Spring Trip to Okinawa with Kids: Marine Activities Even a 2-Year-Old Can Enjoy!

Our spring trip to Okinawa with two adults and two preschoolers.
We booked a hotel nearby so we could enjoy the Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park for days on end, but...

“If possible, we also want to get in the ocean.”

There are many beaches on the main island of Okinawa, but most don't officially open for swimming until April or later.
Since we visited in late March, we were just a few days too early!

“Okinawa beach opening March”
“Okinawa earliest beach opening”
“Okinawa beach you can swim at all year round”

I searched for things like these, but in the end, I couldn't find any information on beaches that would be safe and comfortable for a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old.
It would have been great to find a place with jellyfish nets already installed and warm showers available...
It seems it really is too early for swimming with kids.

“In that case, let's do marine activities!”

Since we were in Okinawa, and our whole family loves to swim, I couldn't just give up.

I figured we could enjoy things like banana boats without being fully submerged, and if they provided wetsuits, we could manage even if it was a little cold.

I searched for “marine activities” on Google Maps while zoomed in on the west side of the Motobu Peninsula, where we were staying, and...

・Accepts 2-year-olds
・Has high review ratings

I looked for places that met these criteria.

By the way, there are snorkeling tours at the famous “Blue Cave” that accept 2-year-olds (they even have plans that allow babies), but it was a bit far from where we were staying, so we passed on it this time.

A shop I don't really want to tell anyone about

I'm worried it might get too crowded to book, but my blog doesn't have much traffic or influence anyway... haha.
We were taken care of by a shop called Kanoa Marine OKINAWA (whispering).

It was 8.6 km from our accommodation, the Mahaina Wellness Resort.
It's a 15-minute drive.

The deciding factors were that they accept 2-year-olds and provide wetsuits for everyone, including children.

Plans and Prices

They have various individual menu items like banana boats, marble tubes, jet ski rides, and snorkeling.
In addition, they offer plans that are cheaper when you combine multiple activities, as well as private plans where you can play as much as you want for a set amount of time.

When I inquired via LINE, they said a private plan was the only option for small children, so we went with that.
It's a plan where you can enjoy attractions like banana boats and snorkeling at your own pace for 3 hours.

Preschoolers are usually free, but they said we had to pay for 3 people to use the private plan, so it was 2 adult fares + 1 child fare.
My older child was only 3 days away from becoming an elementary school student, so it's basically a rounding error! Haha.

What to Bring and Preparation

While wetsuits can be rented, I've listed items you need to bring yourself, as well as things that were useful to have.

Swimwear

We wore ours from the hotel.
If you wear a rash guard or outerwear over it, you won't be cold while traveling.

This is the swimsuit I used again this time.

・The ruffles create the illusion of a waist.
・Since it's a one-piece, it doesn't shift even when I'm chasing the kids or playing at full speed.
・Despite harsh conditions like sun, seawater, and friction from water slides, it hasn't worn out.
It's a budget-friendly swimsuit that I'm very grateful for.

Since I'm wearing a wetsuit the whole time this time, it doesn't really matter if it covers my figure or if the fabric is worn out, though...

My daughter has been wearing this since she was one.

The recommended points are:
・It's a two-piece, making bathroom breaks easy.
・It's long-sleeved, so sun protection is easy.
・You get to see the cute behavior of her pretending to harvest and eat strawberries from her swimsuit (personal anecdote).

It runs a bit large, and now that she's 88cm tall, the size 80 is finally starting to get too small.
Since both she and I like it, I've already bought the next size up.

My son also wears his swimsuit from the hotel, so he wears amphibious shorts and a long-sleeved rash guard.

If he wears a windbreaker over it, there were no issues for traveling by car.

Water shoes

Sandals might be fine, but since there were attractions where you stand and play, water shoes were great because they didn't come off easily.
I got them for the whole family here.
Since children, especially the younger one, quickly outgrow them and need new ones every six months, I'm grateful for this price.

Goggles

You can borrow them during snorkeling, but during attractions like the banana boat, if you ask for more speed, water will mercilessly splash in your face.
Wearing goggles allowed me to keep my eyes open and enjoy the scenery while screaming.
I don't think you need them if you prefer a calm ride, though.

Towel

Towels are not provided for rent, so bringing your own is essential.
Expecting them to get sandy, I brought ones from home that were already well-used.

Sunscreen

Hats blow away in two seconds, so sunscreen is a must.
That said, since your wrists and ankles are covered by the wetsuit, I only applied it from the neck up. Easy.
I use whatever for myself, but for the kids, I use additive-free and waterproof sunscreen.

