Our Okinawa-based staff introduce what to wear, the weather and the best activities in Okinawa in March

In March, Okinawa's north wind shifts to a south wind and the weather starts to warm up.

Some beaches hold their opening ceremonies, and Okinawa in March heads into the season for "swimming in the sea."

Because it's the time of year when things get warmer, plenty of you are probably thinking, "I'd like to take a trip to Okinawa in March."

However, vague information like "Okinawa is warm in March" can leave you stuck when it's time to actually prepare for your March trip to Okinawa.

What should you pack to wear in Okinawa in March? Which beaches can you swim at? What activities can you enjoy in March? Questions like these probably keep popping up one after another.

To solve those problems, this article provides the following information so that your March trip to Okinawa goes off without a hitch.

Read on, and be sure to enjoy Okinawa in March!

Are travel costs for Okinawa in March expensive?

In March, Okinawa starts to warm up and some beaches hold their opening ceremonies, so travel costs to Okinawa begin to rise.

Even so, a March trip to Okinawa is available at a lower price than in the peak season of July and August, so March is a recommended time for anyone who wants to enjoy "swimming in the sea" at a great value.

On top of that, compared with July and August, another appeal of Okinawa in March is that typhoons don't come.

Still, even if someone tells you that "travel costs for Okinawa in March are a bargain compared with July and August," it's hard to judge whether it's really cheap without knowing the actual prices, isn't it?

So that doesn't happen, I'd like to share the results of my own research into "travel costs for a trip to Okinawa in July and August" and "travel costs for a trip to Okinawa in March."

Once you've read them, I think you'll see that a trip to Okinawa in March costs less than one in July and August.

Prices in Okinawa in July and August

Okinawa in March, when things start to warm up, is also the time when some beaches open for the season and travel costs begin to climb.

"Are travel costs for Okinawa in March really that high?"

I may have made you worry, but compared with July and August, which are said to be Okinawa's best season, a trip to Okinawa in March is a real bargain.

I wanted to give you concrete travel costs for Okinawa in July and August, but when I did my research,

the "travel agency sites" had no listings for July and August Okinawa trips.

So I looked into information from other sites, and found that even a budget tour for a July or August trip to Okinawa costs roughly 50,000 to 60,000 yen per adult.

Note: This assumes a tour that includes a round-trip flight from Tokyo to Naha and 2 nights at a hotel in Okinawa (2 people per room). (Surveyed on November 3, 2024)

If two people go to Okinawa together, that comes to about 100,000 to 120,000 yen, which is quite a hit to your wallet.

So how much will a trip to Okinawa in March, the one we're really curious about, cost?

Travel costs for Okinawa in March

In March, temperatures in Okinawa start to rise, and the season for "swimming in the sea" begins.

Compared with January and February, when Okinawa trips are the cheapest of the year, travel costs for March start to go up.

Still, when I actually searched the travel site Airtrip for March travel costs to Okinawa, I found that a budget tour could get you to Okinawa in March for 30,600 yen per adult.

Note: This assumes a tour that includes a round-trip flight from Tokyo to Naha and 2 nights at a hotel in Okinawa (2 people per room). (Surveyed on November 3, 2025) The search was for travel dates of March 10 to March 12, 2025.

Being able to enjoy Okinawa in March for about 60,000 yen for two adults is appealing, isn't it?

If you want to enjoy swimming in the Okinawa sea at a great value, March looks like a good time to go.

Temperatures, weather and what to wear in Okinawa in March

When you travel to Okinawa in March, it's important to check the temperature and the weather beforehand.

That's because what you should wear depends on the March temperature, and depending on the March weather you'll need to decide whether to bring rain gear and check which sightseeing spots you can still visit in the rain.

So that you don't end up thinking "I messed up" after your March trip to Okinawa, I'll walk you through the details of Okinawa in March below.

Let's check these points so your March trip to Okinawa goes smoothly.

Okinawa in March starts to get warmer

Okinawa in March is said to be the season when things start to warm up, but what are the actual temperatures in Okinawa in March?

You'll want to know, since it affects what clothes you should wear.

So that you can get a sense of the temperatures in Okinawa in March, I looked into the temperatures in Okinawa using data from the weather site tenki.jp for March 2024.

In early March in Okinawa, there are some days when the high is around 20 degrees, but in the second half of the month the highs approach 25 degrees, and the number of days above 25 degrees increases.

I also calculated the averages of Okinawa's daily highs and lows for March 2024, and they came out as follows.

That's what the data showed.

