Keelung-Ishigaki Ferry 2026: 7 Cabin Types, Luggage QA, Top 5 Spots from NT$2,000

Tired of catching pre-dawn flights for short international trips? On May 28, 2026, the Yaima Maru (八重山丸) ferry officially launches from Keelung Port in Taiwan. You board at 11 PM, sleep through the night, and step off in Ishigaki, Japan at 8 AM the next morning. For readers outside Taiwan, you'll need to fly into Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) first, then take the TRA train to Keelung Port (about 50 minutes).

It sounds dreamy. But after spending a week digging through booking data and Taiwanese travel forums, I realized that the rookie mistakes here aren't about "is it worth it" — they're things like "picked the wrong cabin class", "didn't notice the luggage weight limit", or "expected to walk straight through immigration but got dumped on a shuttle bus first." Details most of the early coverage skipped.

I didn't know any of this at first either. So this guide unpacks the trial-period pricing (May 28 through end of June), cabin differences, luggage rules, refund policy, and the smart timing for car rentals.

Why take a ferry instead of flying to Naha and island-hopping?

Before this route opened, the standard way for Taiwanese travelers to reach Ishigaki was "Taoyuan → Naha → flip-flop flight to Ishigaki", or the occasional China Airlines summer charter. I tried that path the first time. The timeline looked like this:

• Arrive at Taoyuan Airport 2.5 hours before departure
• 1 hour 50 minutes to Naha
• Layover in Naha for 2–4 hours (luggage re-check-in)
• Another 1 hour to Ishigaki
• Total including waits: 7–9 hours, two security checks

The Yaima Maru timeline:

• Arrive at Keelung Port at 22:00
• Set sail between 23:00 and 24:00
• Sleep, grab a late snack, soak in the Japanese-style ofuro
• Dock at Ishigaki Port the next morning at 08:00
• Total: about 8 hours, with 6 of them spent sleeping

Put plainly: flying is "9 daytime hours of travel for 5 days on the ground." The ferry is "8 overnight hours for 5 days on the ground, and you save a night of hotel money."

A first-timer note: if you get severely seasick (vestibular issues, motion sickness on bus rides through mountain roads), skip this route. If you only feel mildly queasy on shaky HSR rides, the Yaima Maru runs an overnight track close to the Okinawa coast where swells stay manageable. Most early reviews call it smoother than expected.

Yaima Maru cabin comparison: 7 types side by side

Most articles only quote the headline range, "NT$2,000 to NT$10,500", without distinguishing the trial-period promo prices from the regular July+ rates. I cross-referenced five sources (United Daily News, Bella, Funliday, Letsgojp.com, and Settour) plus the May 15 official announcement to build this table.

Cabin	Trial 5/28–end of June (per person)	Regular from July (per person)	Capacity	Luggage allowance	Best for
Standard G (open berth)	From NT$2,000 (~US$62)	From NT$2,800	4–15 shared	2 pieces (32" max) at 20kg/each	Backpackers, solo travelers, fine with shared space
Standard B	From NT$2,700	~NT$3,500	4-person bunks	Same	Groups of 2–4 friends
Standard A	From NT$3,400	~NT$4,200	2- or 4-person	Same	Want a real bed without splurging
Family Room	From NT$4,100	~NT$5,200	4–6	3 pieces (32" max) at 20kg/each	Families, groups of 4
Deluxe Suite	From NT$4,100	~NT$6,200	2-person	3 pieces	Honeymoon, couples
Royal Suite	From NT$8,500 (~US$262)	NT$10,500	2-person (only 2 onboard)	3 pieces + VIP lounge access	Splurge, anniversary trips
Pet cabin (not yet open)	TBA	TBA	—	—	Pet owners still need to wait

Things other write-ups don't spell out:

• Standard G is a shared dorm, but there's a women-only section. First-timers often assume "shared" means mixed-gender, but the operator has designated a women-only zone. Solo female travelers can book this with confidence.
• Family Room and Deluxe Suite are the same price (NT$4,100), but capacity differs 2–4x. Couples get private bathrooms in Deluxe. Families of four get more bunks in Family Room.
• Only 2 Royal Suites onboard, and travel agencies have already swept up most of them for the launch month. Solo bookings basically have to wait until July.
• Luggage over 32 inches or 20kg triggers NT$15+ per kilo overage. Both Klook and the agency pages print this in tiny font; first-timers miss it.

