Kerama islands - camping @ Zamami-jima

Tripadvisor has a list (by ranking) of 26 campgrounds on Okinawa and surrounding islands. By now, my island hopping introduced me to six islands of the Ryukyu archipelago, or in other terms, 4 weeks by camping on three of them.

So what about Ama Beach Campground on Zamami-jima? Interestingly it is not mentioned at all by TripAdvisor ...

Today it's already a week that I arrived from Naha by ferry - on the cheaper cargo ferry a two-hour crossing with a short stop at Aka-jima. And I'm still not departing this pearl in the Keremashoto National Park.

Ama Beach Campground.So close to the touristic hub Naha (Okinawa), a hidden secret in terms of camping right at an incredible turquoise beach - and still it escaped the mighty virtual eyes of TripAdvisor.

Let it be like that. I won't put it on TripAdvisor's ranking on top. It's just right as it is. One of those few places - like the one at Maupiti in French Polynesia, or 'U Paradiso' at Saleccia on Corsica - that provides campers a five-star ambience on a small budget (camp fees 35 Euros for 9 nights).

And this is what you get. A spacious campground with lots of shade under pine trees, sanitary and cooking facilities, a reception with rental gear, and - better not to describe in emotion - a coral dotted bay in front of you, that is feeding ground for many sea turtles.

Take your googles for snorkeling with sea turtles, not thirty meters away from your tent.

In addition there's a new tourism office network set up on three islands of the Keramashoto National Park, providing comprehensive information. There's plenty to do, like whale watching, scuba diving, sea kayaking, snorkeling with sea turtles, and off course hiking to one of the whale observation decks.

An unforgettable encounter in a very special natural setting awaits.