Iriomote Island: Barasu Island Snorkeling & Mangrove SUP or Canoe 1-Day Experience (Okinawa)

An unforgettable experience in Iriomote, a wild island and UNESCO World Heritage Site! Snorkeling among spectacular corals and colorful fish: a true underwater paradise. Kono, our instructor, was amazing – friendly, super attentive, and with excellent English that made every explanation clear and engaging. Yume, the photographer, gave us wonderful shots: thanks to her we’ll keep unique memories forever. After snorkeling, we explored the mangroves by kayak. Even at low tide, Kono made the tour fun and fascinating, sharing lots of insights about wildlife and nature. As a final surprise, he introduced us to the delicious pineapple popsicles – perfect after the adventure. Breathtaking nature, flawless organization, and an outstanding team: highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience the best of Iriomote!

Best tour on the island! Highly recommended! We booked a full-day tour (morning SUP, afternoon boat snorkelling) with two different guides. We were able to communicate well in English without any problems, and the small group size (6–7 people per guide) ensured everyone was well looked after. The itinerary was very convenient. The guide drove us to the pier for lunch between sessions. Note that morning group mates may change for the afternoon since some only join for half-day tours. As the only full-day participants, we skipped showers after SUP since we didn't fall in and went straight to lunch. An unexpected highlight was the photography. The guides took fantastic candid shots while we paddled. Despite starting at 9:00 AM, we received all photos by 10:00–11:00 PM the same day. Extremely prompt service! An incredible experience overall.

I joined the Yubu Island day tour with mangrove canoeing and had a great experience. Special thanks to Matcha for being very responsible and clearly reminding me of the meeting time during the Yubu Island visit. As the only foreign guest in the group, his attentiveness made me feel very safe and comfortable. Also, thank you to Cocoro for leading the mangrove canoe tour. She was very professional, caring, and knowledgeable about the local geography and plants. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience. Wonderful trip with amazing guides. Highly recommended!

Super recommended tour, when kayaking it was raining a bit and it made the experience even more beautiful. Mangroves with rain were truly amazing! In the snorkeling we saw many colorful big and little fishes/coral and even a huge sea turtle that we loved to see. Shoma (our guide) was very kind and nice to us and had a great english level. He helped us to find that sea turtle :)

I joined several tours during our trip, but this was by far my favorite experience. Huge thanks to our amazing guide, KAIRI ❤️! I don’t speak Japanese, but he always explained things in English whenever needed and made sure I understood everything. He constantly checked if we were okay, adjusted the kayak to fit us, and made sure our equipment was comfortable. I was especially impressed by how passionate he is about nature. His explanations about the mangroves made the tour even more meaningful, and he took amazing photos for us. (And yes… he looks like an idol. 😂) We had an absolutely incredible time and saw more than eight sea turtles! The ocean was crystal clear, and the underwater scenery was breathtaking. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Ishigaki or Iriomote. Thank you again, Kairi, for making our trip so special. We hope to come back again!

Kono was our tour guide, and the activity was enjoyable and satisfying. His English is incredibly fluent. I'm from Taiwan, so communication wasn't a problem☺️. Today, we saw unique crabs🦀 in the mangrove area and had fun canoeing🛶. While snorkeling, we saw a variety of fish and coral, and even a sea snake🐍! 👍! Don't hesitate, just come here and have fun!

Experience: The activity schedule was very well organized. It would be even better if there was a bit more time for snorkeling. Equipment: The equipment was complete and felt very safe. Instructor: The instructor's guidance was clear. Location: Absolutely beautiful.

Where else can you canoe through a mangrove forest? It's truly mystical and so lush and green, it's easy on the eyes! The weather was perfect, and our guide kept taking photos for us and made sure we were safe. And the snorkeling? Need I say more... the underwater scenery is stunning, the coral is beautiful, the fish are adorable, and the water is crystal clear. We even saw a turtle on the way back! They rent out all the safety gear, so you can have fun without worrying, even if you can't swim! Thank you Shoma for making such a lovely memory, me and my husband really enjoyed it ! ! 💜

Coach: Aimi-chan Location: Barasu Island Experience: It was cloudy with pretty big waves, but the visibility at the dive site was still good. The seabed would be even more beautiful on a sunny day.

The instructor was very kind and explained everything thoroughly, which made me feel comfortable and enjoy the activity. Although the water clarity for snorkeling wasn't great due to a typhoon a few days prior, we were lucky enough to see sea snakes and sea turtles, which was wonderful. I would love to participate again if I have the chance. Thank you very much!