Sakieda Big Arch - Ishigaki & Yaeyama
Sakieda Big Arch is a decent pick if you're looking for an overhead environment without venturing too deep. At a maximum of 18 meters, it’s an intermediate dive, straightforward enough for those comfortable with enclosed spaces. We're talking about a substantial swim-through here, not a tight squeeze, so there's usually plenty of ambient light filtering in. It's not a bustling reef, but the appeal is the arch itself, the play of light, and the chance to spot the occasional resting nurse shark or a school of sweepers hanging out in the darker sections. We'd suggest checking it out on a calmer day; strong currents can make navigating the entrance a bit less enjoyable.
- Location
- Ishigaki & Yaeyama, Japan, East Asia
- Coordinates
- 24.455700, 124.103900
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 18m
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Marine Protected Area: 沖縄県漁業調整規則第37条表第2号
Nearby Dive Sites in Ishigaki & Yaeyama
- Antoniogaudei
- Antonio Gaudi - 26m
- Cross Hole - 24m (wreck)
- Crystal Beach - 17m
- Crystal Park - 11m (reef)
- Emperor’s Chair - 17m
- Hanadainone
- Hanazawa Drop - 16m (wall)
- Hateruma Island - 18m
- IOT - 18m
- Ishigaki double reef (reef)
- Kaiho Sports Club - 2m
- Kanokawa Nakanose - 17m
- Kinmenone - 18m
- Kohamajima Island - 18m
Nearest Dive Centres to Sakieda Big Arch
- BLUE SEASON IRIOMOTE - ["PADI"]
- Blue Water
- Diving School Marea Miyakojima - ["PADI"]
- DIVING SERVICE HEKIKAI
- MARINECLUB
- MOANA Diving College ISHIGAKIJIMA - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Ishigaki & Yaeyama
Home to 442 recorded species including 289 reef fish, 119 hard corals, 8 seagrass & algae, 6 sea cucumbers, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Hp (Halodule pinifolia) - Seagrass & Algae
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Stony coral (Porites cylindrica) - Hard Corals
- Honeycomb coral (Favites abdita) - Hard Corals
- Corrugated coral (Pavona varians) - Hard Corals
- Thin birdsnest coral (Seriatopora hystrix) - Hard Corals
- Stony coral (Porites lutea) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora verrucosa) - Hard Corals
- Smooth cauliflower coral (Stylophora pistillata) - Hard Corals
- Lesser star coral (Cyphastrea microphthalma) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Encrusting pore coral (Montipora aequituberculata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aspera) - Hard Corals