Honest Island Guide
— Beaches · Hotels · Running Routes — All Personally Scouted

Located southeast of Vietnam, Con Dao Islands offer stunning beaches like Bai Nhat, visible only at low tide, and a poignant history as a former penal colony. A first-hand guide to Vietnam's most remote island, explored by the author on the ground.

Cu Lao Cham sits just off the coast of Hoi An—a UNESCO-protected island where strict visitor limits keep the beaches genuinely pristine, the cliffside roads wild, and the fishing villages untouched. A complete guide covering everything from independent boat access to authentic fishing village life.

Home to the Michelin three-star-rated Kabira Bay and the traditional red-tiled roofs of Taketomi Island. A guide earned on foot — from iconic viewpoints to the eateries only locals love.

From Yonaha Maehama — lauded as the finest beach in the Orient — to the phantom 17END, a tidal runway that vanishes with the rising sea. An honest guide to Miyako's stunning bridges, beaches, and local flavors, earned on foot.

From a hidden entrance at Yonaha Maehama to Ohama Beach on Ikema Island and Magumoto Beach on Shimojishima — every spot earned on foot and unknown to most tourists.

Every beach on Yoron Island — field-tested on foot over five years. From Yurigahama’s sandbar to hidden coves only locals know, this is the honest guide you won’t find anywhere else.

I ran Yoron Island from coral reefs to narrow backstreets — and this is what I found. First-hand tips on Yoron Blue beaches, hidden spots, and where to stay.

Often called the 'Galapagos of the Orient,' Amami Oshima is a treasure trove of biodiversity. From the World Heritage forests and the rare Amami Black Rabbit to the 'Blue Angel' waters of Tomori Beach, discover a natural world of truly breathtaking scale.

I ran every road on this island to bring you honest, first-hand reviews — from Hatenohama Beach and Tatami-ishi Rocks to local food and hand-picked hotels.

My first-hand guide to Aka Island — home to Nishibama Beach, one of the Kerama Islands' most beloved shores. Snorkel with sea turtles in the impossibly clear Kerama Blue, wander the island's quiet lanes, and keep an eye out for the native Kerama deer.