Experiences in Guam
Tour the living past, experience our culture and traditions, dive into adventure and so much more!
TEN WAYS TO DISCOVER AND EXPERIENCE GUAM
1. Submerge yourself in history
Explore the cultural village at Gef Pa’go located in Inarajan and experience how life was like in the early days of the island. At the Valley of the Latte in Talofofo reenactments make the past come alive while ancient customs and traditions are open for discovery.
2. Tour the living past
Guam’s many historical landmarks include churches, forts, historical trails and ancient archaeological sites that immerse the visitor in history and bring our guests into contact with landmarks that are hundreds, and in some cases thousands of years old.
3. Dive into adventure
The clear and pristine waters that surround Guam are world-class places for diving and snorkeling with some of the most unique and diverse sites available anywhere. Exotic and breathtaking locations are coupled with hundreds of species of aquatic life to deliver an unforgettable dive or snorkeling experience.
4. Drive onto the fairway
With seven courses designed by some of the game’s greats, the golfing experience on Guam is one of a kind with our greens winding through the hills against the backdrop of lush jungle foliage and foaming surf crashing against the reefs.
5. Share in our traditions and culture
The friendly and welcoming people of Guam love to celebrate, and nowhere is that more visible than during our village fiestas (or gatherings) and at Chamorro Village in Hagåtña every Wednesday night, with both events featuring great food, live music and a vibrant display of local culture.
6. Shop for luxuries & gifts duty-free
Guam has some of the worlds most luxurious and famous designers with boutiques located in Tumon. We have three large malls, many smaller stores and even night markets where local arts and crafts can be found. What makes this wide selection of shopping opportunities even better is that all retail purchases on Guam are tax-free!
7. Explore the nightlife
At night the bars, clubs and lounges of Guam come alive and pulsate with energy. Local DJs, bands and jazz combos cover all ranges of music for the guests behind our action-packed bars, modern dance floors and supple lounges.
8. Find a unique item made only on Guam
Purchasing products made on Guam presents opportunities to own unique, handcrafted items made with skill and dedication by local artisans. Owning original art and handicrafts, exquisite jewelry and masterful woodwork are excellent ways to preserve your memories of Guam.
9. Relax under the sun or in the spa
Whether it is on the shores of our scenic beaches, the deck of our fantastic pools or water parks or under the hands of an expert masseuse, Guam has a way of getting our guests to relax.
10. Enjoy the unique island cuisine
Guam is an island that has everything to offer the culinary adventurous. Although having a diverse array of food from around the world at our shops and restaurants, Guam is especially known for its unique island cuisine combining Asian, Spanish and Pacific Island influences into a fusion only found on Guam.
Baysuntau
On the south-western spur of the Gissar range, in the Surkhandarya region, there is the world-famous Baysuntau range, which attracts adventurers with its huge caves, deep canyons and Alpine meadows. By the way, the huge fossilized dinosaur tracks were found here and the notorious Teshik-Tash cave, where the burial of a Neanderthal girl was discovered in the last century, is located there.
After crossing the hot steppes of Baysuntau, you find yourself in the fantastic, magical settlements, the names of which are so full of magic: Kafirun, Derbend, Padang, Rabat. Walnut groves are replaced by juniper forests, alpine meadows delight the eye with their bright green, spreading like a carpet on the slopes. The crystal water of the rivers breathes life into all living things around.
The locals cultivate the land in the old way – drawn by horses and plows. Here the houses are decorated with handmade carpets, bright suzanas, and local clothes and shoes with a variety of embroidered ornaments. Almost all houses have a tandoor – an oven, where bread is baked. Everything in this region is done manually. Blacksmiths masters of Surkhandarya are famed for their skills.
Guam Nightlife
Guam abounds with nightlife, suitable for all ages. Family fun could include the Chamorro Village Wednesday Night Market, which offers food and the chance to bring locally made products home. Take a stroll through Tumon and visit one of the many welcoming displays found especially during the holiday season.
