Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on October 7, 2024
If you have time for only one snorkel in the Kerama archipelago, head to Furuzamami Beach. Marine life is exceptionally abundant around the coral reef fringing the western side of the beach. It includes hundreds of green chromis hiding in branching coral, loads of anemonefish, gorgeous clown triggerfish and sea kraits. If you are spending one day on Zamami Island, you can easily combine your visit to Furuzamami Beach with a snorkel in Ama Beach, another snorkeling spot located about 2 miles from here and very famous for its sea turtles.
Furuzamami Beach is located on Zamami Island, one of the most visited islands in the Kerama archipelago. Most tours to the islands depart from Naha, Okinawa’s capital city, which is the archipelago’s gateway.
Boats to the Kerama Islands, including tours to Zamami, leave from Tomari harbor, next to the city center. The closest monorail stop is Miebashi (美栄橋), a 10 minutes walk to the jetty. The express boat is the most convenient (a 50-minute ride to reach the island) but you might prefer the cheaper ferry (120 minutes).
To reach the beach from Zamami Island’s harbor, you can rent a bike (a 20-minute ride to the beach, following a steep road), a scooter or a car. Furuzamami Beach is well-signposted from the jetty.
Furuzamami is a large beach, but coral is found only at its western end. Walk on your right when facing the sea until you reach the rocky point at the end of the beach. Most of the snorkelers leave their belongings here and enter the water nearby.
It is recommended to snorkel this location at high tide, as the main reef area is closed at low tide in order to avoid damages to the coral.
The snorkeling areas differ depending on whether it is low tide or high tide. During low tide, only the patch reefs on the northern part of the spot can be snorkeled.
The main reef, only accessible at high tide, is not very extensive but absolutely vibrant, covered with healthy corals dropping off to a sandy seabed (↕12ft/4m).
Furuzamami is a great location for clownfish spotting. Three species, out of the five living in Okinawa islands, can easily be seen here: the tomato clownfish, the Clark’s clownfish and the pink-skunk clownfish. There are so many sea anemones in the area that you simply can’t miss them.
Many other fish species are common at this location, including the blotched foxface, the clown triggerfish, as well as several species of bannerfish and butterflyfish.
Sea kraits are also very easy to spot at reef. You might see them hunting their favorite prey, moray eels, in and around crevices. They are not aggressive but don’t try to touch them.
A kiosk set on the beach sells beverages and snacks. In Zamami village, about 1 mile from the beach, you will find a wider range of restaurants and accommodation.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
I was there in 14th November 2019. The snorkelling area is now a “protecteed area” and we can no longer swim over the corals. There’s a rope delimitating the area (and a very active guardian!) and you can only swim outside the coral area. You can see some fish and coral in the fringe but that’s all.
I was just there last Friday (August 2024), and I would like to point out that the reef at Furuzamami beach is not a restricted area during high tide. Pretty much all of it can be snorkeled as long as the tide allows snorkelers to swim safely over the corals. The buoy line is removed around 3 hours after the peak of low tide.
The page and snorkeling map have been updated, many thanks!
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
