Scuba diving has been on my bucket list since the day I took up the job of writing synopses for National Geographic Channel, spending hours and hours watching the amazing underwater discoveries by professional divers. I was planning to check it off my list last year in the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, Australia. However, I couldn’t use my staff ticket (I’m a flight attendant) on the flight from HKG to CNS as it was fully booked. So, we ended up in our alternative destination: Okinawa, Japan.

Okinawa may not sound as exciting as Cairns, but I’m still over the moon as it’s my first time to scuba dive. Comparing to sightseeing, I enjoy trying out new activities even more when going on vacation. One of the most popular diving spots in Okinawa is the Blue Cave, located at Cape Maeda in Onna Village of the main island. When the sunlight enters the cave, the surface of the water gives out a shimmering blue hue. Hence, it’s named Blue Cave. We booked a tour on Klook that included a beginner diving experience and car transfer (it’s time-consuming to take public transport in Okinawa).

The driver was late for 40 minutes, so once we arrived the dive centre, we were hurried to sign the documents, change to a diving suit and get on the boat. There’re around 20 participants on board, many of them were certified divers who had already put on their gears and were chitchatting with each other. My friend and I were like idiots sitting there waiting for someone to take care of us. Our instructor was a skinny guy around 35 years old who spoke fluent mandarin. He helped us wear the BCD and gave us a brief lesson of the basic techniques to survive underwater. Before I was sure I remembered all the skills, I was already told to do a back roll into the water. It was a startling move. After I got hold of myself, I was enthralled by the plethora of colorful tropical fish swimming under the hull.

During the diving experience, the instructor held our BCD the whole time to control our movement. The only things we needed to do were to open our eyes, breathe through the regulator and equalize from time to time (this is very important to protect your ears). Whenever he took photos or videos for us, we’d be asked to lie on the seabed or hold on to a rock. He also gave us some breadcrumbs to feed the fish, and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that many fish in front of my face.

After the dive, we’re supposed to be dropped off at our hotel. However, on the way back, we were attracted by the nostalgic buildings in Mihama American Village, an entertainment complex that consists of a variety of shops, restaurants, bars, a cinema, a Ferris wheel, as well as some military-related facilities. Walking along the waterfront promenade, we made our way to a café, in which I quenched my thirst with an iced latte while watching the sun sink into the East China Sea.

The next day, we decided to do some sightseeing before heading to the airport. We took the Okinawa Urban Monorail to the last station, Shuri, where the historic red-lacquered castle is located. That day was sizzling hot, and it took us a long while to find the palace. We’re exhausted and decided not to explore inside. It’s a pity. One month later, the news reported that the main structures of Shuri Castle were destroyed by a fire. It’s suspected that the disaster was caused by electrical fault. Almost US$1 million were raised to restore the Unesco heritage site, but it’d probably take decades before we can see it again.