Category: Travel Articles
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 for an answer. – We skipped lunch but munched on…
Exploring 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 so we decided to make this trip different. Bordering the…
The 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 meters ahead that kept me going despite the knot of…
60-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 lot of residents know about it. One afternoon a couple…
Saipan Zoo revisited
Bonfires 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 dreary Sunday evening, a text message from my friend Donna…
A 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 before you make the left turn toward the Ladder Beach…
3 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 in Susupe, at the Paseo De Marianas in Garapan and…
Trekking 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 when I remembered the Rabbit Hole in Naftan. I had…
