The coastal road that circles most of Yakushima makes an excellent driving or cycling route of about 100 kilometres. Not all of it is paved — a section on the western coast requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle or bicycle — but the main coastal circuit accessible by regular car offers a full cross-section of the island's character.
Driving clockwise from Miyanoura, the route passes through the relatively flat and farmed north coast, then climbs to the dramatic headlands of the west, drops to the southern cape near Yakushima Town, and returns through the increasingly tropical-looking east coast. The circuit is dotted with small fishing villages, roadside waterfall viewpoints, and beaches. Allow a full day if you want to stop properly; many visitors try to do the loop and the Jōmon Sugi hike on the same trip, which is too much for a comfortable two-day visit.