The March 2024 temperatures in Okinawa are about the same as Tokyo's temperatures in June.

Okinawa in March has a lot of rain

If you're going to take a trip to Okinawa, you'd naturally like to enjoy it on a nice day...

However, when I looked into the weather in Okinawa in March 2024, I found that, unfortunately, it rained on 17 of the 31 days.

With rain on more than half the days in March, that really is a high share of rainy days...

Hearing that Okinawa gets a lot of rain in March may make some of you uneasy, but let me add that March in Okinawa has a lot of sudden downpours, and it doesn't often rain for long stretches.

Rest assured: March is by no means a hard season for sightseeing in Okinawa.

What to wear in Okinawa in March: summer clothes plus something to layer on

Okinawa starts to warm up in March, but as I mentioned earlier, the temperatures in Okinawa in March are by no means high.

The north wind changes to a south wind and the sunshine gets stronger, so there are many days in March when you can get by in short sleeves during the daytime, but there are also chilly mornings and evenings even in March in Okinawa, so you'll want to bring something to layer on.

Specific recommendations for what to wear in Okinawa in March are summarized below, so please take a look.

As for footwear in Okinawa in March, sandals are fine during the daytime on a sunny day.

However, mornings and evenings can get chilly even in Okinawa in March, so it's best to bring sneakers too.

Activities you can enjoy in Okinawa in March

In Okinawa, hands-on programs known as "activities" are one of the things many tourists look forward to.

There are plenty of activities you can enjoy in Okinawa in March, too.

The word "activities" itself may not mean much to some of you, but to put it simply, Okinawa activities are things that let you have an experience where you can feel Okinawa.

The variety of activities you can do in Okinawa in March is so wide that it's hard to choose among these experiences that let you feel Okinawa.

So, as local Okinawa staff who know the area well, we'd like to introduce 5 recommended activities for Okinawa in March.

Use them as a reference, and be sure to enjoy Okinawa in March!

Recommended activity #1 in Okinawa in March
Whale watching in peak season

The first recommended activity in Okinawa in March is "whale watching"!

Whale watching is a tour where you board a boat and go to see whales, and March in Okinawa is the peak season for whale watching.

In Okinawa in March, the chances of encountering whales are high, and it's said that you can almost always see them.

That makes March in Okinawa the best time for "whale watching."

Why not head out into the sea of Okinawa in March to meet a "powerful wild whale"?

Here are some recommended companies that run "whale watching" tours in Okinawa in March, so please use them as a reference.

Company #1 running "whale watching" tours in Okinawa in March

Company #2 running "whale watching" tours in Okinawa in March

Company #3 running "whale watching" tours in Okinawa in March

Recommended activity #2 in Okinawa in March
Snorkeling to enjoy the world under the sea

The next recommended activity in Okinawa in March is "snorkeling."

Snorkeling is an activity where you enjoy the underwater world in shallow water while using a device called a snorkel, which lets you take in air.

The snorkeling tours we especially recommend in Okinawa in March are the following:

Those are the two.

Both let you fully enjoy the sea of Okinawa in March.

On the first one, the "Blue Cave tour," you can go snorkeling into a fantastical underwater world where sunlight streams into the cave and the surface of the sea shines blue.

[Okinawa snorkeling in March #1]
A company that runs Blue Cave tours

Another option recommended for Okinawa in March is a snorkeling tour based on a cruiser equipped with a "slide," a "jump platform" and a "sea swing."

[Okinawa snorkeling in March #2]
A company that runs "snorkeling tours by cruiser"

Recommended activity #3 in Okinawa in March
Feel the ancient past and nature of Okinawa at "Gangala Valley"

The next recommended activity in Okinawa in March is the "Gangala Valley" tour.

Gangala Valley is the valley that formed when a limestone cave created in Okinawa several hundred thousand years ago collapsed, and the world you can see precisely because the cave collapsed is mysterious and captivating.

Here are the details of the "Gangala Valley tour" you can enjoy in Okinawa in March.

Recommended activity #4 in Okinawa in March
SUP, on the sea or on a river

On sunny days, temperatures in Okinawa in March can reach 25 degrees or more, so kayaking, a water activity, is also a good fit for the season.

SUP is a board that you paddle with a bladed paddle. There are 2 kinds of SUP you can enjoy in Okinawa in March: "SUP" on the open sea, and "mangrove SUP" through mangrove forests, which can only be seen in the tropics and subtropics.

Some days in Okinawa in March are warm enough to do SUP in short sleeves, so it's a perfect activity for this season.

