a whole new world

We both have never lived on an island, so arriving in Saipan, we have no concrete experience, just ideas on how life here really would be.

Larry had been here a few years ago for a training, and as for me, while I’m originally from the Philippines, I lived in the city. I would say a week is the longest I had ever experienced being on an island. Nevertheless, we are both extremely excited to learn, live, and love Saipan. We have both always wanted a relaxed life, so we’re embracing everything here.

Saipan is the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, and is a commonwealth of the United States. If you look at a map, it’s a super tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, near Guam. It’s about 12 miles long and 6 miles wide. You can literally drive around the island (and stop at all the tourist destinations) in a few hours. It’s hot in here, but there’s a nice breeze, which makes it pleasant.

We're still relatively new on island, but here are the spots we've checked out and recommend so far.

We will be updating this list as we discover more, so be sure to bookmark this page if you want to stay updated.

i. explore the beaches.

Saipan is a beach lover’s paradise! And for obvious reasons! It’s a small tropical island, surrounded by clear waters and the warmest smiles from everyone. We would probably need to spend every weekend of the entire year to check out all the beaches on the island. In fact, they have 33 public access shorelines listed on their guide! We have been beach hopping ourselves, and here's a list of the beaches we have explored so far!

ii. watch birds at the Bird Island.

Probably the most photographed spot on the island, we went here on our very first day on island, even before we checked in at our hotel. This place is packed with people, as we were greeted by swarms of tourists. To see the birds on the island, you would need binoculars (first day and we saw a lot of Brown Noddies and White Tailed Tropicbirds). There is also a trail where you can actually hike down, and set foot on its beach. It’s a bird sanctuary and a protected area so there’s more to see up close. I would say this is among the better scenic spots in Saipan – there are benches and picnic tables, so people can come enjoy the breeze while feasting on the sight.

iii. mourn about the past at the Banzai Cliff.

In all honesty, I have never heard of Saipan until Larry had to attend a training here about three years ago. So I was surprised to learn how much history is shared by my home country, the Philippines, and this island, and how much of an impact it made in our modern world. You see, Saipan is a major part of World War II, and part of this sad history is this cliff where a multitude of Japanese soldiers and civilians jumped to their deaths. Today, there are epitaphs and tombstones at the park, in honor of all these brave men and women who lost their lives during those dark times.

iv. discover the underwater world.

Last July, we braved our fears and signed up for a discover scuba diving course at a local dive shop. A month or so later, we got PADI Open Water Dive certified. Since then, we have been going on dives and enjoying the underwater world, swimming with turtles and rays, getting amazed by the corals, playing with fishes, and spotting and reporting Crown of Thorns (they're bad for corals). The story I wrote of our first dive got published in Taga, a magazine here on island. If you want to read the story, click here.

v. get high on Mount Tapochau.

Mount Tapochau is the highest point on island, located right in the center and offering a 360 view of Saipan. Like almost every place here on the island, Mount Tapochau played a central role during World War II, when Saipan became a battle ground between Japanese troops and American soldiers. Decades later, Tapochau is much more peaceful, but the role it played during the wars are written on signages displayed up the mountain. There is also a giant statue of Jesus Christ at the top platform. Atop, you can see Saipan's neighboring island Tinian, and on super clear days, even Rota and Anatahan.

vi. learn history at the Kalabera cave.

We stopped by Kalabera, also on our very first day on island, to check out its famous cave. We’re not sure if you could explore the cave with guides and proper permits (as it is, there’s a rail that acts as a barrier, and people can’t just go in further). We think it is protected cause there are writings on the wall that are very important in the history of the island. The Kalabera Cave, as it is, is very accessible, and it is in a park where there are replicas of the “latte” houses. There are also signages where you can read more about sacred writings, and even gender roles back in the days in the Marianas.

vii. check out the view from Suicide Cliff.

Like Banzai Cliff, Suicide cliff also holds an extremely sad history as a place where the Japanese also jumped to their deaths during the wars, although compared to Banzai, those who jumped off here had to hit the ground, not the ocean. Again, just like in Banzai, there are epitaphs and tombstones at the park, in honor of all those who lost their lives during those dark times. Right now, the park offers a peaceful space, offering views of the northern side of the island.

viii. discover bunkers and tanks in As Lito

Nature seems to be reclaiming these old tanks at the As Lito Airfield here in Saipan. The field was recorded to have been very important during the war in the Pacific, in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, sometime in 1944. We were driving around the airport to do some birdwatching when we decided to go a different route, and came across this historic surprise. So much to learn about the past on this island.

ix. take the Garapan Heritage trail challenge.

