Dive Cape Maeda: Okinawa’s Famous Blue Cave
Cape Maeda, is one of the best and most popular dive sites in Okinawa, Japan. Mostly known to tourists for the Blue Cave, Cape Maeda is also known for its great visibility, vibrant marine life, and healthy coral formations. Cape Maeda is an easily accessible dive site and can be accessed by shore, stairs, or through boat tours. Whether you live in Okinawa or are visiting, a dive at Cape Maeda is highly recommended.
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If visiting Cape Maeda, the best way to get here is by car, unless you are taking a personalized tour through a reputable company.
Simply take Route 58 north from Naha passing the Chatan area and Cape Zanpa. I usually take a left onto Route 6 right in front of the Renaissance Okinawa Resort. Follow Route 6 past The Bros. Sandwich Stand and take a right onto a small farm road. This road leads to the parking lot for Cape Maeda. There will be signs along the road as well for Cape Maeda.
According to the Cape Maeda website there are 180 parking spaces. For vehicles there is a ¥100 an hour fee.
Facilities at Cape Maeda
A huge pro about Cape Maeda are the convenient facilities offered. Below is a list of the main facilities at Cape Maeda.
✅Restaurant and Place to Grab Drinks
✅ Supply Shop
✅ Restrooms
✅ Shower Rooms (Shower cost ¥200 for a couple minutes)
✅ Coin Lockers
✅ Changing Rooms
✅ Vending Machines
✅ Pavilion with Seating Area
Diving Cape Maeda
Most visitors that come to Cape Maeda are here to either dive or snorkel. You’ll find a good mix of locals and tourists here. I always recommend going early to beat some of the larger crowds.
I’ve dove Cape Maeda several times up to this point and it remains one of my favorite dive sites in Okinawa for many reasons. Cape Maeda is easily accessible, it’s well suited for beginner divers and advanced divers, the coral is healthy, and there is an abundance of marine life.
Below you’ll find more information for specifics on Cape Maeda to help you better prepare for your day at one of Okinawa’s best dive sites from getting in the water to what marine life you might encounter.
Always Check Conditions and the Live Camera
For some reason, Cape Maeda isn’t always open. But you can check the Cape Maeda website for conditions and the status of the flag.
There is a live camera view to monitor and see the current sea conditions. Throughout the day, staff updates the flag at the position depending on water conditions.
Here is what the flag colors that are shown on the live camera view represent.
🟦 Swimming is Allowed
🟨 Swimming is Allowed with Dive Companies or Instructors
🟥 No Swimming or Getting in the Water
🟧 Tsunami Warning, Do Not Swim
You can check live conditions and read more about safety and the site through the Cape Maeda website.
Entrance to Cape Maeda Dive Site
From the parking area, the dive site is down a long set of stairs. I read online it was around 90 or so stairs. Trust me, after dive #2 going up the stairs is quite the workout. But there is a railing and leaving the stairs to enter the water is very easy.
Dive Cape Maeda - The Dive Site
Cape Maeda is a great place for beginner divers. The coral reef and marine life starts the second you access the water.
The coral is abundant here, you can follow the reef either left or right. For more advanced divers, you can easily go 100′ or deeper if you wish.
When I dive at Maeda, I typically hang out between 20′ and 60′ as the coral is vibrant and there are plenty of fish and other marine life at these depths.
When accessing the water, I prefer to hang left, I usually have better luck seeing fun marine life like cuttle fish, octopus, and eels. When diving to the right, I tend to see the usual suspects, small tropical fish.
The Blue Cave
The Blue Cave is Cape Maeda’s most famous attraction and this is where tours tend to take their visitors.
The Blue Cave is to the right once you access the water, usually you can follow the crowds.
I’ve been here twice diving and it leave little to be desired to be honest. It’s dark inside, no coral, and the only fish that hang around here are some type of squirrel fish.
That being said, I have taken some pretty cool shots exiting the cave with the light shining through.
Diving with a Local Tour
There are numerous companies that offer dive and snorkel tours to Cape Maeda. There are tours geared more towards divers with their certifications and there are also touristy tours that will basically take anyone no matter what skill.
I had friends visit from mainland Japan, they had kids that have never dove before. The local company that we went with did a one tank dive with the kids. They did their brief and hung on to the dive master until reaching the Blue Cave. All in all, for kids and visitors with little to no experience, this is a great option.
But for some one like me who has logged several dives, it was a little to touristy. We rolled off the boat, dove to the Blue Cave, took photos, and then dove back to the boat. Prior to getting on the boat, the tour guide had us grab on to coral and feed the small fish. I wasn’t to thrilled about touching the coral or feeding the fish.
So, just keep in mind what skill level you are and what you really want out of a dive at Cape Maeda before scheduling a tour. If you have any questions on dive shops or tours, feel free to reach out to me and I can assist in any way possible.
Dive Maeda Flatts
To the left of Cape Maeda is another dive site known as Maeda Flatts. This makes for a great alternative to Cape Maeda if the flag is yellow or red or if the site is just to crowded.
Maeda Flatts is a bit challenging to access as you have to walk with your gear through some farm fields and to the beach.
Once you get to the beach, you can access the water and dive the coral shelf either toward Cape Maeda or away from it.
Conclusion
Okinawa offers some of the best dive sites in the world. The visibility allows divers to see 100′ or more on good days. The coral in Okinawa is still healthy and there is an abundance of marine life. Cape Maeda is considered one of the best dive sites in Okinawa and is perfect for any skill whether you area a beginner just starting out or more advanced. Cape Maeda is also a hot tourist destination and most tours offer dives to the Blue Cave. So whether you are here to see the Blue Cave or just leisurely dive around Cape Maeda, it’s definitely a memorable dive.
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