A Guam Thanksgiving
I’m guessing that most people from the U.S. who have vacationed in Guam were drawn there by military friends and family. That’s why I went. But now that I’ve been, I know a lot of reasons to visit Guam – the beautiful beaches, hiking, diving, the tropical sun and flowers. World War II history. Asian, Australian and Russian tourists come to enjoy the natural beauty and the entertainments of Guam USA. You can, too.
I went to Guam for a special Thanksgiving with friends. It was a hot day, a view of the Pacific over the palms and chicken adobo for the main course. A refreshing change from chilly weather with turkey and gravy! I enjoyed my Thanksgiving, and my friends devoted the rest of the holiday to making sure that I saw the island’s main attractions – the beautiful, the historical, the interesting and the weird.
The beautiful – beaches and a mountain
I experienced several beaches, and found that whatever you want in a beach, there’s one for you in Guam – scenic beauty, family-friendly, resort beach, hidden beach. These are my favorites, although it’s hard to choose.
Haputo Beach. I couldn’t have found this beach on my own. It’s on Haputo Ecological Preserve (on U.S. Navy property) at the north end of Guam. We drove a steep road down into the trees where we bounced through wheel-swallowing potholes full of water and frogs. Then we walked a jungly, slippery path to the shore. But – wow – white sand, protective cliffs, jungle growing right up to the beach, clouds of black butterflies, red hermit crabs, rusted detritus from a shipwreck – I was in love. Could I ever love another beach?
Haputo Beach
Asan Beach. This pretty beach along Highway 1 is easy to get to and has good parking. As an extra treat, they say it’s easy to find dark blue starfish here. Kids can find them pretty fast, but it took me a long time, and I’m not sure the one I found was alive. I didn’t nudge it or try to pick it up. Still, I have its picture and even if it was dead, it still looked good. Asan beach is part of the War in the Pacific National Park.
Tarague Beach. I’m so fickle. I loved this beach too. More white sand and cliffs, but with rocks and rock pools that I don’t remember from Haputo. Tarague is on Andersen Air Force Base. You’ll need a base pass to visit.
Gab Gab Beach. Another pretty beach on a base, this time Naval Base Guam. As with Tarague, you’ll need a base pass. It’s a good family beach, with easy swimming, a three-sided ocean pool and lots of sea life. The day we went to Gab Gab wasn’t pretty though –it was cloudy and then rained. And unhappily, I left my dry clothes at home, so rode back damp, wrapped in towels. It seemed like a long drive, especially with the stop for groceries. I didn’t fall in love again, but give Gab Gab a visit on a nice day and you might. And don’t forget something to change into.
Mountain climbing, sort of
Mt. LamLam (Lightning) is the highest point on the island. If you consider that its base is in the Marianas Trench 6.8 miles below sea level, it’s the highest gain in elevation on the planet. We decided to climb it. Local people carry crosses up the mountain on Good Friday and flatten the tough six-foot-high grass, which makes it a good time to climb, but nothing like that happens at American Thanksgiving. For the most part we could see a path, although it was steep and rocky in places. And then there was the sword-like grass that was taller than I am. Add on clouds of insects each time we passed under clumps of dwarf trees. We hadn’t really prepared and only got part way up. I was a little embarrassed when a man carrying his son on his shoulders came trotting down from the top. That’s when you then you say, “We should have kept going.” But I’m not ashamed of getting part of the way there, and when we turned to go back, our view was of steep hillsides, tropical greens and the Philippine Sea beyond. Nice.
Later on I read that the ridge of the Good Friday crosses is not on Mt. LamLam but on Mt. Jumullong Manglo. You’re on the way to Mt. LamLam, though. I also read on a climbing site that the Mt. LamLam summit is a windy pinnacle that’ll accommodate one person at a time. That person won’t be me.
The history – Guam and WWII – War in the Pacific
Guam and the surrounding waters were WWII battlefields. Even without trying you’ll see some of Guam’s many WWII sites. For more, you can plan your own tour, or book a guided tour. The War in the Pacific National Historical Park includes former battlefields, gun emplacements, trenches, and historic structures. There is also a small partially open-air Pacific War Museum with vehicles, artifacts and displays. An enthusiastic guide tells visitors that all the museum’s WWII trucks run – stopping is the problem. Wonder how many times a day he says that? The museum has a tidy, homespun quality that made it seem especially poignant.
