Taste of the Forbidden Island

The name Forbidden Island alone is more than enough to trigger anyone’s curiosity, just like anything else that is forbidden. I became intrigued by the place even before I set foot on Saipan 14 months ago, but I have yet to find the origin of why this beautiful island located at the end of the southeastern part of Kagman village is named so.

Awe struck me the first time I stepped on the lookout of Forbidden Island during a search and rescue drill with the Department of Public Safety last year.
For individuals who suffer from acrophobia or fear of heights, standing at the edge of the lookout while viewing the Forbidden Island way down is a stomach-wrenching ordeal.
But for the adventurous, the exhilaration you get even as you are driving on the rough road amid thick foliage and finally as you gaze at the endless stretch of ocean extending from Tank Beach on the north side the Laolao Bay Golf Resort on the south side is boundless.
The designation of the Forbidden Island as a sanctuary for the conservation of wildlife in April 2001 through Public Law 12-46 helps maintain and conserve the beauty of the place.
I have been at the lookout site of the Forbidden Island twice but alas, those two times were just a taste of what the place has to offer. It is just like licking your lips from a distance while looking at a plate of your favorite food sizzling and emitting mouth-watering aromas.
I have yet to go hiking and sweat myself in that 45-minute grueling downhill and uphill hike and transform all the tales and colorful accounts of the beauty of the place from those who have huffed and puffed along its rocky downward trail into first hand experience.
I still have to find a chance to go down the Forbidden Island and I know I will be singing a different tune in describing one of the most beautiful places on earth and dip my feet in the clear waters of something that’s forbidden—the Forbidden Island.

This article was first published HERE

More photos HERE

Cooling off at Sugar Dock

IF it’s a quick dip in the shallow waters, a few minutes or a whole day of rest and relaxation you want right in the center of Susupe, the best place to go to is Sugar Dock, located a few meters just across from the Mt. Carmel Church.

The long, wide stretch of cement road leads to the end of the dock which is a favorite of many especially in the early morning and evening hours where many just hang around to enjoy and breathe the salty tang of air from the sea.
Anytime of the day, the sight of people casting their lines in the water is common.
The beach at Sugar Dock is ideal for swimming especially for children with its crystal clear waters and fine, white sand. The beach has an open shower to rinse off the salty water when you have had enough, but if you are not in the mood to frolic in the sand and sea, the benches and cottages provide an idyllic spot to picnic with family and friends. You can pass time watching banana boat riders or jet skiers who leave huge splashes of waves behind them. Or you can daydream, laze around, meditate or just cool off on a humid day.
Sugar Dock beach is one of Saipan’s beautiful beaches and you don’t have to go far to get there.
Oh, one more tip for sunset buffs—Sugar Dock is one of the best places to go to on Saipan. If you have not experienced spending those few marvelous moments watching the full round sun making its downward journey and finally dipping and disappearing beyond the horizon, you have been missing a lot. Grab a few minutes of your time one day and be fortunate to enjoy and witness one of nature’s spectacular wonders unfold.

This article was first published HERE

Lazing away at Laulau Beach

I first visited this gem of a beach in San Vicente late in the afternoon a few months back. Dark clouds hung in the skies, threatening to let loose a dam of water anytime.

When I downloaded the contents of my memory stick, all I got were bleak-looking photos. I vowed to return and my next chance came last Friday.

