Guam is considered the jewel of the Mariana Islands and beautiful tourist destination. It offers beautiful beaches and warm sunny weather. Don’t overlook this amazing destination in your travel .
Table of Contents
Where is Guam?
Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States in the North Pacific Ocean. The largest, most populous, and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. It lies about 5,800 miles (9,300 km) west of San Francisco and 1,600 miles east of Manila.
The island is sharply divided into a northern limestone plateau. It has a general elevation of about 500 feet and a higher area of volcanic hills to the south. The plateau is covered with a thick growth of jungle, while the volcanic hills support mainly sword grass. The hills rise to an elevation of more than 1,000 feet. Their lower slopes to the east (and also, in part, to the west) are covered with younger limestones, generally similar to those of the northern limestone plateau. The island rises to 1,332 feet at Mount Lamlam, in the southwest. To the southeast of Mount Lamlam is another major hill, Mount Bolanos.
Island Details
The island formed millions of years ago; when a pair of volcanoes sank beneath the ocean leaving only their twin peaks above sea level. The lava remains of the southern volcano eventually fused with the older northern crater. This crater’s limestone top formed underwater during a long period by an extensive coral polyp community.
Southern Guam
Southern Guam has volcanic hills, which rise to a maximum height of 1,334 feet above sea level. Measured from its base at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, Mount Lamlam is the highest mountain in the world. Rivers cut through this terrain and high waterfalls abound. The central and northern sections of the island consist of a limestone plateau; as high as 600 feet with steep cliffs dropping down to a narrow coastal shelf. The towering cliffs tunnel with caves formed by the relentless and pounding surf.
Apra Harbor is the region’s finest commercial port. It is also a favorite spot for divers and snorkelers. It is one of the few commercial ports in the world. Containing live reefs with an abundant population of colorful fish and other forms of marine life.
Tourism
The Port Authority of Guam, and the harbor, services more than 1,000 vessels in Apra Harbor. Presently, 12 steamship lines serve the abundance of cargo shipped through Guam’s port. The International Maritime Commission recognizes Guam as having one of the most efficient port operations in the world.
A majority of hotel, business, and residential centers are on the western side of the island; facing the tranquil Philippine Sea. A drive along the eastern coast boasts breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean thundering against the narrow coastal shelf.
Climate
As in most tropical islands in the western Pacific, the weather on Guam is warm. Throughout the year with less humidity from November through March. The mean annual temperature near sea level is about 81 F (27.2 C). With monthly means ranging from 80 F (26.7 C) in January; to a little over 82 F (27.8 C) in June. Rarely does the temperature exceed 90 F (32.2 C). During daytime hours or fall below 70 F (21.1 C) at night. The relative humidity commonly exceeds 84 percent at night throughout the year; but the average monthly humidity hovers near 66 percent.
Distinct Seasons
Guam climate has two distinct seasons. A dry season from January to May, and a rainy season from July to November; June and December are transitional months. The mean annual rainfall varies from about 80 inches in the central and coastal lowlands. It can get up to 110 inches on the uplands in southern Guam. A wide variation in rainfall can occur from year to year. In 1952, for example, a maximum of 145.5 inches fell. While the minimum rainfall recorded was 60.42 inches three years later.
The easterly trade winds, usually between 4 and 12 miles per hour (mph), are dominant throughout the year. Only occasionally do winds exceed 24 mph, except during major tropical storms or typhoons. Small-scale storms, or squalls, can occur at any time and with little notice. The likelihood of typhoons is greatest during July through September, but they can occur during any month of the year.
Cultural Facts
Sunny beaches and lots of culture fill Guam. We have highlighted some of the things we think you need to know about its culture.
Chamorro
If you are researching Guam as a travel destination, you have probably heard the word Chamorro.
The Chamorro people, or Chamoru people, are the indigenous peoples of the Mariana Islands. Which include the United States territory of Guam and the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Micronesia. The Chamorros are primarily Austronesian, but many also have European (Spanish) and East Asian ancestry. Today, significant Chamoru populations also exist in several U.S. states including Hawaii, California, Washington, Texas and Nevada.