Are you up for a walking tour around Garapan? Discover and learn more about the past by visiting 20 historical and cultural sites in Garapan, which has played a significant role in the island’s history for over three millennia. When I did the tour, courtesy of the Northern Mariana Islands Humanities Council, we were taken to the American Memorial Park, the Carolinian Utt, the Nambô Pier, the Catholic Church Bell Tower, the Sugar Train Locomotive and the Matsue Statue at the Sugar King Park, Saipan Jinja, the old Japanese Jail, and the NMI Museum of History and Culture, which was a Japanese hospital from 1926 to 1944.

xiii. journey with 500 Sails

Six months into our stay here in Saipan, we got to experience sailing for the first time, which was made even more special because we got on a traditional canoe - one of the very few that we have on the island right now. This canoe was built by 500 Sails, as part of their effort to revive the traditional canoe culture in the CNMI. 500 Sail's name is actually very cool cause their goal is to reclaim the local maritime tradition by getting 500 traditional Chamorro and Carolinian proas (a type of sailing boat) on the Marianas waters again.

xi. check artifacts at the NMI Museum

Visitors of the NMI Museum of History and Culture can expect to see some really solid artifacts from CNMI’s rich history, dating from the Latte Period to the introduction of Catholicism, to the Galleon Trade to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. These include the Spanish Galleon gold collections, as well as some of the 156 pottery storage jars from the sunken galleon Nuestra Senora dela Concepcion, which were recovered in 1987 from the 2,000-ton, 45-meter long Manila galleon that sank in 1638.

xii. learn even more history at the American Memorial Park.

I remember the very first time we went here, we stopped by its museum and viewed a screening of the history of Saipan, from which I learned how big of a part this island was during World War II, and how much the locals had to endure for the sake of the world. The building also houses some artifacts from the war days. Aside from the museum, the park also features an outdoor theater and auditorium. The park is also a popular spot for people wanting to either just chill or exercise.

xiii. say hello to the mermaid of Sirena cave.

We've been hearing about Sirena Cave for the longest, and so we drove past Kalabera Cave in Marpi, got set to find it... and we did. The mermaid's bigger than we expected, over 10 ft, and gives some creepy vibe as she probably should be doing given the underground cave behind her. We were reading about the cave and apparently, the fumes from within it are not good for humans... makes me wonder how people back during the wars must have endured hiding in there just to survive. Anyway, just a trivia, "sirena" means "mermaid" too in Tagalog.

xiv. learn agroforestry

We also love the Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension, & Education Services farm in As Perdido. Larry is very much into permaculture and all it stands for, so we wanted to learn more about it on a local scale, as well as learn agroforestry and NMC CREES' farm is the place to do it. They advocate food security, by building a food forest rather than just growing one crop in a monoculture system. This means growing different kinds of fruit trees, root crops, vegetables, native plants, medicinals, and other plant species all in one plot of land.

xv. enjoy the Taste of Marianas.

The Taste of Marianas International Food Festival is every Saturday of May, and this year is its 21st run. It features international cuisine and non-stop live entertainment from the island residents. We got lucky to have experienced this on our first night, we got to taste a lot of good food and were touched by how much island culture is loved and represented in the performances on stage. It was a great ending to our first day in Saipan.

comments.

Lynn

Wow! Stunning coastlines – and Bird Island looks like an Instagrammer’s dream! It is interesting that there is so much shared history here from the war. I have recently discovered that my current town was a camp for prisoners of war as it was far enough out there to hide them! Goes to show how war truly affects everybody, as also how everyone is connected.

Jayne

I have never heard of the island of Saipan I have to admit but it looks and sounds amazing. What a sad story at the Banzai cliffs though. It’s incredible how much history the smallest places in the world can have

Mayuri Patel

First of all, congrats for your upcoming adventure life in Saipan. I am hearing first time about this place and those banzai cliffs views are stunning. enjoy island life and keep sharing.

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