Phantom Island (Hamajima) | Ishigaki Tour Price, Landing, Snorkeling & Booking Guide

Between Ishigaki and Kohama islands, floating on the deep-blue sea of the Yaeyama group, a crescent-shaped sandbar of white sand and emerald green—that is “Phantom Island (Hama Island).” A miraculous uninhabited island that appears only at low tide and vanishes into the sea at high tide. Surrounded by a coral-reef sea of superb transparency no matter which way you look across 360 degrees, it’s truly a heavenly superb-view spot.

Praised as “Yaeyama’s most beautiful moment,” Phantom Island has no regular route, and the only way is to join a landing tour. A half-day to full-day tour combining snorkeling and SUP is hugely popular. Outstandingly SNS-worthy, it’s also known as a famous spot for wedding photos. In this article, we’ll fully cover Phantom Island’s charm, tours and cautions.

What Kind of Place Is Phantom Island (Hama Island)? A Miraculous Island Only at Low Tide

Phantom Island (official name: Hama Island) is an uninhabited island located southwest of Ishigaki, between Kohama and Taketomi islands. It’s only an about-1 km crescent-shaped white sandbar, with no plants or buildings at all. It’s a sandbar that appears from the sea surface only at low tide, sinking into the sea at high tide.

Appearing when the tide goes out, vanishing when the tide comes in—this is the reason it’s called “phantom.” Tour companies build their visit plans aiming for the two low-tide timings a day.

360-degree superb view | a heaven floating on a coral-reef sea

Phantom Island’s biggest appeal is that it’s a superb view no matter which way you look across 360 degrees. Pure-white sand, a sea where emerald green and cobalt blue intermingle, and Iriomote, Kohama and Taketomi islands seen in the distance—a CG-like scene spreads out.

The pure space of just “sand and sea,” with no buildings or plants, is a famous spot for SNS shots and wedding photos. It boasts power-spot-like popularity, even called “the No. 1 place to photograph for a wedding memory.”

The Contents of a Phantom Island Tour

Standard | Phantom Island & snorkeling tour

Plan	Fee guide	Time needed
Phantom Island landing + snorkeling	¥8,000–12,000	Half day (about 4 hours)
Phantom Island + sea-turtle snorkel	¥10,000–13,000	Half day
Phantom Island + Blue Cave + sea turtles	¥15,000–20,000	Full day
Phantom Island + Kabira Bay SUP	¥13,500–18,000	Full day
Phantom Island + mangrove SUP	¥14,500–20,000	Full day

SNS-worthy photo service

Many tours have a service where you can receive the photo data shot by the pro guide for free. With the crescent-shaped sandbar and sea as a backdrop, you can take wedding-photo-style or superb-view portraits.

The underwater world by snorkeling too

The area around Phantom Island is a treasure house of coral reef. Snorkeling, you can encounter colorful tropical fish, coral and, if lucky, sea turtles. A luxurious tour where you can enjoy both photo-taking on the sandbar and the underwater world.

Phantom Island Basic Information & Access

Item	Details
Official name	Hama Island
Location	Taketomi Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa
Scale	Crescent-shaped, about 1 km
Vegetation	None (white sand only)
Habitation	Uninhabited
Regular route	None (tour-only)
Landing method	Join a tour departing from Ishigaki

Landing on your own is nearly impossible

Because Phantom Island has no regular route, landing on your own is basically not possible. Departing on a tour boat from Ishigaki is the only method. The time needed is about 30–50 minutes by boat from Ishigaki Port.

The Best Season & Time Slot for a Phantom Island Tour

The best season is April–October

April–October is the best season, with calm sea conditions and comfortable snorkeling. In winter, boats often don’t depart due to the north wind, so take note.

The departure time varies with the tides

Because you can only land on Phantom Island at low tide, the tour time varies according to the tides. You can give a rough “morning” or “afternoon” preference, but the precise time on the day depends on the high- and low-tide times.

Cautions When Joining a Phantom Island Tour

No shade | sun protection is essential

Because Phantom Island has no buildings, trees or shade, the sun pours down mercilessly. Sunscreen, a rash guard, a hat and sunglasses are essential.

Always take your trash home

To protect the uninhabited island’s nature, always taking your trash home is the manner. Taking sand or shells is a no too.

Seasickness measures

A voyage of 30–50 minutes by boat from Ishigaki. Taking motion-sickness medicine by 30 minutes before departure is reassuring.

Cancellation risk

On days with poor sea conditions or during typhoons, it gets cancelled. Check for contact from the tour company the morning of.

Nearby Spots to Enjoy Together with Phantom Island

Blue Cave | sea-turtle snorkeling

The Blue Cave tour, popular as a set with Phantom Island. You can savor a full-on underwater world in a sea with a sea-turtle encounter rate of over 95%.

Kabira Bay | Michelin three-star

Kabira Bay, which you’ll want to visit the day after or before Phantom Island. Casual coral-reef viewing by glass boat.

Taketomi Island | red-tile streetscape

There’s also a full-day plan to detour to Taketomi Island after a Phantom Island tour. A greedy course of culture + superb views.

Phantom Island FAQ

Can I enjoy it even if I can’t swim?

Yes—just landing and taking photos is plenty enjoyable. Since snorkeling uses a life jacket, those who can’t swim are reassured too.

Can I enjoy it with kids?

Yes—there are many family plans OK from age 0, and a commemorative shot amid the superb view becomes the best memory.

How long does it take?

About 4 hours for a standard half-day plan. A full-day plan lets you tour other spots too.

What’s the going rate?

¥8,000–12,000 for a half-day plan. There are many good-value tours including shuttle, equipment rental and photo data.

Summary | The Best Superb-View Experience of Your Life on Phantom Island

Phantom Island (Hama Island) is a crescent-shaped miraculous uninhabited island floating on the Yaeyama sea. Appearing only at low tide, the pure sandbar surrounded by a 360-degree coral-reef sea is a CG-like superb view. It’s the best spot for SNS shots, wedding photos and family commemorative photos.

Accessible only by tour departing from Ishigaki (half day from ¥8,000). On your next Yaeyama trip, be sure to experience “a superb view you want to see once in your life.”