Still, even though it's March in Okinawa, you can get chilled if it rains, so when you try it in March, which has many rainy days, bring a "hoodie" and "rain gear."

Companies where you can enjoy SUP in Okinawa in March

At "Blue Ocean," you can go even in Okinawa in March, and the clear kayak that lets you see into the sea is popular.

"Kai・la" can also be used in Okinawa in March, and its plans, which let you enjoy the orange sunset and clear sea that are special to the tropics, are popular.

Companies where you can enjoy mangrove kayaking in Okinawa in March

At "Nature Mirai-kan," you can go even in Okinawa in March, and local instructors will teach you how wonderful Okinawa's nature is.

Recommended activity #5 in Okinawa in March
Enjoy the world of stars! Starlight bathing and sky stroll tour

Next, another recommended activity in Okinawa in March is the "Starlight Bathing and Sky Stroll Tour."

This is a tour where you can enjoy a sky full of shining stars, the kind you can't see in the city, in "Okinawa in March."

Precisely because it's Okinawa in March, just as it starts to warm up, this is one of our recommended activities.

Here are the details of the "Starlight Bathing and Sky Stroll Tour," which you can enjoy even in Okinawa in March.

Beaches where you can swim in Okinawa in March

In Okinawa in March, when things start to warm up, the earliest beaches begin to open for the season.

Since you're going all the way to Okinawa, many of you probably want to enjoy the "clear blue sea" from in the water.

However, not every beach in Okinawa opens in March, and quite a few beaches open in April or later.

Of course, if you're going to Okinawa in March, you want to know which beaches you can swim at "from March"!

Right?

Here are 3 beaches where you can swim in "Okinawa in March," so please take a look.

Generally, many of Okinawa's beaches are run by resort hotels, but in many cases you can use them even if you aren't a hotel guest as long as you pay, so you can use them with confidence.

Please note, however, that temperatures in "Okinawa in March" aren't that high, so you can't enjoy swimming for a long time.

Beach you can swim at from March #1: Kariyushi Beach

One of the beaches in Okinawa where you can swim from March is "Kariyushi Beach."

Kariyushi Beach usually opens for the season in early March, so there's a good chance you can swim there in Okinawa in March.

Because it is run by a resort hotel in Okinawa, if you want to be able to get to the beach right away, we recommend staying at "Okinawa Kariyushi Beach Resort Ocean Spa."

Here are the details of beach #1 where you can swim in Okinawa from March, "Kariyushi Beach."

Okinawa beach you can swim at from March #2: Okuma Beach

Next, beach #2 in Okinawa where you can swim in March is "Okuma Beach."

Okuma Beach is a beach inside the Okinawa resort hotel "Okuma Private Beach & Resort," and since it opened for the season on March 17 in 2024, there's a good chance it opens in March.

It's a popular spot, known for Okinawa's emerald-green, highly transparent water.

Here are the details of "Okuma Beach," where you can swim in Okinawa in March.

Beach you can swim at from March #3: Kanucha Bay Beach

Beach #3 where you can swim in Okinawa in March is "Kanucha Bay Beach."

Kanucha Resort's beach is at "Kanucha Bay Hotel & Villas" in Okinawa, a stylish spot with untouched natural sea and white parasols lined up on a white sand beach.

In 2024 the beach opened for the season on March 31, so there's a chance you can use it from late March.

Here are the details of "Kanucha Aqua Park," where you can swim in Okinawa in March.

Pools where you can swim in Okinawa in March

After beaches where you can swim in Okinawa in March, what you're probably curious about next is "pools you can use in Okinawa in March," isn't it?

Since people can swim in the sea, there are of course pools you can swim in during March in Okinawa too.

However, please keep in mind that many of Okinawa's pools are inside resort hotels, so in many cases people who aren't hotel guests can't use them.

We'll introduce 2 pools you can use in Okinawa in March, but please note that both are available to hotel guests only.

We've put together details on the pools above that you can use in Okinawa in March, so please take a look.

Pool you can swim in Okinawa in March #1: Novotel Naha

Pool #1 where you can swim in Okinawa in March is "Novotel Naha."

(Note) The pool at Novotel Naha is for hotel guests only.

The pool at the Okinawa resort hotel "Novotel Naha" has an open, airy feel and is popular for its sweeping view over Naha City, Okinawa.

In 2024, swimming started on March 2, so there's a good chance you can use the pool from early March.

Here are the details of "Novotel Naha," a pool where you can swim in Okinawa in March.

