Exploring Iejima (Ie Island) Okinawa, Japan

Every year I take a trip to IeJima.  Ie island is a thirty minute ferry ride from Motobu port. The small beautiful Island is famous for the Wajii lookout point, The Lilly festival and Mt Gusuku. The main crops are sugarcane, peanuts and tobacco.  The island does have venomous snakes (Habu), so be careful when exploring at night.

The beautiful Wajii lookout point is my favorite viewpoint on the north side of the Island.

Wajii lookout point

Wajii lookout point

Ie Island offers some of the best diving in the world – Beautiful blues!

Wajii- on top of the world

Wajii- on top of the world

Conditions can change quickly at this location, check the weather forecast and sea conditions before diving.

Entry point to Wajii

Entry point to Wajii -GoPo hero 4

Every year photograph the large Porites coral formation. This year I used the GoPro Hero4.

Massive Porites lutea coral

Massive Porites lutea coral -GoPr0 hero 4

The top view massive Porites lutea coral.

Massive Porites lutea coral

Massive Porites coral – GoPro hero 4

Some of the most beautiful Acropora corals can be found in shallow water.

Coral closup

Coral -macro photography

The lily festival takes place every year in late April. If you like flowers this is the place to go.

Lily festival Ie Island

Lily festival -Ie Island

One of the best views is on top of Mt Gusuku. I was lucky to find a large stag beetle (Dorcus titanus okinawanus) in the parking lot two years in a row.

Mt Gusuku -wide angle macro

The Kuroiwas ground gecko ( Goniurosaurus kuroiwae orientalis) Is and endangered species found on the Island. Pay attention to crossing wildlife !

Kuroiwa's ground gecko

Kuroiwa’s ground gecko

My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands

This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link  paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature

Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines.  Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.

#MakeTheSwitch4Nature