Taketomi-jima

On tiny Taketomi-jima you can imagine you are on a distant planet. Cute, compact houses with red-tile roofs and white coral-block walls sit contentedly amid a riot of greenery and blossoms. Even the sand is unique here—the star-shape grains are the dried calcinous skeletons of tiny aquatic creatures. Just 300 folks call this speck home, but since it's only a 10-minute ride from Ishigaki-jima, boatloads of people visit each day. Ferries leave on the half hour and the trip costs ¥580 each way. Once you're on the islet you can wander around, swim, and snorkel in the clear, shallow water. Flat, less than a mile across at its widest point, and with a circumference of less than 9 km (6 mi), it's perfect for bicycling.