Pool you can swim in Okinawa in March #2: Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort

Pool #3 where you can swim in Okinawa in March is the pool at "Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort."

(Note) Only for hotel guests and guests on plans that include pool swimming.

The pool at Okinawa Chatan Resort opened for the season on March 23 last year, so there's a chance you can use it from mid-March onward.

Here are the details of pool #3 where you can swim in Okinawa in March, "Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort."

Recommended sightseeing spots in Okinawa in March

Okinawa has so many sightseeing spots that it's hard to decide which ones to visit, isn't it?

For those of you in that spot, our local Okinawa staff have hand-picked 3 sightseeing spots we recommend for a "March trip to Okinawa."

If you're wondering which sights to visit on your March trip to Okinawa, we hope this serves as a useful reference.

Recommended sightseeing spot in March #1: Shuri Castle Park

Recommended sightseeing spot #1 in Okinawa in March is "Shuri Castle Park."

March in Okinawa, when things start to warm up, is the perfect season for sightseeing outdoors.

Shuri Castle Park is the park that holds Shuri Castle, the castle of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which ruled Okinawa for 450 years, from 1429 to 1879.

Unfortunately, Shuri Castle is being rebuilt after the fire in 2019 and you can't currently see the whole castle, but it's a facility where you can feel traces of Okinawa in those days.

Here are the details of "Shuri Castle Park," recommended for sightseeing in Okinawa in March.

Recommended sightseeing spot in March #2: Senagajima Umikaji Terrace

Recommended sightseeing spot #2 in March is "Senagajima Umikaji Terrace."

The sight of white buildings lined up as if surrounding Okinawa's blue sea is breathtaking!

"Senagajima Umikaji Terrace" is a relatively new facility in Okinawa that opened in 2015, with many resort-style commercial facilities such as "restaurants" and "spas" lined up.

Please see below for the details of "Senagajima Umikaji Terrace," a spot you can enjoy in Okinawa in March.

Recommended sightseeing spot in March #3: DMM Kariyushi Aquarium

Recommended sightseeing spot #3 in Okinawa in March is "DMM Kariyushi Aquarium."

When it comes to aquariums in Okinawa, the "Churaumi Aquarium" is famous, but "DMM Kariyushi Aquarium," a new aquarium that opened in May 2020, is also recommended.

The appeal of "DMM Kariyushi Aquarium" is that it's "a space that stages the nature of Okinawa's subtropical climate"!

Okinawa gets a lot of rain in March, so it's a good idea to also check out facilities you can enjoy indoors.

Please see below for the details of "DMM Kariyushi Aquarium," a sightseeing spot you can enjoy in Okinawa in March.

Events in Okinawa in March

Since you're taking a trip to Okinawa in March, many of you probably want to know what events are being held in Okinawa in March.

We'll introduce 2 events held in Okinawa in March.

Detailed information on each event held in Okinawa in March is summarized below, so please take a look.

Okinawa event in March #1: Ryukyu Lantern Festival

Okinawa event #1 in March, the "Ryukyu Lantern Festival," features lit-up "red Chinese lanterns" and "lantern displays," letting you enjoy a fantastical world.

Here are the details of the Okinawa March event "Ryukyu Lantern Festival."

Okinawa event in March #2: Higashi Village Tsutsuji Festival

Okinawa event #2 in March is the "Higashi Village Tsutsuji Festival."

Early March is the season when azaleas (tsutsuji) bloom in Okinawa.

The "Higashi Village Tsutsuji Festival" is a March festival in Okinawa where you can enjoy azaleas blooming in vivid red, pink and white at the "Higashi Village Citizens' Forest Tsutsuji Garden."

Here are the details of the Okinawa March event "Higashi Village Tsutsuji Festival."

Summary

March in Okinawa is a time when the north wind changes to a south wind and the season heads toward warmer weather, but mornings and evenings can still get chilly even in Okinawa in March, so you'll need some light cold-weather gear.

Also, Okinawa in March has a lot of sudden downpours and unexpected rain, so we recommend preparing rain gear and checking out sightseeing spots for rainy days.

In Okinawa in March, the earliest facilities open for the season and travel costs tend to start rising a little, but it's still a season when you can take a trip to Okinawa at a good value compared with the peak season.

If you want to swim in the sea in Okinawa but also want a good-value trip, March is a recommended season.

However, even though it's warm, temperatures in Okinawa in March aren't that high, so please keep in mind that you can't enjoy swimming for long.

In this article, we've covered:

and other information about Okinawa in March.

We hope you'll check out the article and fully enjoy Okinawa in March!