To see what cabins are still open on a specific date, the Klook YAIMA MARU ticket page is currently the only real-time inventory option for solo bookings. Agencies (Settour, BeWei, Phoenix) typically release new sailing slots on Thursdays.

For a full sweep of current Klook bank-card stacking deals, check the 1stCoupon Klook coupon roundup — cleaner than Klook's own promo page.

8 booking QAs (most guides skipped these)

Don't worry, here's the list I compiled from the operator's customer service emails and the PTT Japan_Travel launch thread:

1. Can I bring a 32-inch suitcase? Yes, but anything over 20kg costs extra. 25kg adds roughly NT$75.
2. What if I get badly seasick? Visit the ship's medical station on boarding — they hand out one free dose of motion-sickness meds. The 30 minutes right after departure is the worst stretch; take it before bed.
3. Refund policy? Trial period: free cancellation up to 30 days before departure, 30% fee within 15 days, 70% within 3 days. The regular policy launches at end of June.
4. Can I bring my dog or cat? Not yet for the May launch. The pet cabin is expected in July, with one dog or cat per sailing.
5. Wi-Fi onboard? Free in public areas, but expect 2–3 hours of dropout in the middle (open sea). Plan around it if you work remotely.
6. Are meals included? Standard cabins get breakfast; suites get breakfast plus dinner. The other restaurants and convenience store charge on the spot — seafood don is around ¥1,200.
7. Where do I clear customs? At Ishigaki Port's international pier, same flow as flying into Naha. Fill out the customs declaration form.
8. Getting back into town after docking in Keelung? Pier 19 has a shuttle to the passenger center, then a taxi or TRA train into Keelung Station — about 15 minutes total.

May 28 launch vs July regular sailings: when to book

Here's how I'd plan it:

• Want the launch experience, flexible budget? Book during the trial period. Lowest price is NT$2,000, but launch sailings skew heavily toward tour groups; solo travelers will struggle to grab the good cabins.
• Want summer crowds, school holidays with kids? Wait for the twice-weekly schedule from July (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Inventory loosens up, prices climb back to NT$2,800, but July catches the tail end of the firefly season and the calm window before the first typhoon.
• Want sunset kayaking and stargazing? Take a Thursday sailing in mid-July, dock Friday morning, leave Sunday morning. A perfect 3D2N that doesn't burn vacation days.

A side note: Klook trial-period bookings can stack with credit-card promos for another layer of savings. The CTBC × Klook 96% off promo and the VISA international 92% off both apply to ferry tickets. My math: NT$2,000 (dorm) × 0.96 = NT$1,920, then 0.92 = NT$1,766. Travel agencies can't stack like this.

Readers outside Taiwan: pair your booking with a credit card that has zero foreign transaction fees and a solid cashback rate (1–4% on travel categories). The Klook promo page also lists local bank partnerships you can layer on top of yours.

First thing after docking in Ishigaki: sort out the car, then the hotel

Coming from Naha island-hopping, the instinct is "check in to the hotel first, then go out." On Ishigaki, you do the opposite. According to the Ishigaki Municipal Tourism Bureau, even peak-hour city buses run only 4 services per day. Driving is the choice for 95% of visitors.

Why I learned this the hard way:

• Ferry docks at 08:00, but most hotels can't check you in until 15:00.
• Storing luggage at the hotel adds a detour; most car rental front-airport offices offer free storage.
• Public transit is sparse (buses can run as few as 4 times daily). Without wheels you're stuck.