Eyebrow tint

This is for advance preparation!
I did this before the trip, but I also brought it with me and reapplied it the night before the activity.
When you wake up in the morning, you just peel off the dried layer, and it leaves just the right amount of color.
Since I take a lot of photos, it's important to have my facial features defined!

Sand toys

My younger child enjoyed the marine activities with us, so we didn't end up using them, but I brought them just in case they got fussy and we had to wait on the beach.

Drinks

There were vending machines, but it's safer to bring your own if there's something specific you want your child to drink.
I brought a 500ml bottle of mineral water from our hotel room.

Change of clothes for the return trip

It's easy to forget this when you leave the hotel wearing your swimsuit.
I brought warmer clothes, assuming we might be chilled.

The weather that day was cloudy and windy!

Unfortunately, it was extremely windy that day. The temperature was 18 degrees Celsius.
It wasn't raining, but it was cloudy, and the north wind was blowing hard, so the perceived temperature might have been even lower.

Even so, we were all able to rent wetsuits, so we weren't cold at all before getting into the water.

They suggested, 'It's cold to be in the wind while wet, so let's do snorkeling last,' so we decided to do attractions like the banana boat first.
I really appreciate that kind of consideration.

I didn't ask about the water temperature, but when I dipped my toes in while getting on the banana boat, it was indeed cold.
For small children, I think it's best to carry them on board so their feet don't even get wet.

We had chosen a private plan that included SUP and kayaking, but it was canceled because the wind was too strong and we would have been swept away.
Instead, they set up a tent sauna for us.
You do need to be careful so that children don't touch the hot parts.

Activities we actually did

After getting ready and heading to the beach, everything was already prepared at the water's edge. So exciting!

Banana boat

Starting with the classic!

When they asked, 'Do you like thrill rides?' and I immediately replied, 'Yes!', they gradually increased the speed.
The kids were screaming but smiling.
It was a lot of fun, but because the water spray was hitting our faces, everyone had their eyes squinted when we looked back at the photos.
If you want to look good in photos, I recommend wearing goggles... wait, that wouldn't look good either. Maybe I should have just asked them to slow down.

Bingo

This attraction is shaped like a bench.
It has a high backrest and high sides, so it feels quite secure.
That said, it was still thrilling as it picked up speed, bounced over the water, and created a sense of being thrown off by centrifugal force during turns.
Just like with the banana boat, if you ask them to go slowly, you can enjoy it in a more relaxed way.

Wipeout

This was the most fun one!
It's called Wipeout.

They say the most stable way to ride is to sit with your back against the center pillar, facing outward.
There are three separate seating areas, and one of them faces backward relative to the direction of travel, which seems to keep water from splashing in your face.
My husband sat there with our daughter.
My daughter was in a good mood, calmly enjoying the scenery!
Or so I thought, until she suddenly fell asleep halfway through. She's a tough one.

My son and I sat in the two front sections, separated on the left and right.
Partway through, we decided to stand up and enjoy it.
Since there was a difference in our weight, when the centrifugal force tilted us toward my side, I shifted my weight toward my son's side, and he pulled hard toward the outside.

I think it was thanks to the staff's excellent course steering and speed control that we finished without falling off even once!
My son was proud, saying, 'That was thanks to me balancing it!' It was so much fun!

Snorkeling

This was... even with a wetsuit on, it was cold... (shiver)
We took a banana boat a bit offshore and entered the water from there.
They said we couldn't go to the usual spot due to sea conditions, but we encountered a sea snake! We also saw a few fish here and there.

Since my 2-year-old daughter is extremely shy, we had to stay with her the whole time, but the staff accompanied my 6-year-old son, keeping him safe from drifting away while explaining various things to him.
They really took care of everything.

The changing rooms are cold but clean, and the showers have hot water if you wait

When we finished, we warmed up in the tent sauna and dashed to the changing rooms.
There is no heating in the changing rooms, and it's freezing after you take off your wetsuit, so I recommend taking off your suit while showering with hot water.

It was cold water for a while, so I started to despair, thinking, 'Is this a type that doesn't have hot water?', but after waiting a few minutes while letting the water run, it turned hot.
I'm glad I didn't force myself to shower and waited instead... lol

There were hair dryers, too. That was a huge help!

There are toilets and sinks inside the changing room, and it's clean.
Perhaps for environmental reasons, there was no hand soap.
I was glad I had brought alcohol gel.

Marine activities at the end of March were a battle against the cold, but it was so much fun regardless.
On the way back, we ate a hearty meal at an Okinawa soba restaurant called 'Motobu Soba,' warmed ourselves from the inside out, and returned to the hotel.

I've posted about that experience in this article, so please take a look at that as well.