Okuma peninsula

Location: The drive from Chatan area is 90 minutes if you take the expressway to Kyoda, the 71 through Nago, and then the 58 north to Okuma.
Where to stay:
For DOD, the Air Force Okuma facility is the obvious choice. http://kadenaservices.com/okuma/reservations.html For the budget-minded, the facility offers singles and family camping sites, and log cabins complete with air conditioning, a microwave, and a minifridge (25$ weekday). Toilet and shower (hot water) facilities are shared - there are 3 shower stalls and 3-4 toilets. The block near the family camping (also used by the log cabins) gets a bit dirty and smelly. There are also a variety of studios and suites with bathrooms, but these cost more and must be booked well in advance. The facility has two lovely beaches, very reasonably priced water sports, some fairly unimpressive hiking trails, and a golf course popular with the local Japanese community.
Right next door is the JAL Okuma resort, patronised by wealthy Japanese brought up in buses from Naha: http://www.jalokuma.co.jp/detail.jsp?id=4696&menuid=2163&funcid=1. There is also a hotel in Hentona, just north of the Okuma peninsula, which appears to be reasonable in price.
Where to eat: see separate section; food is fairly limited north of Hentona save the snack stalls at Hedo.
What to do: If staying on Okuma recreational facility, sign up for the snorkel or dive boat excursion - 12$pp (4 person minimum) for 90minutes out on the reef snorkeling, or 20$pp (including tanks, 2 person minimum) for 2 dives. The folks at Tsunami scuba said the Okuma dives are not that great, but from what we could tell during our snorkeling tour they are misguided. We went out to a reef north of Okuma, offshore from Hentona, and saw a healthier coral reef here than anywhere else we've been. There was finger after finger of interesting and intact hard coral, with plenty of tropical fish species and a flock of cuttlefish in formation. With calm seas, one could reach this spot swimming out from the Hentona seawall. Later, we went out from the south beach and the boat parked next to one from JAL resort. The coral was a bit more beaten up, but the fish were larger and more numerous. They are fed by the JAL patrons, so swarm around snorkelers. One can also rent a jet ski or motorboat with skis (1$/min) and go crazy. JAL and the Air Force do not own all the beach on the peninsula - on the proximal portion (both the north and south sides) Japanese families camp out on the beach and swim in the lovely blue waters.
Of course, the other reason to stay in this area is for easy access to the rest of Yanbaru. Driving around this area is a pleasure, with traditional villages, sugarcane fields, lush forest, and striking rock formations all completing for attention. Hedo point is a worthwhile stopover with lovely views of the reefs and Yoron-jima in the distance. At the intersection for Hedo point (a left turn), turn right instead and head to Kongou Sekirinzan park. Admission is 800Ypp, this includes a bus ride up to the top of the hill. There are several trails including "Strange and Big Rocks Course", "Great View and Sacred Course", and the "Forest Course" the last of which conveniently returns to the parking lot. http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/public%20affairs%20info/Archive%20News%20Pages/2006/060804-trail.html20info/Archive%20News%20Pages/2006/060804-trail.html, http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=550 The scenery here is spectacular and the view over Hedo Misaki alone makes the trip worthwhile. All along the northern coast of Okinawa are beautiful finger reefs. During an extreme low tide, these make amazing tidepool walking and snorkeling. Some of the pools are like aquariums; we spotted angelfish, a live triton shell, an array of parrotfish, an eel, and colorful corals. During a calm day, these reefs attract divers and kayakers. However, there is often surge and current that would make water activities dangerous here.
The town of Oku has some cabins and camping sites, and a underutilised fishing port. Apparently people walk up the river here, but not much water was running when we went through. Beyond Oku, there is a bridge over a place where a river meets the sea. Japanese families camp here and swim in two freshwater pools with waterfalls. The drive back across the island on the 2 is also quite pretty, and on several occasions we have been tempted to stop at a cafe signposted about halfway between the two coasts.