Hoshinoya Okinawa

The second Hoshinoya resort in Okinawa is larger than its Taketomi Island sister, and is set right on the west coast of Okinawa proper, in the rural district of Yomitan, with a view out to sea over a splendidly unspoiled beach. The resort itself stands behind a modernist fortress-like wall, concealing gardens, villas, and low-slung structures; the villas and suites mix ultra-contemporary design and furnishings with traditional Okinawan artworks and crafts, and all of them look out over the ocean. Activities include everything from snorkeling and diving to Ryukyu Karate lessons and spa treatments, and the cuisine, unexpectedly enough, plays up the similarities between Okinawan and Sicilian cooking.