OKINAWA

On Okinawa, a vacation can be just a five-minute drive away.

One mile away from Gate 1 of Kadena Air Base, Kadena Marina is home to various marine activities such as diving, snorkeling, whale watching, fishing, jet skiing, sea kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and more.

The Dive Store at the harbor offers PADI dive classes for each level and purpose. Once ready to explore, people can take charters to the best diving/snorkel locations in Okinawa on Saturdays and Sundays.

The marina also offers classes on basic sailing skills which cover handling, navigation rules and boat safety. Although no vessels or large ships may come through this marina, the boats docked at the pier can take people on great adventures in the ocean.

It doesn’t necessarily take people to sail off the coast or dive deep in the ocean to enjoy what this facility has to offer.

The Seaside, a restaurant by the pier, serves up seafood, steaks, pastas, and flatbreads for people to enjoy as they watch the ocean or bask in the sunset. Having seafood over a margarita with the views of the ocean can make you feel like you’re spending the day in Hawaii.

On weekends, the restaurant opens at 9 a.m. to offer breakfast food such as omelets, eggs benedict and pancakes.

It may not be big, but Kadena Marina has a sandy beach where people can spend a calm and relaxing time on weekday afternoon, or have a beach picnic with friends and family over the weekend.

It can be a big surprise to discover this Okinawan vacation spot so close to Kadena Air Base. Sometimes, a five-minute drive is all it takes to take you to your happy place.

Kadena Marina Location: One mile north of Kadena Gate 1 Mobile: (036) 868-2228 Kadena DSN: 966-7345 Marine Camps DSN: 99-03-4580-0135 (Dial 6 – 7345) Website: https://www.kadenafss.com/recreation/marina/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KadenaFSSMarina/

Hours of Operation: Scuba & Sea Dive Shop Monday, Thursday & Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday & Wednesday: Closed

Harbor Thursday – Monday: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday & Wednesday: Closed

Beach Shack Closed for the winter

Seaside Mobile: (036) 868-2213 Kadena DSN: 966-7401 Hours of Operation: Monday: Closed Tuesday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Weekend Brunch ends at 3 p.m.

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