Yonara Channel
ヨナラ水道24°22′ N 123°57′ EDiveDive: intermediate
The Yonara Channel between Kohama and Iriomote is a fast-current drift dive for manta rays that suits intermediate and advanced divers, and Ishigaki shop Pushy Nushima says it was once better known than Kabira Ishizaki.
Photo Paipateroma · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
The channel separates Kohama from Iriomote, and divers drift through it looking for mantas. Pushy Nushima rates it intermediate to advanced because of the current, and notes that the channel was once more famous than Kabira Ishizaki's Manta Scramble.
Book with a shop that knows the tides here.
Before you swim
- Fast current: drift dive for intermediate and advanced divers
December to March
Check with shops; conditions in the channel depend on the wind and tide of the day. JMA's 1991–2020 normal for the sea north of Ishigaki sits at about 23 °C in February.
Diving · intermediate
Drift dive for manta rays through the channel between Kohama and Iriomote
Dive with a local shop.
Our ratings
- Quiet
- Scenery
Worth knowing
- Log a few drift dives before you try the Yonara Channel.
FAQ
Quick answers about Yonara Channelよくある質問
Is the Yonara Channel dive for beginners?
No. Ishigaki shop Pushy Nushima rates the Yonara Channel manta drift as intermediate to advanced because the current runs fast.
Can you swim at Yonara Channel?
Yonara Channel has no jellyfish net.
Is Yonara Channel worth visiting in winter?
Check with shops; conditions in the channel depend on the wind and tide of the day. JMA's 1991–2020 normal for the sea north of Ishigaki sits at about 23 °C in February.
Within 8 km
Stay nearby宿
Within 8 km
Eat and drink nearby食
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Line up the trip around Yonara Channel
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