Gabby's Guide to... Okinawa, Japan! 🇯🇵

So you're getting ready to head to Okinawa, Japan! I'm a military brat who lived in Okinawa as a kid and has since spent many weeks back on the island exploring everything from the food to the history to the beaches to the outdoor scene! You trust me enough to buy this guide, so you're officially my friend. And as my friend, I'm giving you all access to my private "Saved" list on Google Maps. This guide includes 👉 5 accommodation recommendations 👉 10 restaurant and cafe suggestions, with a focus on locally owned, women-owned, Queer-owned businesses (and one Black-owned business!) 👉 11 outdoor adventures + fun activities that I've personally experienced and loved! 👉 6 cultural activities and learning opportunities 👉 6 restaurant recommendations 👉 Links to blog articles for further information 👉 Links to my TikToks and Instagram posts highlighting my visit to a place 🙏🏽 My honest experiences, opinions, and review of each suggestion!

Read less

Updated ago

Welcome to Okinawa! I truly hope you enjoy this guide and your experience on this beautiful island 👋🏽🌺

🕊️ Please remember that as tourists we have a responsibility to stay respectful of the people, the culture, and the natural beauty of this land.

🕊️ Okinawa is the ancestral territory of the Ryūkyūan people. We should acknowledge their descendants who are the ancestral stewards of this land.

About Okinawa 🗾

Okinawa is the southern-most prefecture in all of Japan and actually comprises more than 160 islands over 2,000 square kilometers!

Hundreds of years ago, Okinawa was known as the "Ryukyu Kingdom" and was a bustling Asian trading hub for over 450 years before merging with Japan in 1879. The Ryukyu Kingdom played a vital role in cultural exchange and trade and is also the birthplace of Karate 🥋

Buy to unlock full guide

Access all the local insights and recommendations from @packslight when you purchase this guide.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gabby @packslight

Hi, I’m Gabby 👋🏽 I own Packs Light and am a full-time digital nomad from the United States. I've touched 55+ countries, and I'm a true lover of immersive, cultural, and adventurous travel experiences! 🪂 I was born in California but moved around often thanks to my parents—dad was in the military, mom was a travel agent. Thanks to my nomadic childhood I became confident in navigating this world (even as a young, Black, curly-haired sassy little girl!) At age 17 I went on my first solo trip to backpack Iceland. At age 21 I studied abroad in Dubai, UAE for 9 months. And by age 24 had completely abandoned my budding engineering career to pursue my dream of being a full-time travel influencer! Now I have experience in 50+ countries and 6 continents, have accumulated 800,000 followers, and have a lifetime of tips, trips, stories, and recommendations to share. I love helping others see the world. I love helping people explore past the first page of Google. And I love turning travel bucket lists into exciting stories to impress your friends and family at the dinner table. Follow me, and let me guide you through your next trip!

Read less

What's included

Digital Map

Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby

42 places

42 hand-picked places with notes from the creator

8 photos

Beautiful, hi-res photos from the creator

7 links

7 links from the creator to go even deeper with more info

DESTINATION(S) COVERED

Okinawa, Japan

Japan

FOCUSES AND THEMES

Female Solo

Family

Couples

Digital Nomads

Adventure

Outdoors

Sustainable/Eco

Van Life

Wellness

Slow Travel

Format

Map

Maps are simple lists of places often grouped by themes, categories or geos.

COMMON QUESTIONS

What is Thatch?

Thatch is an online marketplace that provides instant access to thousands of vetted local experts and premium travel guides - making it the easiest and most affordable way to take high quality trips with less stress. For travel creators (tastemakers, travel advisors, influencers and local experts) Thatch makes it easy to curate, publish, and sell digital travel guides, itineraries and personalized planning services.

What if I’m not satisfied with my purchase?

How do I access my purchased guides?

Can I access my guide offline?

How often are guides updated?

Can I request a personalized guide or itinerary?

Can I sell my own travel guides and itineraries?

Save for Later