Deadbeat on the way back from an unplanned hike to Mt. Tapochao, my buddies and I decided to drop by Laulau Beach to catch our breath, and it was a good decision.
Laulau Beach is not your ordinary, everyday beach where people can easily gain access to and picnic anytime of the day. The distance and accessibility makes it remote and you have to really allot time to be there, hence the absence of the usual crowds.
You should also prepare to rough it out there, because there are no bathrooms, no telephone, and no man-made facilities to save for a couple of cottages with benches and barbeque pits.
But Laulau Beach is a popular attraction and one of the best dive spots on Saipan. Nothing beats the pleasure of wading in the warm and shallow waters of the beach.
Interesting lava rock outcroppings provide an added attraction to Laulau Beach. Standing on the shore facing the ocean, you can see Naftan point at the far end to your right. On the left, the ongoing construction of the Laulau Bay Resort can be seen from a distance.
Prepare for a slow, rough ride if you plan to go to Laulau Beach. You have to navigate several bumpy twists and turns amid bushes and trees, but a treasure await you at the end of the road.
The rough road to Laulau Beach from San Vicente snakes its way all the way to Kagman, traveled much easier if you board a four-wheel drive, or an all- terrain vehicle. The drive to Laulau beach is an attraction by itself where you have to pass by huge rock formations, hanging vines and thick foliage. Got a day to spare? This is an ideal place to laze away.

This article was first published HERE.
More fotos HERE

A short respite at Tanapag beach

Satisfying a beach bum’s thirst on Saipan is not that hard, with the numerous pristine beaches available just minutes away from each other.

Looking for a place to grab a quick lunch led me and a buddy to this serene beachside in Tanapag, just a few meters across from the church one day. Although the beach was located near a few residential houses, it gives the impression of being secluded in a sense that nobody populated the beach at that particular time, or for the succeeding times that I dropped

by the place for a few minutes of relaxation.

Unlike the other beaches on Saipan, this particular spot makes you feel as though you own the place. Time seemed to stand still as I sat on a protruding root of a tree, with the blue sky and the crystal clear sea stretched out endlessly before me.

What a relief is it to shed off the thought of work and daily deadlines from my mind for just a few minutes!

This is one beach where you can freely dip your feet in the warm waters and feel the gentle lapping on your skin without thinking of huge waves rumbling and rolling in an eternal race against each other to the shore.

If you feel an urge to get away from it all without going away, this is the place for you. Albeit residential houses are nearby and you can hear the happy shouts of children every now and then, it does not interfere in the privacy and the feeling of seclusion the beach gives you.

Late afternoon hours spent at Tanapag Beach is also “the thing” especially for sunset buffs, an ideal place to watch the sun cast spectacular splashes of reds, oranges, yellows and vermilions as it sets for the night.

Grab a snack pack, a bottle of water, and your camera and drop by this strip of Saipan’s treasure for a short respite anytime.

To get to Tanapag Beach, you can either go by the main road or opt for a more leisurely drive at the back road via the Lower Base, passing by the Tanapag cemetery.

This article was originally published HERE

A sunrise treat at Marine Beach

For nocturnal beings whose deepest and sweetest sleep starts just when the rest of the world is getting up, a sunrise is a rare treat, and living all the way up in Dandan requires you to really get up earlier if you are planning to catch the sun rise on the other side of the island.

We drove straight to Marine Beach in Kagman on Saturday just as pink and orange streaks were blotting the sky, slowly devouring the darkness. Only a few cars were on the road yet but we hurried on, passing Chacha Road and in no time we were on the sloping rough road before reaching Marine Beach.

I jumped out of the car even before it came to a complete stop in the parking lot, forgetting the tripod as I hurried to the beach. A strong wind was blowing, and I mean “strong winds” which threatened to blow me away effortlessly. Except for a couple of teenagers and a flock of birds who were scouring the shores for food, we had the whole place to ourselves

Alas, the sun was nowhere and in fact, dark clouds started to gather in the skies. Beginning to get discouraged, I turned my attention to the gigantic waves crashing on the rocks.

The sun was just maybe testing my patience for lo and behold, although it was not the full, round sun I’ve always dreamed of seeing, it was the sun just the same, slowly inching its way up from the horizon. I stood gaping, knowing that the moment would not last long. Before I knew it, the sun was already up in the sky and I’ve snapped just a few photos.

I found capturing the rising sun through the lens a real challenge. Twice last month I had sacrificed and groped my way out of the house before five o’clock in the morning to proceed to the Bird Island lookout where somebody told me “offers the best view of the sunrise.”

