fees and Taxes

What's not included:

  • Lunch
  • Towel
  • Swimsuit
  • Beach sandals

Things to bring:

  • Wear swim wear under your clothing
  • Sun hat & sun screen
  • Beach sandals
  • Towels
  • Spare dry clothing

Additional Info:

Cancellation Charges

Date/time of cancellationCancellation Charges
3 days in advanceFree
2 days in advance50％
1 day or on the day100％

Access Information

For Those Requesting Pick-up

Pick-up Area: From Isso, clockwise through Miyanoura to Kusukawa.
Guests outside the pick-up area will be required to make their own way via bus or taxi to a meeting location in Miyanoura.

Pick-up time will be notified the day before.

For Those Meeting on Site

If using a rental car, please meet at Isso Beach car park, located at the northern point of Yakushima.
The meeting point will be one of the following three locations:

Meeting time and location will be confirmed the day before.
Free parking is available at the port.

Isso Beach Parking Lot

Images

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