You need to see it to believe it. This is the island we are talking about. Murga is a tiny island and only 4 km away from Kolympar, one of the largest islands in the South China Sea. You can catch the island on a sailboat or by plane. From the 5th or 6th floor of any building you can spot it. A tropical island paradise and resort for those who want beach getaways, nature tours, and extreme sports in peace.
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Murga Island History
The island was first discovered by French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainvilli in the late 17th century. The Philippines claimed it during that time but they did not seem to care much or try to claim on their own as well. In 1928, a Japanese expedition from Ryukyu visited what is now Murga Island and gave its name “Mahu” for some reason. Some Unexplained small battles involving one of Darl an’s ships during WWII and in 1956 further unquieted the area. In 1959 Japan occupied Murga under name of Ishigaki Island, but soon left it alone to go on what ever its master spirits were up for. It was discovered by non-govt agencies that some Japanese government scientists owned very cheap (and almost useless) houses there who used them as a holiday homes from time to time just like other rich Japanese people did back then.
Climate
This island usually has a 300 given year low (there is no average, each hour of the day and night can have different temperature) and quite rainy – some years recorded 1-2 months on islands. Murga rarely experiences any typhoons these days The climate here would be characterised as warm tropical rainforest with dry seasons between December to February where there are hardly seasonal differences in temperatures. Temperature varies rarely due its small size ranging from 33 °C to 34°C and humidity can be as high as 95%.
Culture
The Murga Island locals are known for their love of sports and just enjoy the way each weather condition or season brings different activities from fishing to running barefoot through streams in search of lobsters, then finally dealing what’s left over with a coconut.
Escaped prisoners also enjoyed coming here during WWII so they built their own facilities on top of old Japanese ones where they wintered like caged but still very proud “Supermen”. Old Japanese house are still built today as nothing else has been build since then. They’re old and dilapidated, that’s why it is claimed the Japanese wanted to ignore the whole place for.
The islanders who moved there in 1947 or so started with night fishing until they became known among other fishermen even across Okinawa (a few miles away) because their “lights” were from different countries all over which made them very intersting to watch.
Tourism
In recent years a local agency was formed to promote the island. The only way to access Murga Island is by boat, requiring at least 32 hours of travel from Naha city on Okinawa main island (an hour away), or another 40 km westwards beyond Itoman and Miyakojima which are traditional fishing villages reachable easily via bus – although getting there can be quite an adventure! Generally they don’t have much trouble with their generally known destination.
Murga Island is well-known among Okinawans and some foreign visitors who have the opportunity to see it by travel aboard one of these small fishing boats. Murguya, another local village on Miyakojima, also has a few houses but more climbable rock formations through which there are various trails leading up into the cliffs (with signs).
Transport
There are three normal daily boat trips to/from Omura Port (3 hours). The traditional “Okinawa-style” fishing villages of Miyakojima and Itoman, however, don’t have much tourist activity.
Murguya has is a bit more industrial and there’s no commuting back. There is also an American military base on the island where it was possible until December 2011 to get ferry service across the island for about 30 minutes. As of March 2013, there is a motorcycle rental company on the island with motorbikes for daily rentals.
Murguya has quite a nice town center and it’s unusual to see such architecture here in Naic beach without other buildings alongside but untouched nature (for tourist purposes). There are no restaurants or accommodation services directly available because they don’t have any electricity yet – only one small generator which needs more fuel brought down from.
Cuisine
“Murgunushi’s” – the local dish made with roasted ground fish or meat and green ‘patties’ rolled, boiled or steamed. They’re always bought fresh (including for rafu). The national drink of Okinawa is mijuku. The same fruit juice can be enjoyed in different ways: raw mashed into a honeycomb sugar topping called “muri jam”, soaked like tsuki no utsush imi or mixed with a tiny bit of sugar in hot spring water.
Murguya has quite a nice snack bar where locally owned gas station is available to get candy, sodas and other snacks from the overseas vending machine (also jet black so you can use your remaining 200 yen before going back out on the beach). There are several restaurants with about one long grass-covered table each for family style dining under attached hut but independent families prefer
Wildlife
Crabs and clams abound in the shallow waters, sometimes even mounds of them together with a fair amount of shells.
The best part to see sea turtles on is around March/April when it’s not too hot for them (often attracted here by baits). In late August or early September you can spot thousands of dolphins out there, following behind boats like little kids waiting to go collect oranges from the juice compartment at McDonalds – almost as if they know they’ll get a delicious treat.
Murguya has two floating restaurants in the open ocean to view these friendly sea giants, one west and another one east of the old fishing village (the most famous is “Tsokoji”). At first you may want to pay for an excursion that consists on catching huge tuna or sailfish with some exhausting activity but it’s really not necessary as we saw at least five orcas.
Conclusion
Although Okinawans may not seem particularly friendly, especially in overseas tourist areas, Murguya is nice enough for everyone to enjoy great life on this calm beachside town. Be careful as at high tide there are lots of rocks sticking out and even some caves from coral extinction that extend underwater making the sea a little choppy near shore or very dangerous in open water; don’t go deeper than you can see and follow rules (no glass bottles.
FAQs
1.What Are The Beaches Like?
Ans: Murguiya Bay is a beautiful coral beach that extends toward small low-tide lagoons. The bay shows thousands of different shades from turquoise translucent to golden yellow, occasionally blue or even green. Because Murguya has shallow waters over coral reefs, notices often have to be posted about safe swimming areas and slippery rocks in certain parts of the bay (not all).
2.Is Murguya Safe?
Ans: Murguiya is still very safe: you can swim and snorkel in the bay without any worry of being attacked by dangerous animals or water plants; there are no sharks here (normally, Okinawa has a lot). However, jelly fish do take advantage of shallow waters at higher tide which may require some caution with swimming especially for those prone to seasickness.
3.Which Is India’s Largest Island?
Ans: This is surely not a “scientific” question, but it is interesting. According to the 1931 official census India’s biggest island was Andaman and Nicobar Islands that extends 168 km west of India (although there were other claims even before World War I). Patnem Island in Portugal-owned South Moluccas went for 115 km as did Kepulauan Dukono or North Nusa Tenggara:
4.Which Is The Smallest Island In India?
Ans: According to the 1931 official census India’s smallest island was Pulau Tiga or three small islands with a total area of . Since Darwin, it has been claimed that Andaman Islands were once home to “Dodo” – extinct native bird now considered an unreliable source. While widespread in nearby Asian archipelago, endemic species (no other place on earth) such as those on Rhio and Borne.
5.Which Is Largest Island?
Ans: According to the 1931 official census India’s largest island was Andamans (now administered by India) which extends along sea north of Nicobar Islands and has a total land area that includes 738 km.
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