If it’s bars and clubs, Tumon is the place to be, offering live music, lounge singers and DJs as well as a host of places to dance. Check out the local newspapers to find out if any visiting bands will be performing. There are also a few web sites dedicated to keeping people informed about who’s doing what and where.
Shopping in Guam
Guam is deservedly known as an island with a rich history, a place of vibrant culture and an exciting playground for adventure. For those who love exploring both the memories of the past and the possibilities of the present, Guam will not keep you wanting. At the same time, however, Guam also has an eye concentrated towards tomorrow and a committed dedication to living in the mood of the next moment.
Perhaps no industry on Guam exemplifies this mood more expressively and completely than our robust shopping and high end retail scene, where international fashion houses, world renowned brands, friendly retail staff and exciting tax free deals await, especially during holiday season at year’s end.
Tumon is undeniably the center of Guam’s fashion and shopping universe, with a numerous collection of boutiques within several stores including The DFS Guam Galleria, The Plaza along The Pleasure Island strip and the Tumon Sands Plaza. A brief walk or trolley ride along Pale San Vitores Road offers access to a world of style within the span of just a few blocks. Here luxury, elegance and fashion forward trends come together in air conditioned harmony, and the tune is always a sweet one.
Beyond Tumon, Guam has more shopping in store with three large malls: The Agana Shopping Center in Hagåtña, Guam Premier Outlets in Tamuning, and Micronesia Mall in Dededo. Each of these malls has a distinct flavor, and a different shopping experience is waiting within each. With an amazing amount of retail space to satisfy even the choosiest visitor to our shores, whatever one is looking for, it’s a good bet they will find it on Guam.
Furthermore, Guam has an ace in hand that makes it an irresistible winner with international shoppers: shopping on Guam is duty free. Tax free shopping just makes the game more exciting.
World War II Sites
Guam is home to more than a dozen World War II sites. Each offers a unique perspective on the war. Many are accessible only on foot via hiking trails, so make sure you are prepared with suitable clothing, footwear, sunscreen, and water. And of course, a camera can be one of the best ways to capture history, allowing you to share this special part of your vacation for years to come.
Historical Background
Although Guam is now an island territory of the United States with a significant military presence, it has not always been an American stronghold. During World War II, its location about 900 miles north of the equator in the Western Pacific made Guam immeasurably valuable to both the Axis and Allied Powers. Guam played a pivotal role in the war and remains a great place to explore history firsthand.
The island has been a possession of the United States since 1898, except for a brief period beginning when the Japanese seized control in December 1941. In July 1944, U.S. Marines landed on both sides of Guam, and by early August their counterattacks had taken a serious toll on Japanese troops, solidifying the U.S. forces’ trek to victory.
Overview of Diverse Sites
History buffs and novices alike could spend days or even weeks delving into Guam’s past as a crucial battleground in World War II.
Dive to explore underwater shipwrecks, or walk a grassy hillside to discover intact weapons shelters. Visit solemn memorials to Japanese and U.S. soldiers. Pay your respects at the sites of the Tinta and Faha massacre that claimed the lives of nearly 50 Chamorro men and women. Guam is also home to the only National Park Service facility dedicated to the Pacific Theater of World War II.
Please be aware, there are two facilities (Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Station Historic Sites) that can only be toured with valid military identification or through a sponsor.
WWII Liberators
If you’re in Guam in the month of July, you’ll have a chance to see how the island celebrates the end of the Japanese occupation, which lasted from 1941 until 1944.
July 21 is Liberation Day, but the whole month is marked with parades, fireworks, and other commemorative events. Guam crowns a Liberation Queen, and families and friends get together to enjoy festive spectacles around the island and to share in the spirit of remembrance.
On December 8, 1941, almost simultaneous with the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese bombers launched a series of air raids on Guam. Guam’s small forces were outmatched, and the island was surrendered to the Japanese after two days.
