On tiny Aka-jima — just 2 kilometres in diameter — Nishibama Beach is postcard perfection: a sweep of white sand backed by gentle green hills, with water so clear you can see fish from the shore. The Kerama Islands' coral reefs provide sanctuary for sea turtles and breeding humpback whales, and this beach puts you right at the edge of that marine wonderland. It's accessible as a day trip from Naha but infinitely more rewarding if you overnight in a family-run minshuku and have the sand to yourself at dawn.