Location: if heading north on the 58 is to veer left at the Ryukyu Mura sign, then turn L at the T-intersection with the 6. There is then a sign, for a righ-hand turn, to Maeda Point. In front of you is the pay (100Y/hr) parking lot. The lot has recently been expanded. Simultaneously, there are more "No parking" signs now along the canefields to the left. Still some park there and walk, but it seems the powers that be are trying to eliminate streetside parking in the area. Maeda point is terribly popular and not a great destination on summer weekends. Every dive school in a 20 kilometer radius seems to train their students here on weekends. But on a weekday or a sunny winter's day it is quite pleasant. Tour bus groups stop by here to appreciate the view from the lookout, which overlooks the Onna coastline and several fancy resort beaches. From the central area (with toilets, showers, a restaurant and pavilion, lookout shelter, etc) you can take trails east or west. East is a nice trail along the clifftop with intermittent ocean overlooks. This trails continues along to the Malibu beach area. If you start at Malibu, parking is free by the side of the road across the street from the trailhead. This is a trail worth walking; with good sunlight you get a view of the reefline all the way from Maeda to Moon beach. West from Maeda takes you to a path (the right fork) where you can hop down onto a small beach and then cross over some rocks to a cave and cave pool. In an extreme low tide, you can keep walking all the way to maeda flats beach. Along the way, you pass lots of caves and cave pools teeming with fish life and coral. If the water rises, it is best to return overland to your car by exiting at maeda beach and walking past the cane fields to the parking lot.
This is one of the most visited dive spots on island. A staircase descends to the ocean, where you can put on your fins and nudge in. The reef slopes away gently at the entry point, but the beauty of the sight are dramatic reef drop-offs and lots of pretty fish. Exiting is a bit of a challenge if there are crashing waves; timing the right spot to get your fins off and walk is not that straightforward.
The beach around the corner (Maeda flats) is interesting for several reasons. It is not built up with umbrellas and snack stands. It has a nice multicultural family-friendly/sporty atmosphere. The limestone bed has been cut out in places so you can hop from one spot to the next on the remaining sections. As you walk south from the main beach, there is a boat ramp and the area beside there has a huge number of washed up shells.
