Many people have not heard of the island of Guam, part of the Micronesian Islands in the South Pacific. I lived there for about nine months right out of college back in 2013, performing at the Sandcastle Theatre. I had some truly amazing experiences on this island. If you get the chance to make it out there, I promise you will have a beautiful authentic island experience.
HAFA ADAI!
(The welcome and greeting of the island of Guam)
One of the first experiences I had, outside of rehearsing for the show, one of the girls from the cast took us to Two Lovers Point.
Legend has it a young girl of a prominent family on the island was to marry a Spanish captain. But she did not love him, she loved a local village boy. One night, while meeting at their rendezvous point, they were discovered and surrounded by Spanish soldiers. Their desire to be together was so strong that they tied their long hair together and jumped off the cliff.
Very similar to the Pont des Arts. On the walkway to the cliff there are hearts with names bound together with a lock.
You can purchase the heart and lock at the gift shop and lock in your love at Two Lovers Point.
This is also one of the best places to see the sunset over Tumon Bay.
On my first beach day in Guam, we went parasailing as a cast! We did the parasailing with Alupang Beach Club. It cost $75.00 a person. We had a lot of fun and the staff on the boat were great! There was another group on the boat with us that did the Banana Boat. I would say parasailing was the better of the two options. It is a little more chill and you get a great view of the island's beaches.
Another great adventure I did in my first few months was a hike to Tarzan Falls. Our friend, Nick, who grew up on the island was our guide. It was July, and with living on an island, there is always the possibility of a few rain clouds. But it will usually pass as quickly as the cloud appeared. The hike was quite muddy, so wear shoes you don't mind getting a little dirty.
There are small waterfalls before you get to the big Tarzan Falls.
Be mindful of where you step. One of the girls stepped right into a hole.
After working up an appetite, we drove over to Jeff's Pirate Cove. Jeff's is quite a happening place on the island. Throughout the year, festivals and bonfires will be hosted here. It is a fun place to grab food and hang out with friends.
There is some history to explore while you are here (throughout the island you will find historical landmarks). Located a few feet from the restaurant and gift shop is a bunker. In this bunker a Japanese soldier hid in for over 20 years, even after WW2 had ended, because he did not know. You can still go inside the bunker entrance.
If you want more history, Jeff's Pirate Cove has a museum of nautical items that have been collected over the years from the best treasure keeper, the sea.
One of my favorite adventures was visiting the Inarajan Pool. Designed and created by mother nature herself.
It is filled by the ocean, as the water crashes over the rocks into the pool. There is a tall cement pillar which you can climb up and jump off into the pool. I was confident until I got up there, then it seemed much higher. But as my friend said, I was already up there and she was recording, so jump I did!
Nearby are covered picnic tables if you want to bring lunch, but not far from the pool is the iconic trailer McDonald's that we just had to visit. While they do have McDonald's classics, there are some local options to try as well.
A cool fact about Guam, the entire island is encircled by a coral reef. Now this means easy access to viewing amazing sea life. It also means wearing water shoes is very helpful!
The first snorkel excursion I did was at Fish Eye. It is a very popular tourist destination. If you don't feel comfortable snorkeling, they do have the Sea Trek helmets that are filled with air by a hose. You can walk around and see marine life that way. Fish Eye is also the location of an underwater observatory if you want to see the fish but stay dry.
Not bad photos for being taken with a Kodak underwater camera that I bought on Amazon before moving out to Guam. (note this was back in 2013)
If you are snorkeling or doing the Sea Trek option, you will see quite a few barracudas. They are pretty harmless, and like most creatures in nature, they will leave you alone if you leave them alone. But it is very common for some tourists to feed them hotdogs (which you shouldn't). So be mindful of pointing at objects with your finger because they might believe it is a hotdog.
The other snorkel excursion I did via boat. A good friend took us out on his boat to a beautiful reef. This is where I saw my first ever sea turtle! I tried to capture the moment, but the turtle swam quite fast.
Snorkeling on the island of Guam is great, but scuba diving is even better! Guam is one of the cheapest places in the world to get your open water scuba diving certification. My entire training, videos, booklet, and private lessons only cost me $169. And you are doing all your training and skills in the ocean. Tish was our dive master. We would do a few skills and then go exploring. If you ever get the chance to get your license to scuba dive, DO IT!
