Okinawa, JAPAN

The last prefecture to be added to Japan, Okinawa is a group of over 150 islands in the East China Sea. On one hand, you have island resorts with access to dive sites, and on the other, there are far-flung isles with mangrove swamps, rivers, and waterfalls. The archipelago is distinct from mainland Japan in more ways than one. For starters, the islands are home to the indigenous Ryukyuan people, who have their own language and traditions. When it comes to food, you find wheatbased soba noodles (famous around the world as Okinawa soba) more than sushi. The local alcoholic drink is not sake but awamori (also ricebased, but distilled). And the best part—the temperature in Okinawa rarely drops below 15° Celsius during winter. visitokinawa.jp