How, specifically, can I travel between Taiwan and Okinawa by sea?
This is a followup to a previous question of mine where we established that it is possible to travel between the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan.
So now that we know that it's possible, and because this idea keeps coming back to me, I'd like to get some specific answers to how to do the one leg:
- Which shipping companies would take a passenger between Taiwan and Okinawa (or some southerly part of Japan)? And how can I contact them?
- What range of prices should I expect for the cheapest options in either direction?
Best Answer
If I am reading multiple place on the Interwebs you may be out of luck. There were ferries running regular scheduled service from Taiwan to Okinawa but they apparently went bankrupt (OpenJourney confirms this as well).
If one to believe Wikitravel there is an irregular service offered by Star Cruises but I can't confirm through their website this to be true.
Japan Guidebook site still refers to a ferry service on a now bankrupt line but also gives a referral to another line which may provide ferry service to Okinawa from Kagoshima but that's about it.
EDIT
Tried looking for freighter sailings between Taiwan and Japan. There are cruises that run along the China coast with stops in multiple ports including Keelung and Kaohsiung in Taiwan with other stops in Pusan. It is possible that if you're really set to travel without flight you might be able to catch a ferry from Pusan and then take one of the ferries running to Japan and then catch one or 2 of the Domestic Ferries running to Okinawa. I am not really for this mode of transportation but if you're set to travel by sea connections via South Korea and Osaka would be your best bets.
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How do I get from Taiwan to Okinawa?
There is no direct connection from Taiwan to Okinawa. However, you can take the line 5059 bus to Taoyuan Airport T2, take the walk to Taiwan Taoyuan airport, fly to Okinawa, take the walk to \u90a3\u8987\u7a7a\u6e2f\u99c5, take the train to \u770c\u5e81\u524d\u99c5, take the walk to \u770c\u5e81\u5317\u53e3, then take the bus to Okinawa.Can you get to Okinawa by boat?
Okinawa is the smallest of Japan's islands and the least inhabited. Known for its beaches with bright blue waters and its rainforest, it is a perfect destination for natural beauty and relaxation. Airplane and ferry are the only ways to get to Okinawa Island and both will take you to the capital city of Naha.Can you get to Taiwan by boat?
Getting to Taiwan by boat There are three ways of arriving from mainland China \u2013 a two-stage journey from Fuzhou in China to Taiwan's Matsu Islands, then from there to Keelung; a direct ferry service from Xiamen to Keelung; or a fast ferry from the Chinese island of Pingtan to Taichung.Is there a ferry from Okinawa to mainland?
The only existing route via ferry is by going first to Kagoshima, where a regular liner service to Okinawa is available. The Marix Line runs the regular cruise service from the New Kagoshima Port to the Naha Port in Okinawa. The trip takes about 25 hours, and the passenger fare ranges from 14,610 yen to 36,530 yen.Why Planes Don't Fly Over the Pacific Ocean
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Answer 2
Star Cruises operates cruises in 2013 from Keelung, Taiwan to Naha and Ishigaki in Okinawa. Their website is astonishingly disorganized, slow and flaky, but a search for cruises in July 2013 from Keelung indicates that they operate the Keelung-Ishigaki-Keelung route almost weekly in summer, with departures on July 3, 10, 24 and 31, with two-night cruises from TWD 15,000 (~US$550) and some boats going on to Naha.
The interesting question is whether they'll permit one-way passage, or if you have to return to Taiwan afterwards; a quick read of the passage T&C didn't find anything one way or the other. I suppose you could always pay the full fare, hop off in Ishigaki/Naha and just not return, but you'd need to ensure that you get a full-fledged tourist visa at Japanese immigration and not just a cruise landing permit.
Answer 3
According to the Ryukyu Shimpo, a new service was started in the spring of 2016 between Taiwan and Ishigaki (Okinawa) once a week. The ship that makes the trip is the Natchan Rera. The route was just put on hiatus last month (Mainichi Shinbun article) but is expected to resume from May 2017 as a charter service.
Wagon Group cruise line (Chinese only)
Press release by Wagon Group (Chinese only)
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Leah Kelley, Rachel Claire, Mark Amores, Belle Co