Yonara Channel - Ishigaki & Yaeyama
Yonara Channel is a drift dive, best known for its manta ray cleaning stations. We’ve had some cracking encounters here, particularly in the later part of the year. It's a fairly straightforward dive, usually quite shallow, making it accessible for newer divers. Just follow the current and keep an eye out for the big wings.
- Location
- Ishigaki & Yaeyama, Japan, East Asia
- Coordinates
- 24.353900, 123.951500
- Type
- drift
- Maximum Depth
- 25m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: 西表石垣
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 Yonara Channel
- 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