Okinawa Manzamo: Beautiful scenery of sea caves and grasslands
Okinawa is Japan's southern island, rich in natural beauty and unique culture. In the central part of Okinawa Island, there is a very famous tourist attraction, Cape Manza. Manzamo is a towering cliff formed by coral reefs, covered with green grasslands above and clear blue waters and white sand beaches below. Here, you can enjoy the spectacular sea caves, Elephant Trunk Rock, Couple Rock and other strange rocks, and feel the power of the sea breeze and the waves. Cape Manza is one of Okinawa's most representative natural landscapes and a great place to take photos.
This time I rented a car and drove to Cape Manza. I started from Naha Airport and drove north along National Highway 58. It took about an hour and a half to arrive. There is free parking at Manzamo, but please note that from October 2020, an entrance fee of 100 yen will be charged to enter the Manzamo Trail. However, I think this price is reasonable because Manzamo not only has beautiful scenery, but also has the newly opened "Manzamo Surrounding Revitalization Facilities", which provides rest areas, specialty shops, restaurants and free observation decks.
I first bought a ticket at the entrance and then walked along the trail to the edge of the cliff. Along the way, you can see lush grasslands and linden trees, as well as many cute little animals such as goats, rabbits and squirrels. The trail is flat and spacious, suitable for visitors of all ages. After walking for about 10 minutes, I arrived at the most famous Elephant Trunk Rock in Wanzuomao. Elephant Trunk Rock is a sea cave that looks very much like an elephant's trunk. It has this peculiar appearance due to long-term erosion by sea water. The Elephant Trunk Rock is about 20 meters high and 9 meters wide. It is the most attractive photo spot in Manzomao. I took a lot of photos here, and I also saw many newlyweds coming here to take wedding photos.
In addition to the Elephant Trunk Rock, I also admired other sea caves and strange rocks, such as the Couple Rock, Turtle Rock and Lion Rock. Each rock has its own story and legend, which is very interesting. I also saw the resort hotel and white-sand Manza Beach across the way, as well as Mount Onna in the distance. Here, I can see the beautiful scenery of the west coast of Okinawa and feel relaxed and comfortable.
I spent about half an hour on the Manzamo Trail, then returned to the entrance and went to the "Manzamo Surrounding Revitalization Facility." There are three floors here. The first floor is a rest area and specialty shop, the second floor is restaurants and shops, and the third floor is a free observation deck. I bought some Okinawa souvenirs at the souvenir shop on the first floor, such as Ryukyu glass, red taro cakes and sea salt. I also had some Okinawan delicacies at the restaurant on the second floor, such as Okinawa soba, pork cutlet rice, and sea urchin ice cream. Finally, I reached the observation deck on the third floor and once again enjoyed the panoramic view of Manzamo. The view here is very good, and you can see the Elephant Trunk Rock and the sea view from different angles. I think this is a good place to watch the sunset, but unfortunately I came at the wrong time and missed the beautiful sunset.
I stayed at the Manzamo Revitalization Facility for about an hour and then drove away. On the way back, my heart was filled with admiration and emotion for the natural beauty of Okinawa. Manzamo is a place worth visiting again and again. It has different styles and charms in spring, summer, autumn and winter. If you also want to see this most representative attraction in Okinawa with your own eyes, you might as well arrange a trip to Manzamo! #Good Places for Families #Okinawa Attractions