One of my favorite scuba dive adventures was out at Barracuda Rock. Our friend Pete took us out there by boat.
Some other dives that I didn't get to do because of the weather but that I recommend are Gab Gab, which is on the Naval Base. There is also a dive you can do where you can touch a sunken WW1 and WW2 ship at the same time!
On the way back from out dive at Barracuda Rock, we saw this cave on the side of the rocky cliff edge. A rope was hanging from what seemed like the ceiling of the cave. We jumped off the boat and swam over to get a closer look. The current gets stronger as you get to the cave, so be careful. Finally, we climbed up to what seemed like the jumping-off point. There was some wreckage, but it was unclear what it was. Now if you wanted to use the rope to swing into the mighty blue ocean, you might need some assistance. When the rope is hanging straight down, it is not close enough for you to reach it. So you will need someone down below to swing it your way or be ready to catch it after the person finishes their George of the Jungle moment. It was slightly scary but so invigorating!
We learned later that this cave is called Tarzan Cave and is near the Naval Base towards the south end of the island.
I have lived and worked in tropical climates all of my adult life. What I love about the beaches in Guam, is you can easily find secluded ones. One day we went to Tanguisson Beach. The small sandy road we took had lots of potholes, but it led us to a treasure.
The entire day, we only saw two other people with their dogs.
If you want a beach with a bit more happening, we always went to Gun Beach. The Beach Bar, owned by the same company that owned the theatre I performed at, is located at Gun Beach. The bar has great drinks and tons of food options.
As I mentioned before, a coral reef surrounds the island. The reef is quite close to Gun Beach. One time I just walked out a little ways from the beach with my snorkeling equipment and saw tons of colorful fish, starfish, and a green sea turtle. It is also helpful to have water shoes with you. Your feet will thank me later.
Fujita Beach is another one we went to often. It is busier than a hidden beach in Tanguisson, but it is very chill.
Now, this next adventure is a fun way to experience and learn a little about the Chamorro people, the native islanders of Guam. There is the Chamorro Village, and on Wednesday nights they have a big party. There are extra vendors and live music and dancing. There are permanent shops open daily, but to experience the joy of the culture and people check out Wednesday nights.
Here are some of my favorite places I loved to eat while living in Guam.
Pika's Cafe was right down the street from where we lived in Tumon. They get as much as they can from local farms (living on an island lots of stuff is imported). It's always fresh, delicious, and flavorful. By the way, pika means spicy in the Chamorro language.
I might be a bit biased, but one of the dear friends I made in Guam has her own restaurant called Mosa's Joint. When I started visiting her restaurant, they had moved from the food truck to their quaint space in Tamuning. Mosa's has moved to a bigger location in Hagatna. Her food is amazing, with such a range from chicken fried steak to saganaki to octopus keleguin! Her menu is fresh and new. But the people are what really make the restaurant feel so homey.
Infusion Coffee and Tea was very close to where I lived so I frequented it often. They have some refreshing and unique teas paired with paninis and crepes. It is a more casual vibe, and they have free wifi.
Many tourists in Guam are from Japan, and they like their coffee very sweet, mainly milk and creamer. So when you are ordering coffee from anywhere, keep that in mind.
One of the first places I ate out at was Tu Re Cafe. My dance captain took me there after our first rehearsal. They have a stunning unobstructed view of the water. I only ever went for breakfast and lunch. They have great light food options with nods to the local cuisine. They have Illy brand coffee for making the caffeinated beverages you familiar with.
It is always great to experience the local food wherever you go. Because of Guam's location to Japan and the Philippines, there are influences from those cultures reflected in the restaurants and cuisines. I never had any sort of ramen until I moved to Guam. I had only heard of the type from the packet. My friend took me to a ramen restaurant, and my perception completely changed! Real ramen will satisfy your taste buds with a hearty broth filled with noodles, savory protein, and vegies.
Sometimes you just got to have a burger. Meskla Dos is you burger haven! These burgers are epic! They have everything from a classic burger to a "French Toast Slammer Burger." They also have other sandwiches like grilled cheese and tuna melt.