Sergeant Yokoi’s cave – or a replica – is in Talofofo Falls Park. Shoichi Yokoi (1915-1997) was stationed on Guam during the Japanese Occupation. After the U.S. re-took Guam, he hid in the jungle for almost 28 years. Sergeant Yokoi was found in 1972.
The interesting – life and culture
Guam Museum’s mission includes promoting appreciation of Guam’s culture and natural heritage. The Latte of Freedom is part of the complex. A real latte is a pillar capped by a stone, used as a building support by the Chamorro people. The Latte of Freedom is a very large latte-shaped viewing tower, overly-concrete for me, but the views of Asan and Agana bays are beautiful.
The Chamorro are the indigenous people of Guam. Visit Inarajan and Gef Pa’go Cultural Village to learn more about the Chamorro culture and traditional way of life. I did the rope making activity and felt that I was very good at it. I bought a headband in the small gift shop at Gef Pa’go (I more or less had to buy something), and a woman from Gef Pa’go gave me a tour of the 1901 Leon Guerrero House, where the famous village commissioner and his many children lived.
Ride a carabao. The carabao is a local water buffalo. Can you go to the Middle East and not ride a camel? So you must ride a carabao. The easiest way is to ride a placid animal around the parking lot at the Chamorro Village Night Market. That’s what I did. There are also carabao rides at Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, an early 19th century Spanish fortification above Umatac Bay. If the animal’s owner is around you might get a carabao ride. Otherwise, you’ll probably find the carabao asleep.
Umatac Bay. Even if you don’t ride the carabao, go to Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad for the beautiful views of Fouha Bay and the ocean, and because the locals say that Umatac Bay is where in 1521 Magellan made his first landfall after sailing half way around the world. Down on the shore there’s a whitewashed obelisk marking the spot.
The Weird – Talofofo Falls Park
Speaking of Sergeant Yokoi (in History), his replica cave is in the weird, the surreal, Talofofo Falls Park. The Park’s reviews vary from “love it” to “horrible.” That about sums it up. It’s expensive without a military discount. But if you’re interested in Sergeant Yokoi’s 28 years in the jungle, it’s worth the trip. There’s a waterfall, too. You’ll probably be driving by there anyway going to Jeff’s Pirate Cove (see Eating and Shopping in Guam).
So what’s weird? The cheesy adults-only “Love Land” right by the parking lot for one. I can only imagine. And the feral pigs that sauntered across the parking lot. I figured they were only fooling me with that lazy walk and were ready to charge in a second. The cable car to the waterfall needed an upgrade. There was a warning sign in the car not to change seats (why?) and dump outside please (what?). There was also a tourist “train” made from a hodge-podge of odd parts and plastic chairs and powered by a Honda 240 engine. To top it off, the waterfall’s plunge pool looked dirty. Maybe it was just muddy.
So why am I glad I went? I was curious about Sergeant Yokoi. I remember when he was found. And it’s a true local experience – people will ask if you’ve been. And if not here, where?
Sly feral pig at Talofofo Park
Eating and shopping in Guam
Guam has plenty of restaurants with all levels of stars. Reviews online are equally plentiful. I can only speak to the basics, not the high end. Even so I had lots of tasty and fun meals, like good seafood, burgers and Asian fusion takeaway. Here are some of my stops.
Jeff’s Pirate Cove. Some reviews call Jeff’s a tourist “magnet” (a nice way of saying “trap”) but it’s fun, there are plenty of good reviews, and it has a view of – a cove. Your burger bun comes branded with skull and crossbones. We went my first day and it was a cute introduction to Guam. Jeff’s Pirate Cove is in Talofofo. You need a car to get there. Go to say you’ve been, and take a picture of your burger. Then you, too, can put it on TripAdvisor or Facebook as many (not me) have done.
Mescla Dos. This is the place to go for a really good burger and it’s across the road from the world’s largest Kmart, so there’s something to do after you’ve eaten. There’s a lot more than burgers at Mescla Dos, so check the menu online before you go. Make sure to include some of the tasty, crunchy fries.
Island Girl Coffee ‘n Quenchers
Island Girl Coffee ‘n Quenchers. Even in the tropics, lots of us need our hot coffee. Island Girl also has cold drinks. I’m told it has the best coffee drinks on the island & is locally owned.
