Job Discussion Forums

[elliewelliesj]

Has anyone been to Hachijojima? are there nice beaches there? any advice? we are hoping to camp during August... have asked lots of people but no one seems to have been there. Cant decide if thats a good or bad sign!!! Thanks

[womblingfree]

I went to Hachijojima a few years ago, it'a advertised as a tropical island paradise. It kind of is BUT!!...

There are no golden sandy beaches, none. The beaches are either black sand or volcanic rock. Only really one small stretch where anyone swims as well, and to be honest it's not that appealing. The locals told me if I wanted to sunbathe it was best to lie on the concrete slabs around the coast.

When researching the holiday I read a website describing it as a tropical island paradise, cue images of endless white sand and palm trees. Also I read the Lonely Planet description of it. Both of these sources are wildly misleading.

So then if you're looking for a beach holiday Hachijojima is absolutely not the place to go. If you do end up there there are some decent onsen, the best of which is a free one outside.

In the centre of the island is some interesting flora and fauna if that floats your boat. It's best if you go there with a view to a botanical and volcanic study trip than anything else.

Nightlife is pretty quiet. There's an Australian guy and his wife that run a small bar out of a shed down the road from the (only) beach. There's also a really nice bar on the beach front that does good ramen. The guy that runs it is really friendly, can't remember the name, think it's called 'Red Hot'. There's also a weird run down hotel that looks like something from Resident Evil as well, which has a nice restaurant/bar to the rear of it. You really need a car to get around the island, takes about 45 minutes to drive round the entire place.

And that really is it. If you are looking for an Okinawa type holiday of scuba diving and snorkleing on white sandy beaches don't go there. But if you do, you'll find the locals very hospitable and will probably bump into the local JET teachers bored out their brains, they took me to a karaoke bar I'd never have found othewise.

[elliewelliesj]

thank you...had a feeling that might be the case.... oh hum, wish i could afford Okinawa!

[womblingfree]