Arrival at the Mariana Islands
The Chamorro commonly believe to have arrived in the Marianas Islands from Southeast Asia circa 2,000 BC. They are most closely related to other Austronesian-speaking natives in eastern Indonesia. Specifically in Maluku and Sulawesi, Taiwanese aborigines. As well as peoples of the Caroline Islands to the south. In particular the outer islands of the FSM state of Yap). On March 6, 1521 Ferdinand Magellan and his men crossed the Pacific Ocean encountered the first “indios”. Since leaving South America.
Later Spanish visitors named the inhabitants “Chamurres”, derived from a local term for the upper caste. This converted to “Chamorros,” an old Spanish term for “bald,” perhaps in reference to the local habit to shave. Over the centuries, the Mariana Islands have been occupied by several foreign countries (Spain, Germany, Japan, United States), and present-day Chamoru society is almost entirely multiethnic. Chamorro society was based on what sociologist Dr. Lawrence J. Cunningham termed the “matrilineal avuncular clan,” one characteristic of which is that the brother(s) of the female parent plays a more primary paternal role than biological male parent of a child. Of note, the term Chamorro describes people and not objects.
Chamorro Food
The native food of Guam is largely based on what early ancestors could gather, grow and hunt from the land, plus what they could catch and harvest from the ocean. The Tree of Life, the coconut, offered much in the way of copra, oil, coconut water and coconut milk, as did many other fruit and vegetables.
Fish and other seafood, and edible seaweed were bountiful, and later, colonial and occupational times allowed for more crops, better farming methods and a consistent harvest from Guam’s lush volcanic soils.
Following the end of World War II, Guam inundated with foods from the U.S. mainland, notably canned processed foods which islanders embraced for their flavor and ease of preparation.
Since then, Guam as the hub of the Pacific has also become a food capital, blending regional tastes, with dozens of cuisines to reflect the melting pot of its people.
Today, Guam is a leader in Pacific Rim cuisine and is at the forefront of the culinary revolution that embraced the world in the mid-90s. Its many talented cooks and chefs constantly push the standards of flavors and presentations, and it is easy to find a world-class meal on Guam.
Famous Chamorro Plates
This Guam dish looks deceptively simple but the flavours will excite your tastebuds.Inspired by Philippine cuisine with Latin American influences; chicken kelaguen contains a lemony and spicy sauce with fresh coconut. You can also get shrimp and fish versions. The lemon marinade has ceviche the seafood. Island-style tortillas called titiyas made with coconut flour accompany this dish.
Sunset BBQs in Guam come served with trays of bbq short ribs. The sticky sweet amber glaze with a beer, a Guam sunset and a little side salad equals the end to a perfect day in paradise. For the best ribs in Guam, you’ll find Chamorro Island BBQ restaurants dotted along the coast each serving mouthwatering ribs.
Often reserved for the luau of celebrations, hotnon babbui pork dish is indulgent, extravagant and can feed whole neighbourhoods. It takes hours of cooking. The whole pig spins on the spit; while it patiently bastes. When done, grab your finadenne dipping sauce for the perfect marriage of Chamorro flavours. We sometimes bring out our spit at the Crowne Plaza Resort Guam for beachside celebrations. Ask our concierge for the next time we’ll be serving this Guam speciality, hotnon babui.
Red rice is a staple dish in Chamorro cooking, you’ll see it at every buffet and Guam restaurant across the island. The key ingredient is achiote seeds or powder which gives the rice its golden red appearance. Achiote has a mild peppery flavour. However, it’s mainly for food colouring.
Desserts
Yummy and fluffy in texture, latiya is a vanilla custard spongecake; topped with cinnamon and sugar. It’s one of the most popular Chamorro desserts that’s a delicious fusion of a creme caramel and bread pudding.
