Private Tour
Okinawa: Kayak Mangroves & Ocean Native-English Private Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover the breathtaking beauty of the Yambaru region in Northern Okinawa with a kayak tour guided by a native English-speaker. Whether you want to get amongst the mangroves to learn about the unique adaptations of this incredible ecosystem or paddle over the coral reef, this private tour caters to your group's skill level, we will contact you after booking to curate a personalized experience that meets your needs and ensures a memorable outing.
We'll meet you at a suitable location where you can change and grab a drink before heading to the launch site. We'll provide you with a brief introduction to kayaking before you embark on your adventure.
The launch location and exploration routes will depend on weather and sea conditions, as well as your group's abilities. Our tour may include visits to picturesque spots such as Kouri Island, Nakijin Reef, Yagaji Sea Valley, or Haneji Inland Sea, where you can explore secret beaches, mangroves, and remote islands.
Additional Info
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Service animals allowed
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in most weather conditions, please wear sun protection and clothes that can get wet.
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Activity may not be suitable for thoses with a BMI ~30 or over 109kg/240lb, please contact us
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Specific customisations for your private group's abilties
Native English-speaking certified guide
Kayaks and related safety equipment
All Fees and Taxes
Tea (caffeine free) and local snacks
Life jackets and neoprene protective footware
What To Expect
Drive In Rikarikawarumi
Our certified guide will meet you at this restaurant with its fantastic views over Kouri and Yagaji Islands. This will be a chance to use a restroom and grab a drink. After a quick briefing about the experience, you will follow the guide in your car to the launch site, a 5-minute drive away.
Yagaji Island
From calm flat water to rolling ocean waves, areas to explore will depend on the private group member's abilities, preferences, the weather and sea conditions, which we discuss shortly after booking. Options include paddling by Kouri bridge, through Yagaji's sea valley with its steep jungle covered walls or navigating past uninhabited islands and a mangrove bay in the Haneji inland sea, or visiting Nakijin's wide mangrove-lined river, not forgetting the numerous white sand beaches along the coast.
Options
Kayak mangroves & inland sea
Kayak to golden sand beaches
Description: This option visits coral reefs & a lagoon near the reef edge, passing by rugged cliff edges, you'll stop at a secluded beach.
Kayak & Jungle Trek
Add River Trek & waterfall: Make it a full day nature adventure! Lunch options after kayaking & before this exciting jungle river trek. (Allow 6–8 hours)
Golden hour - Sunrise kayak
Avoide the heat-calm serenity: Experience the surreal stillness of the early mornings by Kayak. Actual Sunrise varies between 05:30 and 07:00 over the year.
Reviews
61 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Worth It!
matthewkA8020OL,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Awesome kayak tour! Nick was very knowledgeable about the mangroves and the area. He was very accommodating and showed us some incredible views of beautiful Okinawa. I would go again.
Recommended for Japanese people
J3973TU ,
Aug 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a great opportunity for my 13-year-old son to have a conversation in English. In the midst of the magnificent nature, they honestly asked questions and enjoyed the conversation using English, which was a waste of time. Kayaking at the confluence of the quiet waters and rivers, where no one else was, was a rare experience. Our guide, Nick, was very courteous on the day of the tour, as well as on our prior inquiries, and it was a very pleasant tour!
Most pleasant, enjoyable time.
Coastal495964,
Jul 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our kayak tour and time snorkeling were wonderful. Nick our guide was prepared, knowledgeable and delightful. The scenery was beautiful. We very much enjoyed our experience.
Awesome experience 5/5
Q1215IHtomaszz,
Apr 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great guide, excellent communication. Peaceful area, almost no one three, also you can swim on your private beach. Thanks Nik, cheers from Poland
Friendly guide that's got you covered!
Rui Ming C,
Feb 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide led the tour at a comfortable pace. He was friendly with some tinge of humour and was prompt to respond to our queries before the trip. Throughout the tour, he was warm and shared details about the environment we were kayaking in, as well as travel suggestions when in Okinawa.
✔ New sport unlocked
Laura R,
Jan 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Beautiful experience, perhaps the best we had in Okinawa (and we had many). Even if you only stay a few days you have to go kayaking and you have to go with Nik, the perfect guide!
Tour on the Mangrove river and ocean
horatiup738,
Nov 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nik was an excellent guide for me and my wife. Using for the first time a kayak, he explained everything very well and went into the ocean feeling safe, which was a great adventure. We highly recommend this!
Kayaking in Paradise
B9886ODpetert,
Oct 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was absolutely amazing, the whole day was the highlight of our visit to Okinawa. Nik is insanely friendly, he had the answer to just about every random-fact question we had about the island & he even gave us some incredible suggestions for places to visit that do not pop up on the tourism websites. I took my wife on this kayak adventure as part of our honeymoon and Nik's kids even decorated her kayak with flowers for the occasion. 10 out of 10 experience and I could not recommend this enough. If you're reading this and planning a trip to Okinawa, do yourself a favor and book a day with Nik. If you're lucky, you might even get to meet his dog!
Fantastic experience and great guide
liyec2023,
Oct 12, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic trip, our guide Nik provided comprehensive information to us ahead of trip, prepared great equipments, and showed us the amazingly beautiful nature surroundings around the shallow sea. We rowed kayak and walked around the mangrove , learned different species and spotted cute crabs, my wife and daughter enjoyed a lot
10/10 experience with a nice guide
r sturh2024,
Oct 7, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a great experience, our guide Nik was very easy to talk to and clearly experienced. He did his best to accommodate to what we were interested in both when kayaking and on the river trek. 10/10 will recommend everyone to do this.
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