Sunayama Beach is reached by crossing a sand dune — "suna" means sand, "yama" means mountain — and descending to a cove on the northwest coast. The beach is shorter and more sheltered than Yonaha Maehama, and a dramatic natural stone arch rising from the water at its northern end makes it one of the most distinctive spots on the island.
Swimming is good here, but the reef is less developed than at Yoshino so serious snorkellers tend to look elsewhere. The real draw is the landscape: the arch, the dunes, the clear water, and the almost complete absence of development. There is a small car park at the top of the dune and nothing else. It gets busy on weekends; go on a weekday morning.