Chichijima

Main island of the Ogasawara archipelago, about 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo, accessible only by a 24-hour ferry that runs roughly once a week. UNESCO designated the islands in 2011 for ecosystems shaped by millions of years of isolation, with endemic species found nowhere else. Swimming with wild dolphins, whale watching for humpbacks from February through April, and kayaking through sea caves are the main draws. The small town of Omura has seafood restaurants and dive shops with a laid-back pace. The long ferry approach itself, watching volcanic peaks emerge from deep Pacific water, is one of the more memorable arrivals in Japan.