Thinking that Japan is expensive?

Many budget travelers skip this archipelago. But with a mountain bike and a tent, it's possible to travel in Japan on ¥1,000 a day, and have fun, especially on Zamami Island.

To pull off this 21st-century pleasure coup, simply roll up with your bike at Haneda Airport in central Tokyo and pay Skymark Airlines an extra ¥1,000 to transport your bagged-up vehicle to Naha along with yourself. Then, while others are waiting for trains and taxis at the airport there, simply reassemble the bike and go to the Tomari ferry terminal.

To get in the habit of slowing down to "Okinawa speed," savor the 2-hour Zamami ferry (¥3,540 return) rather than rushing, expensively, for its rapid rival that makes the crossing in just an hour (¥5,350 return).

Cruising through the 22 islands of the Kerama group, including the popular Tokashiki and Akajima islands, watch for the humpback whales that migrate through these waters from late December to April.

Once ashore, the main village of Zamami offers more than a dozen places to stay, ranging from the ¥4,000-a-night Murakami minshuku (family-run guest house) to the Shirahama Resort (¥7,000 a night including two meals). There are bikes and kayaks for rent, or to get around you can rent single-seat scooters (¥3,000 per day) or hop on a local bus for ¥250. There are also boatmen ready and willing to take you at very reasonable rates to uninhabited islets with great snorkeling.

But, like the giant sea turtles that paddle offshore, you don't have to bother with the most basic logistical stress of traveling, simply turn left off the dock and pedal by the sea for about 10 minutes to the wooded, beachside campground near Ama hamlet, where a tent (if you haven't brought your own) can be hired for ¥700 a day. -Japan Times-