Chamorro Village Night Market. I love night markets. Chamorro Village in Hagatna is an open air shopping center selling arts, crafts, souvenirs, local produce and the like. Wednesdays there’s a night market. The shops are open late and there are food vendors doing a lot of grilling. Use your usual precautions for eating at outdoor events. We ate good barbecue at communal tables in a wide-open building where the band played a mix that included Christmas songs (I have video of an off-key Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer). People danced – alone if there wasn’t a handy partner. If you photograph some of the more interesting talent, you might be asked to pay.
Crown Bakery – for pan de leche. Have some of this Filipino sweet milk bread, which reaches a state of high art on Guam. If you can’t find Crown Bakery, check online for other bakeries.
Roy’s Lounge, Hilton Guam. We had a girls’ happy hour at Roy’s lounge, where I sat by a decorated Christmas tree and enjoyed listening to the lounge’s elegant Korean singer. The music, wine and appetizers were good, as was the relaxed ambiance. And the Christmas lights.
The night market
More Shopping
You might wonder why Rolex, Gucci, Hermès, and other luxury stores line one whole block and then the same stores line the next block, too. I sure wondered why. But I didn’t go to Guam to buy a Rolex. I went to JP Superstore instead. JP has all the mainstream brands and a huge array of real Guam products and Guam-branded products made elsewhere. I bought a few souvenirs including some Red Mama hot pepper sauce that has a 6 out of 7 pepper rating. It’s best not to open the jar and inhale.
The Micronesia Mall calls itself “Guam’s Largest American Style Shopping Center.” It has most of the usual U.S. mall stores and food court vendors but with that Guam “je ne sais pas,” like signs that say “No Betel Nut Chewing.” I bought some very skinny, flame-orange jeans there. Why? Because it’s Guam, I guess. I also bought a few practical things, like a carry-all bag that reads Håfa Adai (Hello, pronounced sort of like “half-a-day”) and is sprinkled with names of all the sights on Guam.
Santa goes local
Getting There
I took United all the way, from Charlotte, NC through Chicago to Tokyo-Narita and then to Guam. My friends said it was easier than going via Hawaii. I did find it easy, but choose whatever works best for you.
The Chicago flight was delayed and several of us missed connections in Tokyo. When we arrived at Narita, three or four handsome, uniformed young people were waiting with new itineraries and boarding passes for the missed-connection crowd. That was easy, and unless I wanted to kayak to Guam, there was nothing else to do but wait. So I found a comfortable place and chilled.
I got to Guam about 2AM. Won Pat airport was hopping, though, and my friends say that flights often arrive in the middle of the night. Waiting for my new, once-pristine tangerine-colored suitcase to come down the luggage chute, I met a woman who had boarded with me in Charlotte. I was surprised but then there are plenty of military passengers boarding in NC, so why not?
What about a car?
Having friends who drove me around to all the sights was important. If there is no one to drive you, car rentals are available. Before you head out, ask and be sure to know where you’re going. Yes, you can circle the island, but there are twists and turns (so getting lost is possible), and some sights are not obvious from the highway. For all its beauty, you can also wind up in places that seem like a V.S. Naipal novel about an unhappy person, and some city areas that might not be safe. Know before you go.
If you stay in a resort and don’t want to rent a car, investigate the numerous local tours and activity groups.
A Few Guam Facts
First sunrise: The slogan on my “I ♥ Guam” T-shirt is “Where America’s Day Begins.” Guam is a U.S. Territory and with it being just across the International Date Line, the sun rises there first on each American day. The New Year arrives 15 hours before the ball drops in Times Square. Celebrate with Guam and you don’t have to sit up late.
Geography: Guam is 214 square miles, with the Pacific on the east and Philippine Sea on the west. Mount LamLam is the highest point on the island, 1,332 feet unless you count from its base in the Marianas Trench which makes it 37,820 feet. Guam is the largest island in the Marianas. The Chamorro are the indigenous people of Guam.
History: Guam was a Spanish colony for over 200 years, from 1668-1898. Guam was granted to the U.S. at the end of the Spanish-American War. During WWII, the Japanese occupied the island from 1941 until the U.S. retook Guam in the 1944 Battle of Guam.
