Saipan

Saipan is one of fourteen islands of the Northern Marianas Group stretching northward from Guam and it competes with Guam for the hordes of Japanese tourists who flock to its shores. It has the distinction of being the fastest growing island in Micronesia with golf courses and resorts popping up everywhere.

Tourists and alien workers now outnumber the Saipanese, and the island has lost much of its Micronesian character. Still, Saipan has gentle beaches on its western and southern coasts, a rugged and rocky eastern coast, a hilly interior and dramatic cliffs on the northern coast. The island is about 14 miles (23km) long and 5 miles (8km) wide. A leisurely exploration of the island could fill all of a day.

Held by the Japanese during World War 2, Saipan today is a modern, clean and thriving community comprising several 'villages' that are more like small towns.

Nearly all its northern, southern and eastern beaches are protected by a fringing coral barrier reef, while its easterly side takes the brunt of the storm seas with towering cliffs and rugged rocks.

There are remnants and remembrances of the War all over the island and ceremonies are held often by survivors and families of both sides. The caves of Saipan still contain the remains of Japanese troops who held out during prolonged guerrilla warfare. As late as 1952, a few stragglers surrendered, unaware that the war had ended.

History records that the French consul in 1938 sent a telegram to the US State Department advising that aviatrix Amelia Earhardt was a prisoner of the Japanese in Saipan.

A former trust territory of the US, Saipan enjoys US Commonwealth status and its people are US citizens.

Considered to have the best beach areas in Micronesia, there is native dancing, nightclubs, bars, several discos, fine international cuisine, modern shopping malls and plenty of duty free shopping. The island also boasts modern technological communications, and plenty of recreational facilities including two golf courses.

Saipan is more highly developed as a tourist resort than Pohnpei, Chuuk (Truk) or Palau and English is spoken, as is Chamorro and Carolinian. While in Saipan see the lagoon from one of the glass-bottom boats. Visit the last command post of the Japanese Imperial Army with its mounted cannon, tanks and other relics.

On land, visit Suicide Cliff where hundreds of Japanese jumped to their deaths, Bonzai Cliff with its spectacular views and also the old jail where Amelia Earhardt was thought to have been held prisoner.

Garapan, the largest town in the commonwealth, is booming. Leveled during WWII and resettled in the 1960s, Garapan is crammed with sushi shops, karaoke clubs and other operations that cater to Japanese tourists. If you can ignore the Japanese film crews shooting television commercials, the white sands and turquoise waters of Micro Beach are among the finest in the islands. Stretching north from the beach is American Memorial Park, which features a swamp-forest bird habitat and a picnic-table human habitat, along with memorials to the Americans who died in the US invasions of Saipan and Tinian and a one-room WWII Museum with displays of weapons, uniforms, gas masks, photos and other war paraphernalia.

Lace up your boots and hit the Laderan Tangke Trail, a short loop (2mi/3km) at the northern end of the island through the Marpi Commonwealth Forest. This well-maintained public trail leads through the sort of dense jungle not usually accessible to hikers. It also skirts the Laderan Tangke Cliff, where you can take in an ocean view, and along the way there are markers explaining the surrounding flora, fauna and geology. You might also see birds such as the rufous fantail or the bright red cardinal honeyeater.

Divers will delight in the sunken wrecks from World War 2 nestled in the expanse of lagoon waters around Managaha Island, just two miles from Saipan's Charlie Dock. Visibility underwater of 50 metres allows divers to see a fascinating array of wrecks including aeroplanes, sub-marines, tanks and ships still in mint condition. And if you have time, visit the Blue Grotto, an ocean cave where the sun shines through an underwater wall and lights up the sea.

The airport is at the southern end of the island, 8 miles (13km) south of Garapan.

Tinian

There are some good beaches on Tinian, including Kammer Beach, in San Jose, and Taga Beach, just south of the village. Both have good swimming, turquoise waters and white sand. Chulu Beach, on Tinian's northwestern shore, is the site of a WWII landing by US forces and a massive ongoing archaeological dig. As you wander about the small island (which you can do in less than a day), be sure to look out for several Japanese shrines. The airport is located a few miles north of San Jose.

Rota

Activities

All three islands have good hiking. On Saipan, the highlight is the Laderan Tangke Trail through the Marpi Commonwealth Forest. There's a fine trail along Kammer and Taga Beaches south of San Jose on Tinian. The views from the hills on either side of Songsong Village on Rota are short hikes.

Other ways to workout include windsurfing, popular off Micro Beach on Saipan; tennis; and a non-aerobic midget- submarine ride in the lagoon between Saipan and Managaha Islands, where you can see wrecks such as a Japanese freighter and an American B-29.

Factsheet

• Full country name: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
• Population: 58,900
• Capital: Garapan (Saipan) (pop 52,670)
• People: Filipino (34%), Chamorro (30%), Chinese (12%), Micronesian (8%), Carolinian (5%)
• Language: English (official), Chamorro, Carolinian, Japanese, Korean
• Religion: Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs
• Government: Commonwealth in political union with the USA
• Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines  
• Area: total area: 477 km² land area: 477 km² comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian  
• Land boundries: 0 km  
• Coastline: 1,482 km  
• Maritime Claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm  
• International disputes: none  
• Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October  
• Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is 471 m (Mt. Okso' Takpochao on Saipan)

• Natural resources: arable land, fish  
• Irrigated land: NA km²  
• Land use: arable land: 5% on Saipan permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%  
• Environment: current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan by raw sewage contributes to disease natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) international agreements: NA  

Note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean  

For more general information on the Northern Marianes, go to:

• Culture

• History

  • History 1 (untill 1940)

  • History 2 (WW2 begin)

  • History 3 (US invasion)

  • History 4 (atomic bomb)

  • History 5 (sinking USS Indianopolis)

  • History 6 (Survivors of USS Indianpolis)

  • History 7 (WW2 end & after)

• Nature

• Visitors Info

For more product information on the Northern Marianes, go to:

• Diving at Saipan
• Excursions in Micronesia
• Flights in Micronesia

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