Sanin Kaigan National Park stretches along the Uradome coast and is famous for its many interesting rocks, caves, and islands. The crystal-clear water in this temperate part of the world rivals that of its tropical cousins.
To get here, take the city bus from Tottori station for about 40 minutes to the cruise departure point. It will pass by the sand dunes along the way so you can make a stop on the return journey.
Alternatively, if you missed the bus, you can take a train for 20 minutes to Oiwa station and walk through the farms for another 20 minutes.
Heading north from the station, the road eventually bends around the river. You will see the cruise boats moored before the bridge ahead.
I was lucky to be on an almost private boat with only 3 passengers on board for the early morning cruise. Commentary is provided throughout the journey but it is all in Japanese. There are no English cruises.
The sand dunes are visible in the distance. This part of the coast offers an entirely different landscape.
Looking down, the water was clear and showed different shades of blue and green.
The captain skillfully sailed around the small islets and rocks to highlight the various points of interest.
The cruise takes about 45 minutes. The cruise departure point has a souvenir shop and restaurant for some browsing before heading back into the city.
Being next to the sea, I was not surprised to find drying squid on racks outside. What was unique was this rack spins around to help dry the creatures more quickly and to ward off insects.
I would advise taking the first cruise in the morning to avoid the crowds and then continue to the sand dunes by bus. Unfortunately, that means you will likely get a tan as you will arrive at the dunes at around lunch hour.
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