First-timer rental notes:

• Required documents: Original driver's license, official Japanese translation (or your home country's International Driving Permit IDP), passport, Klook or KKday booking confirmation, and the credit card used to book.
• Insurance to add: CDW (collision damage waiver) plus NOC (non-operation charge). Skip NOC and a crash leaves you on the hook for NT$15,000–50,000 in lost business reimbursement.
• Register additional drivers: If anyone else might drive, register them at pickup. Unregistered drivers void your insurance entirely.
• Ishigaki Port is harder than Ishigaki Airport for pickup: The airport has free shuttles from ORIX, TIMES, TOYOTA, Nippon. The port only supports a few brands. The easiest pattern is "pick up at airport, return at port" or "shuttle from port to the airport pickup point."

Booking timing matters a lot. I compared three platforms: the Klook global car rental portal had a K-Car at NT$950/day when booked 3 months out, NT$1,580 when checked 2 weeks before departure. The gap pays for two extra Ishigaki beef dinners. Every Thursday the KKday Japan-wide 6% off promo is another rebook window. For a full sweep of KKday bank-card stacks, see the 1stCoupon KKday coupon page.

Ishigaki's 5 must-do activities, each with one detail guides don't share

1. Kabira Bay glass-bottom boat (Michelin Green Guide three stars)

• Price: ¥1,000–1,500. Departures every 15 minutes from 9 AM to 5 PM, year-round.
• Operator picks: Umi-no-Kunimaru (the biggest boat) or BLUE CORAL (the only air-conditioned glass-bottom boat in Kabira Bay — huge difference in summer).
• Getting there: 30 minutes by car from Ishigaki Port; 45–60 minutes by bus to "Kabira Koen Mae" stop.
• Photo tip: Before 10:30 AM, sunlight hits the water at an angle that brings out the cleanest blue-green layers. After noon, backlighting makes it harder to shoot.

2. Blue cave snorkeling

The sunlight refraction inside the sea cave is Ishigaki's signature blue. Non-swimmers can join (life vest plus guide). If water makes you nervous, take the semi-submersible version. Infants under 1 can't enter the water, but a shore-only variant accepts kids 5+.

3. Sunset sea kayak

Meet-up time shifts with the season — between May and July, around 17:30. The 2-hour tour includes 5 minutes of post-sunset stargazing.

Sunscreen should cover behind your ears and the tops of your feet. First-timers forget those spots.

4. Night jungle stargazing tour

Ishigaki is Japan's first officially designated Dark Sky Sanctuary. Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park has almost no light pollution. The guided tour covers:

• The Milky Way (clearest from May to October)
• Nocturnal wildlife (tree frogs, night hawks, Yaeyama endemic species)
• The Southern Cross (visible April–May and November–February)

5. Yaeyama firefly (seasonal)

According to Tabirai Japan and ActivityJapan local guides, the Yaeyama firefly is Japan's smallest, just 2–5 mm long, active from late March to mid-June.

• The 30 minutes after sunset is the golden window — entire forest glows like LED.
• Infants can join the tour (transport included), but wear long sleeves and pants for mosquito protection.
• The May 28 launch week catches the tail end. June bookings still work; miss it and you wait another year.

Budget breakdown: 3D2N vs 5D4N

Two typical itineraries, lowest realistic costs (per person, two people splitting, trial period):

Item	3D2N (Thu out → Sun back)	5D4N (Thu out → next Mon back)
Yaima Maru round-trip ferry (Standard A)	NT$6,800	NT$6,800
Hotel in Ishigaki (twin shared; Agoda / Trip.com for comparison shopping)	NT$3,200 (2 nights)	NT$6,400 (4 nights)
K-Car rental + fuel + insurance	NT$2,800 (2 days)	NT$5,200 (4 days)
5 must-do activities (pick 3)	NT$3,500	NT$5,800
Food (NT$1,200/day estimate)	NT$3,600	NT$6,000
Total (per person)	NT$19,900 (~US$615)	NT$30,200 (~US$933)

Compare against the same 5D4N flying "Taoyuan → Naha → Ishigaki" route: NT$11,500 (airfare) + NT$1,600 (Naha hotel) + NT$2,500 (Naha–Ishigaki flip) + NT$22,000 (5D4N spend) ≈ NT$37,600. The Yaima Maru saves you about NT$7,400 (~US$229) for the same length of trip.

