Diving around Ishigaki
What you need to dive around Ishigaki, the named sites, weather limits and flying rules, with an operator's published prices as examples.
The short answer
Certified? Book a 2-dive boat trip and ask for Manta Scramble in season. Not certified? Do a discovery dive with an instructor: certification is required for open water dives, and the discovery dive is the way in without it (Visit Okinawa diving guide).
Who can dive
- PADI's minimum age is 10 for both Discover Scuba Diving and Open Water Diver; Open Water needs a 200 m swim and 10 minutes of treading water (PADI).
- A local operator says Open Water certification allows dives to 18 m with an equal or higher certified buddy, and introductory dives go to about 10 m with an instructor throughout (PiPi).
- One booking platform lists asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and pregnancy as possible grounds for refusal (Ishigaki Island Tours).
Sites by level
- Beginner: Manta Scramble (25 m max, little current), the Taketomi submarine hot spring (20 m max) and Nishihama on Hateruma (15 m max) (Visit Okinawa dive sites).
- Intermediate and up: Yonara Channel between Kohama and Iriomote, a drift dive of about 25 m (Prime Scuba).
- Advanced only: Nakanokami Island southwest of Iriomote, strong current, 30 m max (Visit Okinawa dive sites).
Weather
A dive operator says typhoons are frequent from June to October; wind of 0 to 6 m/s suits diving, 13 m/s or more can cancel dives, and closures usually last 3 to 4 days (Prime Scuba). Keep a spare day in your plan. See also rough sea and typhoons.
Flying after diving
DAN's minimum surface interval before flying is 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and 18 hours after repeated or multi-day diving (DAN). Do not book a dive on your departure day.
What it costs
As published on 3 Nov 2026 by a booking platform: 2 dives for certified divers 15,000 yen, 1 dive 9,000 yen, full gear rental 4,000 yen (Ishigaki Island Tours).
Find a tour
Tour operators set their own prices, seasons and rules; check them on the booking page.
Plan the ferry side of your day →
Every fact on this page links to its source; all were checked on 3 Nov 2026.