The ultimate off-the-beaten-path Tokyo experience lies a staggering 1,000 kilometers south of the city mainland in the Pacific Ocean. The Ogasawara Islands (also known as the Bonin Islands) are an archipelago so remote they have never been connected to a continent, resulting in a unique evolutionary ecosystem that earned them UNESCO World Heritage status. Because there are no airports on the islands, the only way to reach this subtropical paradise is via a 24-hour ferry ride from Tokyo Bay. The journey deters the masses, leaving the main islands of Chichijima and Hahajima pristine and largely untouched. Visitors come to scuba dive in crystal-clear waters, swim alongside wild bottlenose and spinner dolphins, and witness majestic humpback whales breaching offshore. Ashore, hikers can trek through dense jungles to discover endemic flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth, experiencing an island life that redefines the boundaries of Tokyo.
