My mother-in-law came with us, to help with the kids and to redeem her unpleasant memory of visiting Okinawa 40 years ago. Back then, my husband had not been born yet and his brother was a baby. The family went to Okinawa for the baby's first beach vacation, excited to introduce the baby to the sand, sun, and ocean. As it so often turns out, the baby hated these elements. We were lucky enough set off for Okinawa with a good deal of certainty that our kids love the beach, as they talk about it constantly. Our destination was Okinawa Honto, the main Okinawa island.
The Flight to Okinawa
We took a taxi to Haneda Airport, the closer of the two Tokyo airports. The kids followed in their grandparents' car. In Japan, babies and toddlers may ride in taxis without carseats (even newborns from the hospital). Since this trip was long and went through highways, we used the carseats.
It took about half an hour from the city center to Haneda Airport. The airport was predictably empty, and it took less than 15 minutes to check our bags and go through security. We flew with Skymark, a Japanese budget airline comparable to Southwest. Despite its low cost, the customer service was good and our flights were on-time.
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| We had to check our stroller at the counter, but they offered this convenient contraption that was actually preferable to our umbrella stroller. |
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| Breezing through security. |
Because we left home before 7am, we had packed a couple of sandwiches for the kids to eat for breakfast at the airport. But we didn't need to. In Japan, even at the airport, food is widely accessible, inexpensive, and varied. There are restaurants and convenience stores at the airport selling different types of food at the same prices as those outside the airport.
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| Apple and persimmon (seasonal fruits) vending machine at Haneda. |
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| Bottled water at the airport convenience store for about $1 USD |
Our direct flight to Okinawa had some empty seats. We were lucky to have a seat for M without purchasing one. Just shy of two years old, she is the same height as some three year olds and looked a bit large for a lap child. Still, the requirements are based on age, and so we had to hold her for take off and landing.
The flight was about two and a half hours long. They served coffee or water, a packet of KitKat, and a mask. Additional drinks and snacks were available for purchase (at a very reasonable price). The seats were comfortable, the plane was clean, and the flight attendants attentive. We were also able to check one free bag each, which according to my husband is standard for Japanese airlines. I was happy with our flight experience and would use the same airline again.
Arrival in Naha, Okinawa
From Naha Airport, where we landed, our hotel was more than an hour's drive. I'm not sure how public transportation is within Naha, the city, but it is difficult to get to other parts of the island without a car. With kids in tow, we rented car with car seats for ease of transportation.
We chose the main Okinawan island, Okinawa Honto, because there were more non-water activities for young kids in case of a rainy day, or for variety. There are a few farmer's markets, a nice aquarium, and a pineapple theme park, not to mention a lot of good restaurants. Our hotel was the Halekulani. The first and only other Halekulani is in Hawaii, so ours had a Hawaiian flair. It has a nice stretch of beach and both outdoor and indoor pools. The in house dining is expensive, but it is within close driving distance to delicious and inexpensive restaurants in the area. Having a rental car let us take advantage of those options.
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| A Hawaiian welcome. |
What we did and what we ate - to be continued in Part II!
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