Lenmai is breadfruit and it grows all of Guam— the climate is perfect for it. In Chamorro cooking, lenmai bakes in coconut milk. Sometimes it is fries with little sprinkle of sugar for sweetness. Gollai Appan Lenmai is a vegan dish that’s potato-like in texture.
Soft, warm, sweet and made with love from local bananas. Bunuelo aga are banana donuts; deep fried balls of goodness best dipped in maple syrup. Some variations are made with canned peaches; for extra yumminess and sweetness.
Tumon
As the center of Guam’s booming tourism industry, Tumon (a district of the municipality of Tamuning) is an ideal base for visitors looking for an unforgettable experience in paradise. The majority of the island’s hotels are located in Tumon Bay, as are myriad white-sand beaches, shopping centers, restaurants and entertainment opportunities. Excellent snorkeling, scuba diving and other water sports can be found just offshore in the crystal-clear Tumon Bay, and there’s a fair number of historical sites to explore as well. If you only have time to visit one place in Guam, Tumon’s got to be it.
Although Tumon is surrounded by modern amenities and comforts, the area has a rich history. WWII relics such as Japanese bunkers (at Tumon Beach) and guns (at Gun Beach) still sit in their original positions, with sunbathers mostly oblivious. For a reminder of the Spanish era, visit the Padre San Vitores Shrine, which marks the site where Chamorro Chief Matapang executed Padre San Vitores for baptizing his daughter without his permission in 1672. Stand underneath the Archibishop Felixberto Flores statue near Guam Premier Outlets and gaze up at the first archibishop of Guam. And you can’t leave Tumon without visiting Two Lovers Point, the clifftop lookout that is the site of Guam’s most famous legend.
Attractions and Entertainment
The main hotel strip is lined with restaurants featuring both international food and tasty Guamanian cuisine that combines Asian, Spanish and Pacific Island influences into a unique island fusion. Chamorro barbecue, red rice and chicken kelaguen are just a few of the delicious local dishes every visitor must try. Tumon is also Guam’s capital of retail. Many world-renowned fashion designers and beauty brands have boutiques here, in upscale shopping centers such as T-Galleria Guam, Tumon Sands Plaza, Micronesia Mall and The Plaza Shopping Center. For sweet discounts – and deals made sweeter by Guam’s tax-free shopping – don’t miss the annual Shop Guam Festival, which takes place every year from November to February.
Tumon’s prime attraction is its soft, white-sand beaches and brilliant aqua waters. Top spots for sunning and snorkeling include Gun Beach at the north end of the bay, and Ypao Beach, Tumon’s largest and oldest. Ypao is popular with families because it’s got open grassy fields, an amphitheater, barbecue pits and breezy pavilions. Book a fishing charter or scuba excursion to one of the many reefs, wrecks and caves that lie just a short distance from land or within Tumon Bay Marine Preserve. For a pure adrenaline rush, rent a jet ski or try your hand at parasailing.
Back on land there’s an endless range of activities, including water parks, the Cushing Zoo, zip lining, the tunnel aquarium, magic shows, dinner shows, amusement and thrill rides, dancing, karaoke and festivals. For a moment of serenity, take in views of Tumon Bay at Chinese Park, a monument to Confucius with gazebos and grazing bull statues.
Beaches
Asan Beach
Asan Beach has a very rich history. Guam was a Spanish Colony from 1668-1898. Then as a result of the Spanish-American War, the Treaty of Paris granted Guam a colony of the United States. Asan Beach had many uses prior to World War II. The beach area of Asan Beach Park is lined with coconut trees to provide shade from the tropical sun. In addition to the beach, there is a huge triangular park which can be used by the public for just about any activity.
The Asan Beach Unit contains many historic resources preserved from the war. There are numerous Japanese pillboxes located at Adelup Point. At Asan Beach, on the backside of the point two Japanese gun emplacements have been reinforced with metal beams. These gun emplacements housed 20 cm coastal guns, of which one gun base remains today. At the tip of the point is the Liberator’s Memorial. This structure was erected in 1994, to honor all US forces involved in the recapture of Guam.