First-timer note: 3D2N is rushed. You only get 1.5 days of actual island time. To cover Kabira Bay + blue cave + fireflies + stargazing, budget at least 5D4N.

My personal cheapest launch-month plan

• D-90: Book the hotel (walkable distance to Ishigaki city center is best).
• D-60: Book the Klook ferry ticket (catch a credit card promo window) plus car rental.
• D-30: Get the Japanese driver's license translation or your IDP.
• D-14: Book the two hot tours — blue cave snorkeling and Yaeyama firefly. These fill up first.
• D-3: Hit the 1stCoupon Klook store page again for that week's bank-card stack.
• D-1: Fly into TPE, stay one night in Taipei or take a late train straight to Keelung.
• D-Day: Arrive at Keelung Port by 21:30. Handle boarding at the Pier 19 office, queue at 22:00.
• D+1 8 AM: Disembark at Ishigaki Port. Five-minute walk to the shuttle area. Pick up the ORIX rental at the airport branch. By 09:30 you're on the Kabira Bay glass-bottom boat.

FAQ

Q1: Is Yaima Maru a cruise ship? How is it different from the Star Cruises and Princess Cruises that depart Keelung?

It is not a cruise. Yaima Maru is a regular passenger-and-cargo ferry. Its main function is transport between Keelung and Ishigaki. Star Cruises and Princess Cruises are pleasure cruises where the ship itself is the destination — they dock for 1–2 days and return. Yaima Maru drops you in Ishigaki to actually spend 3–5 days there.

Q2: Are there discounts for kids under 12 or seniors?

Kids under 3 ride free if not occupying a bed. Ages 3–11 pay about 65% of the adult fare. Seniors 65+ booking with a group get 5% off during the trial period.

Q3: Is there a doctor onboard?

One ship doctor per sailing handles basic care (seasickness, colds, minor injuries). Serious cases are coordinated with the Okinawa Coast Guard for helicopter evacuation.

Q4: What if a typhoon cancels the sailing?

July through October is typhoon season. The trial period has no guaranteed schedule. Typhoon days either reschedule or full refund. I recommend travel inconvenience insurance, often bundled with your credit card.

Q5: Can I take the ferry one-way and fly back?

Yes. Klook and the agencies all support one-way booking. The return flight via ANA or Japan Transocean Air (JTA) goes Ishigaki → Naha → home. The downside is hauling big luggage through a layover.

Related reading

• Okinawa vs Ishigaki with kids 5D: which suits younger kids? I tried both (2026 field test)
• 2026 Okinawa Complete Travel Guide: family itinerary, car rental, must-eats, and coupon stacking
• 2026 Solo Female Okinawa 5D: snorkeling tour minimums, Naha night-route safety, NT$26,800 field test

References

• UDN: Keelung-Ishigaki ferry releases 7-cabin pricing
• UDN: Low-season fare from NT$2,000, women-only zone in shared cabin
• Funliday: Keelung direct to Ishigaki May 28 launch — full ferry, price, route guide
• vocus: 2026.5 update on Taiwan-Ishigaki direct YAIMA Maru — schedule, price, cabin
• Taiwan News: Keelung–Ishigaki ferry service to launch May 28
• Klook: YAIMA MARU Yaima Maru ferry ticket page
• Letsgojp.com Okinawa: Ishigaki ferry launch confirmed, schedule and pricing recap
• Vivian Explore: 2026 Ishigaki car rental — booking, insurance, driving basics
• Klook travel blog: Ishigaki self-guided travel guide — sights, food, hotels
• ActivityJapan: Kabira Bay glass-bottom boat comparison
• Tabirai Japan: Yaeyama firefly — the Yaeyama Islands' rare seasonal glow