Both times we were disappointed because the sun refused to cooperate with our sleep-befuddled system. On the first morning, there was a slight drizzle, and on the second time dark clouds hang over the skies, blocking out any chance of seeing the sun.

What’s so special with a sunrise anyway? It arises everyday, we all know that but try catching those few precious moments when it makes its grand entrance into the world and you will witness one of nature’s spectacular wonders.

Marine Beach is not ideal for swimming because the current is so strong and the waves so high you would be swept out to sea any minute, but the place is perfect for hanging out.

This article was first published HERE

Leisure time at the walkway

THIS long strip of walkway along the beach road beneath the shade of pine trees is one place residents pass by several times each day, and many have always taken this place for granted, but have you ever tried taking off a few minutes of your time to walk, jog bike or just spend some leisurely minutes on the walkway? If not, you are missing one of the best things in life on Saipan that’s free and is in no danger of closing out.The walkway along beach road is a favorite of many joggers and runners early in the early morning and late afternoon hours.

Whether you want to walk your dog, keep in shape, or give your baby a whiff of fresh sea air, this is the ideal spot to do it. You can sit on one of the benches facing the sea and meditate, or let your imagination fly. The beach road walkway offers you a hundred and one ways to spend your leisure time, and feel refreshed and renewed afterwardAfter several months, I finally got the chance to spend some time to walk along the wooden walkway along the beach road, although the time I picked was far from ideal--12 noon!

Except for a woman with her baby on a stroller and a couple of fishermen who were hoping to catch some fish their luck to with their poles, I practically had the whole place to myself. It was exhilarating to stroll without thinking of work and deadlines, and stopping by every few minutes to snap photos of anything and everything.

The slack traffic on the road on that Friday noon added to the tranquility of the place. Ah, and one more bonus-sunsets at the beach road walkway are just spectacular. The walkway is just there offering you everything for you to see, hear and feel for free—the endless stretch of blue sea and skies, the gentle lapping of waves on the shore, the soft breeze blowing your hair away, the grunt of a fisherman when he discovers the fish devoured his bait but got away, or the grin on his face when he pulls in his line with a fish squirming at the end, the camaraderie between friends and acquaintances, smiles from strangers and a lot more. All you need is to take few minutes of your day to shed off the daily pressures and you’ll feel refreshed.

This article was originally published HERE

On the shores of Wing Beach

DESERTED’ is the first word that would come to your mind as soon as you emerge from the thicket that shelters the entrance to Wing Beach, one of Saipan’s seashore treasures.

Darkness was about an hour away and yet I insisted on making a stop to this spot which I just heard about from others. The long fingers of dusk began to claim dominance over the skies, casting a somewhat eerie yet fascinating atmosphere.

The shore was practically isolated, the silence broken only by the slapping of the waves in the distant reef and by our presence. The long stretch of soft white sand seemed to defy our existence.
There is something about Wing Beach that lures you to come back again and again. Turning off from the main road in Marpi, the dirt road that curbs its way around and amidst thick foliage will lead you deeper that you would feel you were already in the jungle, but you are just a few minutes away from your destination.
Running on the shores and leaving deep footprints on the sand is an exhilarating experience you must not miss. It is as if you have the whole place to yourself, and nothing else matter except you, the sea, the skies and the sand on the shores.
Various shells scattered on the beach adds to its attraction. Swinging by Wing Beach during the day would be an entirely exciting and different experience, without the long shadows and the eerie stillness of the place. It is one of the spectacular places to hold picnics or get together with friends. You can visit the place just to pass time, take a dip in the ocean, commune with nature, draw figures or write you name on the sand, or go diving.
Wing Beach, located on the northwest part of Saipan is one place you must not miss. Swing by for a view of some fantastic geographical features like breathtaking drop-offs and large, spectacular crevasses. Chances are you will come back to the place.

Tinian blow hole

I finally had the chance to visit the famous Blow Hole located at the Northeast part of Tinian, on the Pacific Ocean side last Sunday. This is one place I had always wanted to visit but never got the chance to do so, and i have Kiri Jackson, Tinian Dynasty's casino marketing and promotions to thank for arranging a quick tour for me.