The occupation was marked by close controls on access to media, transportation, and food. Suspected supporters of an underground insurgency were subject to persecution including torture.
In early 1944, the threat of an American invasion loomed and thousands of Chamorros were marched to concentration camps in the central and southern jungles of the island.
The Americans retook Guam beginning with the landing of 55,000 troops on the island’s beaches on July 21, followed by a three-week march to Ritidian Point in the north. Nearly 25,000 American and Japanese troops lost their lives in the fighting.
Historical Sites
SOUTH PACIFIC MEMORIAL PEACE PARK
This now-peaceful park was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the closing days of World War II. This was the site of the last Japanese garrison under the command of General Obata. In a desperate fight with American forces in 1944, General Obata was killed trying to maintain control of Guam. The park was set aside in memory of the more than half million Japanese soldiers as well as American soldiers and local people who lost their lives in the Pacific War between 1941 and 1945. It symbolizes the determination of the two nations to promote friendship and seek world peace. A 15 meter-high tower is a representation of hands praying for eternal peace.
MOUNT SANTA ROSA
This extinct volcano is surrounded by an elevated coral formation. From this site there are spectacular views of the northern plateau, dense limestone forests and Andersen Air Force Base. On a clear day, you can see the island of Rota to the north.
National Parks
Pago Bay This is the largest bay on the central windward side of the island, and one of Guam’s most beautiful. A Spanish settlement near the mouth of the Pago River was wiped out by a small-pox epidemic in 1856. At the far end of the bay is the University of Guam’s Marine Biology Laboratory, known internationally for its research.
Libugon Overlook Situated above the village of Maina, this site offers an excellent view of central and northern Guam. A penal and leper colony was located here in Spanish times.
Apra Harbor Overlook A drive up Nimitz Hill offers a view of Guam’s natural harbor, considered one of the best in the Pacific.
Asan Overlook Asan Overlook has been chosen as the site of the new War in the Pacific National Historical Park visitor center and museum, which will be located there in the next few years. This new site is dedicated to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Guam’s liberation.
WAR IN THE PACIFIC NATIONAL PARK
The National Park Service overseas all Guam’s War in the Pacific National Parks and operates from out of the T. Stell Newman Visitors Center in Piti, just outside the main gate to Naval Station. Inside the Visitor Center is a museum with interactive displays and a gift shop run by the Arizona Memorial Foundation.
The six historical parks are:
Asan Beach – with gun encasements, caves and pill boxes, plus 445 water acres of reefs and relics.
Asan – heavy vegetation all around the village conceals caves, pillboxes, a bridge, foxholes and a 75mm mountain gun.
Piti – covered in lush growth, the hillside has three Japanese coastal defense guns in good condition.
Mount Chacho/Mount Tenjo-a pre-World War II American gun encasement is one of several important relics found in this remote, hilly area. Hikers in this area also are rewarded with beautiful views.
Mount Alifan – 13 caves and tunnels, bomb and shell craters are among the more than 30 sites along the winding trails.
Agat – this area is predominately under water with sunken relics and unspoiled reefs.
SIGUA FALLS
Hikers will need a guide to lead them through the thick jun- gle atop Nimitz Hill. A steep climb down a ledge ends with an impressive 100-foot drop into a rocky pool. This sanctuary is a sample of Guam’s beauty in the wild.
TARZAN FALLS
This is a favorite destination for “boonie stompers,” Guam’s special name for hikers who venture off the beaten track. The falls are a series of drops from eight to 50 feet in height. At the base of the falls is a deep pool perfect for swimming. One of the other attractions of Tarzan Falls is the fresh- water shrimp that can be found in pools along this branch of the Ylig River.
WAR DOG CEMETERY
Located at Naval Station. Those interested in visiting the Cemetery must call Naval Station Pass & ID Office at 339-6217, 7:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Instructions will be given to address a letter to the Commanding Officer stating purpose of your entry on base.