If you are looking for a classy atmosphere and place to dine, check out Proa. We went there a few times for a Christmas cast party and another cast outing. It is one of the few restaurants in Guam where you might want to dress up a little and not look like you just swam out of the ocean. Their Taro Cheesecake is to die for!
So let's talk about taro for a second. If you haven't heard of taro or had it yet...I am about to blow your mind. It is a purple sweet potato, but when used in desserts and boba teas it tastes like cookies n cream. Well it tastes like to me, but it is the perfect amount of sweetness and delicious! You will find this flavor option at many places since it's a common food used in Southeast Asian cuisine.
Hidden away in the south part of the island, near the Inarajan Pool, is a little piece of Germany. Mckraut's Bar and Restaurant serves up authentic German food and imported authentic German beer. You will see beers you have never heard of before. The bottles can be quite large, and the alcohol content is up there as well. I believe the beer I had was around 8%. They have German beers on top as well. The owner is so sweet and friendly, and he is from Germany.
Pale San Vitores Road is like the Vegas strip in Guam. All the luxury shopping, clubs, bars, and tons of restaurants are off this one road.
A super fun thing to do, is attend a bougie Sunday brunch at any of the hotels off this road. The spreads are incredible, and most of them are a flat rate buffet style. I mean buffet style with towers of crab legs and bottomless mimosas! We usually would plan to hang out a bit by the pool and enjoy the property since we were already there. Of our brunches, the one at the Westin Hotel and the one at the Hilton Hotel were my favorite.
Sandcastle Theatre was where I performed and is located off Pale San Vitores. It is a dinner theatre with a Vegas-style show.
One of our favorite bars we visited was called Old Traditions, and is owned by our friend Regina. It is truly a local bar gem in this touristy part of town. There is a stage for live music, giant Jenga, and pool tables. The owner, Regina, has a great relationship with the German beer distributor and has an incredible selection of German beers. Also, her Bloody Marys are legendary!
Wednesday was our day off from the theatre. Somehow most Wednesdays we ended up at Porky's, which also happened to be their karaoke night. It isn't the classiest of places, but the crowd is always lively, and we always had a laugh and a good time.
If you are in need of some rest and relaxation or just got a kink in some muscles from all the adventures, I suggest Tokyo Sakura Spa. This is where we went, as dancers, for all our aches and tight muscles. They have a range of services, from traditional Thai massage to just a foot massage. I will say this, I have fallen asleep a time or two, while getting one of the legendary foot massages.
Many of the Micronesian Islands have relics and landmarks from both World Wars. Missiles, tanks, and large machine guns to be found all over the island. The reason it is called Gun Beach is because over by the wall of rock are leftover cannons. At Asan Invasion Beach there are displayed submarine torpedoes. I remember sitting on one as we watched a celestial phenomenon occur.
Here are some things to keep in mind when exploring Guam. Around the popular tourist area of Tumon and Tamuning, there is wifi available. Wifi is available on the trolley that goes up and down Pale San Vitores. Otherwise, your phone is a glorified camera.
Guam is a territory of the United States, so for currency, the dollar will work just fine.
Pay-Less is not a shoe store, but the name of the grocery store chain here in Guam. There is a KMart on the island if you need to grab any necessity items or basic beach supplies. Fun fact, KMart is a tourist stop on the trolley tour. I have seen people taking photos inside the KMart. A Little Caesars Pizza is in there, as well.
When getting directions from a local, they will say "turn right by the twisted palm tree" or "follow the road until you see the latte stone." The directions totally work, but they are a bit different than Siri telling you to turn right in 500 feet.
Majority of the time, Guam's weather is very consistent. For weeks on end it is about 80 degrees and sunny, but during the wet season, which is from July to December, there is a possibility of tropical storms and typhoons. I found my rain boots to be of great use during this time. Even when there was a storm, we made the best of it. We would go to Beach Bar and watch the stormy waves crash in at Beach Bar or, when our power was out at our place, dance our cares away at one of the hotel bars.
Some adventures I didn't get to, but I hope you do:
Pagat Caves
Talofofo Falls
Ritidian Point
Moving to Guam was my first big adventure. I met amazing people who opened eyes and showed me how beautiful and exhilarating this small rock on the Mariana Trench could be. Forever Guam and its people will always hold a special place in my heart.
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