Blue Cave Snorkeling Experience Report with Kids | Could a 3rd Grader and Kindergartner Enjoy It?

Last time, I summarized our entire trip to Okinawa with the kids, but this time I'll write about our Blue Cave snorkeling experience🐠

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Our First Snorkeling Experience!

The thing I was looking forward to most on this Okinawa trip was the "Blue Cave snorkeling." The kids were using snorkels for the first time. We parents were a little nervous ourselves, wondering, "Will they be able to breathe properly?" or "Will they be scared?" To start with the conclusion, even though the kids were nervous at first, they were super excited by the beautiful Okinawa sea and all the fish! In this post, I'll summarize how it actually went, the kids' real reactions, and things we were careful about!

About the tour we used🚤

We used the Blue Cave snorkeling tour by "Boukenjima" (Adventure Island) in Onna Village. When comparing various shops, the deciding factors were: - They take not only photos but also videos - They had the 8:00 AM tour we wanted - It seemed highly likely we could get to the Blue Cave via boat entry. Many shops only offer photos, but I really wanted to keep videos that convey the atmosphere, so I chose this shop. Also, since it was a small group tour with one guide per family, it was reassuring that they could proceed at the kids' pace. It was about a 5-minute drive from our hotel, Rizzan Sea-Park Hotel Tancha Bay, and the location was easy to find. The guide assigned to us was very cheerful and easy to talk to, and they talked to the kids a lot, which helped them feel at ease and allowed us to participate with peace of mind😊

The day's schedule and how the kids did🐠

On the day, we had a light breakfast buffet at the hotel, traveled, and arrived at the shop at 8:00 AM.

After checking in, we were told that we could go to the Blue Cave today! After changing into wetsuits, we were taught how to use the snorkel and given safety instructions. Once we were ready, we headed to the boat dock, which was just a short walk away.

We boarded the boat around 9:00 AM and headed for the Blue Cave. Even while on the boat, my second daughter looked anxious and kept saying, "I want to go home..." so I was worried about how it would go.

But once she actually got into the water, she was more excited than anyone! She seemed to enjoy floating in the deep water where she couldn't touch the bottom, and she was moving around freely without holding onto the board.

My eldest daughter already loves diving with goggles. However, she was nervous about using a snorkel for the first time, asking, "Will water really not get in?" and couldn't put her face in the water at first. Even so, because the guide moved at her pace, she was gradually able to put her face in and see the fish.

The area around the cave was quite crowded, so we slowly entered the cave while waiting for our turn.

I was moved by the truly beautiful blue!! They also took lots of photos and videos for us.

After leaving the cave, we also fed the fish. The kids were very curious, surrounded by so many fish.

My second daughter seemed to find using the snorkel a bit difficult, so in the end, she observed the inside of the sea using a box viewer, which is a bucket that lets you see underwater.

My eldest daughter got so cold that she was shivering, so she and my husband returned to the boat a little early. On the boat, the staff poured warm water over her, and she was able to rest safely.

We finished snorkeling around 10:00 AM and returned by boat, then showered and changed at the shop.

The experience time flew by!

Things we were careful about

Since we were traveling right after breakfast, we made sure not to overeat.
Also, since our children get motion sickness easily, we had them take motion sickness medicine beforehand.
The boat ride was only about 5 to 10 minutes, but there were places where the sea surface was choppy and we felt the waves more than expected, so I think it's a good idea to have motion sickness medicine for children who are prone to it.

Very satisfied with the photos & videos!

We were able to receive the photos and videos immediately on the same day. Excluding blurry ones, there were about 70 photos, and about 13 videos ranging from 5 to 10 seconds long!

There were shots taken by the guide diving underwater and shots of the fish in the sea, and it was so much fun looking at the photos with the kids while talking about things like, 'We saw so many of these fish!'

The videos even captured them kicking their feet and their happy voices shouting 'Yay!', so I really felt glad that we chose a place that also takes videos.

It might be a good idea to think a little bit in advance about the kind of photos you want, like 'I want a photo like this!' ☺️

The commonly seen 'photo taken from underwater of everyone holding hands in a circle' is also very lovely, and I thought a little bit that I wish we had asked them to take one for us too!

It became an unforgettable experience 🌺

At first, we were considering a glass-bottom boat or an aquarium, but I think actually getting into the sea, looking into the water, and seeing the fish up close was a very valuable experience.

Even the children who were nervous at first were able to enjoy it at their own pace!

There were some kid-specific mishaps, like not being able to use the snorkel well or getting cold halfway through, but the guide handled each situation properly, so we were able to participate with peace of mind.

I had some anxiety at first, but it became one of the Okinawa experiences that we are so glad we did! 🌺

Next time, I'd like to participate in a snorkeling tour where we can meet sea turtles in Ishigaki Island or Miyakojima ☺️

Click here for an article summarizing the total cost actually spent on this Okinawa trip and our real 4-day schedule 👇