The Liberator’s Memorial was dedicated by the National Association of Uniformed Services and the Third Marine Division Association, Guam Branch on the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Guam. Along the beach there are two Mabini monuments honoring the exiled Filipinos. Next is the Monument for the 3rd Marine Division erected on site by the Third Marine Division Association. The US Landing Monument is also along the beach and is dedicated to the men who fought here. The Asan Ridge contains numerous pillboxes, caves and tunnels.
Tanguisson
Covered picnic tables and BBQ pits are part of the park amenities at Tanguisson Beach. Entrance to the municipal power plant property is near the Two Lovers Point attraction. Uncultivated beach and rugged margin open up to a park setting with large shade trees and manicured grass for games and gatherings.
Venturing north through the terrine is worthwhile. A view of gigantic rock formations in the water is breathtaking at sunset and a great photo op at any time day or night. To reach the formations, follow the unpaved road that turns off the main entrance, 30 yards after entering the park. The lane ends at a massive cliff. The attractive geology is on the left at the end of this quarter-mile lane.
Location
Tanguisson Beach is located in th northern part of the island near In the municipality of Dededo, 11 km from the capital of Guam, Haganta city. It is prohibited by Guam Law to cross the territory of the beach, that’s why you have to go on foot for some kilometres through shadow jungles.
Tanguisson Beach is barren and tourists and local citizens visit this beach for snorkeling and unique photo near the rocks in the sea.
Next to the Tanguisson Beach there is there is an observation deck above the open-air, which offers magnificent views of the ocean.
Sharks Cove
Guam’s exclusive beaches are off the beaten path. Sharks Cove Beach is worth every minute of the half-mile hike to get there. Protective beach shoes are a necessity and snorkel equipment is recommended.
The entrance to Sharks Cove starts at the bottom of the hill at Tanguisson Beach Park, approximately 30 yards past the font gate. A lane leading to the right takes a visitor into an even more remote lane after another hard right. This gravel lane will travel parallel to the beach but ends abruptly at the water. The end of the road marks the beginning of the hike at the bottom of the cliff.
Hikers start out on foot turning north at the bottom of the cliff, passing the latte shaped rocks on the right. Roughly follow the water line in sometimes-dense brush about one-quarter of a mile. Just beyond this point is a pristine palm-lined, deep, white sand beach visited by very few tourists.
Inarajan Pools
For rugged beauty and photo appeal, Inarajan pools has the most intriguing geology. Natural bathing spots surround a public park on the main road that circumnavigates the island. Coral outcroppings resembling the lava flows of volcanic islands loom at 15 to 20 feet above the horizon, blocking the view of the reef beyond. On days with heavy seas this natural protection shields this beauty spot from wave action, allowing only ripples into the shallow pools resting in the shadows of the black rocks. Tropical fish and other creatures can be observed in their natural habitat. The calm water is a perfect place for the very young snorkeler to test out fins and goggles. Swimmers and divers are observed making use of a tall diving platform and other amenities including BBQ pits and covered seating.
Coco Palm Beach Resort
Coco Palm Garden Beach (website in Japanese only) is a private day resort offering kayaking, zip lining, beach volleyball, fishing, snorkeling, jungle tours, and hiking. The resort charges an admission fee for access to the beach and facilities, but you can order a drink and sit on the deck overlooking the ocean without paying for admission. After a drink or two, you may opt for the beachside massage to experience total relaxation.
Ritidian Beach
Guam’s northernmost beach is both remote and sprawling. Accessible from a rocky pitted road, Ritidian Beach is in the Guam National Wildlife Refuge and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It closes at 4 p.m. so you may want to start here and drive south. As you approach the beach, there is a free lookout area on the left side of the road. From there you can marvel at the steep cliff line and often tempestuous waves crashing on the white sand beach. On a clear day you can see the island of Rota to the north. Once you get to the beach, you can park under the tall shade trees and take shelter from the sun or rain, depending on the weather that hour.