The noonday heat did not deter me from going down to the limestone cliff that ran the full length of the side of the island (I won't mention that I was wearing 2-inch heels) just to snap photos and catch an amateur video using my ever-handy Sony point and shoot. From the Blow Hole, you can see Saipan at the back drop. I felt so alone in the vast stretch of sea, limestone and grasslands, a solitary being snapping fotos under the sweltering heat of the sun.

The vertical hole, a little bigger than a basketball is something that mother nature has carved in the rocks, spews out a geyser when waves roll in. I stood at a distance of about 8 meters away and got wet when a particularly huge wave rolled in. If I was only wearing slippers and prepared to get wet, I wouldn't have missed the chance to really go as near as I can to the hole but alas, I had to think of the ferry trip back to Saipan ( ughhh thinking of it is starting to make me dizzy) and I had to go straight to the office to file my stories. The one hour tour was not enough and I had to really hurry to grab some lunch from One Broadway before boarding the ferry. I had to put something in my stomach just in case the waves decided to get any bigger and I wouldn't want to vomit my intestines out.

ANyways, luck was with me and the ferry trip back was bearable. More about my solo trip to Tinian later. Enjoy the amateur video!

Relaxing by the beach

IF you are one of the beach bums who thinks that a day out is never complete without taking a dip in the warm waters of the sea, this beach is just the perfect place for you.

PauPau beach, located right next to Palms Resort Saipan and across the now-closed La Fiesta Mall in the northern part of Saipan is a haven for beach lovers.
The long, sandy beach provides an ideal setting where families with kids or anybody else can have fun. You can stretch and sunbathe on the sand, snorkel in the crystal clear waters, swim, fish, or just hang around.
As a bonus, trees growing on the beach offer lots of shaded areas where you can bring a beach chair and catch up with your reading. Better yet, you can experience total bliss by hanging a hammock and drifting off to dreamland to the gentle crooning of the waves.
Picnic pavilions and a playground add to the convenience of the beach.
Saipan has so many beaches you can choose from to spend your next day off. You can go to isolated beaches that you can have all to yourself or make you feel shut out from the whole world. You can also go to beaches that provide total adventure.
PauPau beach is one which gives the impression of being some place “away from it all” but it is just a few steps away from the main road.
When you get some time off, drop by PauPau beach and pamper yourself to break the monotony of work.

(Got any interesting place in the CNMI you would like to be featured for Island Explorer? Please email me.

Paradise amidst cliffs and bushes

NESTLED amidst cliffs, sharp rocks and bushes just off the eastern side of Saipan is an isolated nook which is perfect for a day out with family or friends.

Ladder beach, hidden in a cove between rugged cliffs is one of Saipan’s beautiful albeit hidden beaches.
Last Saturday’s adventure brought me and companions Mark, Junhan, Moneth and Ed to several turns on rough roads before reaching a grassy parking space way off the back of Saipan International Airport.
From the parking space, Ladder beach looked less inviting, with cliffs and huge slabs of rocks jutting out.
We descended a flight of stairs and when we emerged into a clearing, I immediately changed my mind. It’s a different word down there!
Ladder beach is a paradise, with spacious caves ideal for holding camp outs or bonfires where you can swap stories and while away the time.
If the urge to feel alone hits you, Ladder beach is the place to be. You could sit for hours and watch and listen to the sound of the huge waves crashing on rocky shores from the Pacific Ocean.
Compared to other beaches on Saipan, the waves at Ladder Beach are a little larger, adding to its charm.
Ladder beach is kind of hidden away, a place where you can be free to meditate, to wade in the water, to enjoy moments of peace or to shout and hear the wind and the waves answer you back in their own wild voices.

If you feel adventurous, you may jump on your bike and sped off toward the place. It is a place where you can discover that even among the crags and bushes, nature’s beauty flourishes. (http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9112:island-explorer&catid=4:special-features&Itemid=31)

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