Mangrove SUP/Canoe & Canyoning Experience (Iriomote Island, Okinawa)

adventurous, informative, exhilarating and safe! highly recommended. Big thanks to Shogo and team for encouraging us and keep us safe even doing the optional rock climbing to do the final jump! First you do the kayaking and it was low tide & it’s good to time it so that you arrive during that time because you see more of the mangroves and can get more shade. guide was informative & kept us going on the right areas so we didn’t get stuck on the sand. fun to take photos and see local wildlife too, crabs & lizards today! canyoning is fun and actually easy enough to do with encouragement. everyone enjoyed it & the atmosphere was always kept high. fyi you get to change into fresh wet shoes after lunch then a short hike through the jungle looking at signs for wild boar! then once finished you get to have the option to shower at the hq which has hot water, just remember to bring a towel, change of clothes and eco shampoo. we day trip from Ishigaki, so we booked 0800 & 1705 ferry in advance

This tour is divided into morning and afternoon sessions: SUP/rowing 🚣 in the morning, which was my first time and quite tiring; and stream tracing in the afternoon. I blindly chose this day trip, just going by gut feeling. Rowing 🚣 in the mangroves in the morning was fantastic and easy to learn. I even saw little crabs 🦀. In the afternoon, I thought we’d just be walking through streams, but before I knew it, we were lying down in the water and jumping from progressively higher points... plus, there was a natural water slide. It really pushed my boundaries. It's been a long time since I've had such a thrilling experience! Instructor: I joined Yumi's group for a day, and it was a fun and relaxing experience. I don't understand Japanese at all, but basic English was enough for this trip. After experiencing it, I feel like it's essentially a casual adventure for outdoor enthusiasts. Yumi showed us small animals in the mountains (tiny 🦎 with blue tails), guided us safely through streams, over hills, and into small pools. It was amazing 🌟👏🏻. The best part was that she took pictures for us the whole time, leaving us with wonderful memories! Check out the photos, haha 😄

[Mangrove Forest (Morning)] Location: Kayak through pristine mangrove forests. You might encounter lizards, tree frogs, and groups of crabs during the trip. Safety: The climate is humid and hot. The instructor reminded everyone to bring water to avoid heatstroke. Experience: Requires physical strength. Equipment: Originally booked SUP, but was notified the day before that it would be changed to kayaking due to safety concerns. However, there was no wind or rain on the day of the activity. Instructor: Fluent in English; enthusiastically introduced the sights and helped take photos. Unfortunately, the English group arrived later and did not receive paddling technique instructions like the Japanese group. [Creeking/River Tracing (Afternoon)] Location: The mountain stream is cool and refreshing. It is a ten-minute walk from the parking lot. Experience: Rock climbing and cliff jumping are very exciting and fun. It is necessary to follow the instructor's instructions and have some physical strength. Equipment: Life jackets and helmets are required throughout the entire activity. Personal belongings (including regular glasses and water bottles) are not allowed. If you are nearsighted, you need to prepare swimming goggles or a fixing strap. Photography equipment requires a waterproof bag or a strap for secure attachment. Instructor: Fluent in English, enthusiastically introduced the sights and helped take photos; the instructions for cliff jumping landing points and rock climbing force points were very clear.

An activity experience that exceeded expectations. Although canyoning was changed to phantom island snorkeling due to a "bug" issue, it turned out to be the best arrangement. The water level in the Iriomote Island mangrove forest was low, making SUP or canoeing very safe and easy for children to learn. The beautiful and rich marine ecosystem was impressive, and the equipment was very complete, allowing even those who are not comfortable in the water to snorkel with peace of mind. What made this activity perfect was our guide, Kono, who was passionate, kind, and attentive, providing a full score in emotional value. He paid attention to the condition of all members at all times, ensuring that everyone was in good condition. His fluency in both Japanese and English was also a plus 👍👍. The combination of the amazing natural scenery and excellent guide service made this activity a perfect experience.

Booked their canyoning and mangrove kayaking tour yesterday and had so much fun!!! Highly recommend canyoning to those who want to try something new and exciting: got to climb rocks, jump into the river and slide down waterfalls, felt like Tarzan haha Macchan was very friendly and gave clear demonstration so that I felt safe. Apart from taking great photos and videos for me to look back on, he also took the time to show and teach me a lot about the island's biodiversity, which I appreciate very much. Then I went kayaking in the mangroves - while there was strong wind and it was challenging at first, Yuki came to my rescue and was very encouraging! He's fluent in English, shared about his own experiences and also introduced the island and mangroves in detail. Kayaking was more chill compared to canyoning, while still serving as an arm workout haha Thank you both for the great experience and good vibes!

Our guide, Kengo-san, was incredibly kind! We were a bit worried because everyone else was Japanese and our family was the only Korean group, but he seamlessly translated between English and Japanese for us. During the canyoning tour, he even demonstrated things himself while guiding us. My family said it was the most enjoyable part of our trip! Both the tour and Kengo-san are the best! 😊

This was a perfect tour, with excellent equipment, a safe location, and plenty of fun. The guide was especially wonderful! And I highly recommend canyoning. I've never experienced a valley like this in Korea. Mr. Takahashi was so kind, explained everything well, and took great photos. I almost want to keep this place a secret, but it was so good that I had to share it in a review... I was having so much fun that I didn't take many pictures.

I really enjoyed the cayoning activity. It was a lot of fun. It is a very professional tour with all the safety equipment. I love jumping off the cliff. There is one section that we climb up and jump down. I can put my rock climbing skill in use. Seita is our tour guide. We really like him. He dropped us off at the port for lunch before we meet again for the afternoon tour. He drove off and we heard him running back to let us know that he forgot to give us recommendations for lunch. Such sweet guy. The mangrove canoeing wasn’t as fun as we thought it would be but with the service we received, I will give it 5 star for both tours. I would switch this for a snorkelling tour. After the tour, we were driven back to Pipi adventure office so everyone can take a quick shower then they drove us back to the port.

This morning we did the mangrove canoe tour. The scenery was beautiful and very interesting. Our guide's English was excellent, and he was funny, humorous, and responsible. After the activity, we were taken to the guide's studio, where we could take a hot shower and change clothes. It was quite clean. Then we were taken back to Uehara Pier. After lunch, we went waterfall trekking. Our guide, Mickey, although his English wasn't great, was able to communicate effectively. He was very responsible and dedicated. We had a lot of fun throughout the day. The day's activities were a little tiring, but the experience was great. Highly recommended.

I was very lucky to have Kono-san, who speaks excellent English, as my guide today. He went above and beyond to help take photos and videos throughout the entire trip. The whole itinerary was designed to be active and moderately intense; it wasn't too tiring but still very satisfying. I highly recommend this for a day trip on Iriomote Island! Instructor: Kono-san