Any visit or stay on Saipan is never complete if you have not stepped foot on this small, flat coral islet that is one of Saipan’s main tourist attractions. Managaha Island, accessible by about 20 minutes by ferry from the Lower Base, is one site…
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Lazy afternoon on the Lazy River
AN afternoon floating lazily on the Lazy River at the Pacific Islands Club was something I always thought was a great thing to do if you’re a tourist. I had said no to many invitations until my very persistent buddy Tom refused to take no…
Read MoreExploring Saipan’s seldom-frequented roads
I THOUGHT I had been everywhere on Saipan until I discovered roads I didn’t even know existed. Recently, my buddy Pat and I decided to pay a visit to the radar tower in San Roque, a site I had visited and photographed several times before…
Read MoreThe Shadow at the Bell Marker
IT started with a red arrow on a rusty sign beside the path that proclaimed: “The Bell of Peace and Love…anyone who rings this bell will return to this special place someday again.” It was the red arrow pointing to a wooded area some 80…
Read More60-minutes of bliss at La Mer
TUCKED into a luxurious row of rooms on the second floor of Saipan World Resort is heaven on earth — La Mer Massage. Sathiyan Kalarkkal, who is in charge of the establishment, said La Mer has been open for several years now but not a…
Read MoreSaipan Zoo revisited
DRIVING aimlessly one Saturday afternoon, I ended up at a popular destination in As Mahetug, the Saipan Zoo, which I had not visited for the past couple of years. Except for a woman with a couple of kids, there were no other visitors at the…
Read MoreBonfires and moon reflections at Laolao Bay
FOR someone who has been on island for the past five years, I can’t help but sometimes feel bored and think that there’s nothing more to do to break my daily routine. I thought I have been there and done that already. But one…
Read MoreA Japanese gun among the bushes
I HAVE been visiting Ladder Beach on the northern part of Saipan for the past five years, so I was familiar with how the parking area could become bushy and “jungle-like.” On a recent visit, however, something presented itself that had previously remained unnoticed. Just…
Read More3 Christmas ‘giants’ in the islands
CAN you imagine Christmas without Christmas trees? Each year in December, Christmas trees with brilliant twinkling lights and other ornaments are installed in homes, parks, stores, schools and offices. On Saipan and Tinian, the three tallest Christmas trees can be found at the multi-purpose center…
Read MoreTrekking on Edge
A TREK to Naftan Point was not on my mind when I joined a group of six others on a late Saturday afternoon. We were in the parking lot of American Memorial parking lot flipping coins to decide where to go for a shooting adventure…
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