Deer River and Nakanose in southern Iriomote Island are calm-current sites with depths up to 30m, famous for high manta ray sightings from winter to spring. Lush coral gardens, including huge thistle corals, host tropical fish, while summer brings schools of snappers, mud rays, and barracudas.

Hateruma Island is south of Iriomote Island. You can go there by ferry from Ishigaki Island, but you can also get there from Iriomote Island to dive. There are no buses or signals on the island. All the dives are boat dives. The appeal of Hateruma is its high clarity, sometimes exceeding 50 meters, and you can enjoy the beautiful blue sea that flows through the pure white sand. There are many sandy points on the northwest shore and drop-off points and large migratory fishes on the east shore.

Iriomote Island is called the "Galapagos of the East. About 90% of the island is covered with virgin forest. There are mountains 300 to 400 meters high, more than 40 rivers and many waterfalls. Therefore, people are interested in the island not only for diving but also for visiting nature on land. Underwater there are many fish and there is a possibility to see manta rays in Iriomote Island.

Tokakin Sone on Iriomote Island is one of the top big-fish dive sites, named after the frequent sightings of isomaguro (dogtooth tuna). With a 15m-deep mountainous root, it’s ideal for drift diving. Barracuda and bigeye jacks are also common. Beginners can join, but must be cautious of strong currents.

Nakamoto Cave on Kuroshima Island, Okinawa, offers depths of 10–23m with gentle currents, ideal for beginners. Its stunning light and topography house diverse life, including red-crowned crane fish, blue-spotted dolphinfish, and blue-green gobies, appealing to both scenery and marine life lovers.

Panari Big Corner, south of Aragusuku Island in Okinawa, is a manta ray hotspot discovered in 2016. With shallow cleaning stations around 5m deep, it’s beginner-friendly—though currents can be strong. Lucky divers may spot rare black manta rays, making it a must-visit for manta lovers.

Yonara Channel passes between Iriomote Island and Kohama Island, which is 6km long and about 500 to 900m wide. The current is constant and at times very strong. This is always a drift dive at depths of 9 to 30 meters.

Kuroshima V Drop is a typical dive site located in Kuroshima, Taketomi Town, Okinawa Prefecture. It is characterized by a dynamic drop-off with a V-shaped reef cut into it. 5m~30m deep, it is known for schools of manta rays, sea turtles and migratory fish, especially in winter.

This is a small island in the east of Iriomote Island, about 16km in circumference. There is a luxury resort hotel on the island. Between this island and Iriomote Island is the Yonara Waterway. There are about 400 kinds of colorful coral such as table coral and eda coral around the island, and the tropical fishes are very beautiful. There are several points in the Yonara Waterway where you can encounter manta rays.

Kuroshima is located in the southwestern part of Ishigaki Island. It takes about 30 minutes by boat from Ishigaki Island. The water depth is about 17 meters. There's no flow and it's fun for beginners. The main part of the site is a root where there is a school of yellow-flanked coral reef fish and the density of fish shadows is overwhelming. Many carnivorous fish, including big groupers, have gathered to take advantage of this. Garden eels can also be seen in the sandy areas along the way.