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

Bird Island revisited

A BREATHTAKING view awaits anyone who drives all the way to Marpi at the north east coast of Saipan. As soon as you reach the end of the paved road, prepare to see one of the most spectacular views Saipan has to offer, the Bird Island.

I wasted no time in going down the cemented stairs to the lookout last Saturday with four officemates, not minding the droplets of rain that threatened to develop into a downpour anytime. It was my second time to visit the Bird Island. The difference was this time, I was not in a hurry.

From the view deck, the Bird Island, also called Isleta Maigo Fahang or “island of sleeping seabirds” by the locals, is a small rocky islet standing in the middle of a coral reef that looks so near yet so far.

The Bird Island is one place where you can feast your senses on the scenic spot which nature seemed to carve so perfectly years ago. The island serves as a sanctuary for thousands of birds, and that’s how it got its name.

Here is one place where you can sit and gaze for hours at the endless stretch of ocean before you. It is an idyllic spot where you can commune with nature and hear nothing but the crashing of the waves on the rocks below. This is a place where you can forget the daily pressures of work and the deadlines breathing down your neck, a glorious panorama I would exchange for the glare of the computer monitor anytime.

Gazing down, the temptation to go and wade in the waters toward the islet is very strong. I was told there is a steep hiking trail that leads down to the beach and you can head out to the Bird Island when the tide is low.

Maybe, one of these days, I will have the chance to roll up my jeans and wade in the water and hope that the tide stays out until I get back, or else that would be another story.

Stairs going down to the lookout

When you are at the lookout, just be careful to stay within the fenced area. One wrong step beyond could send you hurtling down the cliff toward the rocks below.

If you have been on Saipan for years and you haven’t been to the Bird Island yet, it’s time you check the place which has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the world. It doesn’t pay to be a stranger in your own paradise.

For more photos PRESS ME

http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8057%3Aisland-explorer&Itemid=23

Under the deep blue sea

FOR a non-diver or non-swimmer, the surface of the ocean may seem nothing but a long expanse of water with a terrifying mystery in its depths but here is a chance to prove that underneath those rolling and crashing waves, there’s a whole world down there.

Diving into the blue depths of the Saipan Lagoon does not necessarily require you to be a certified diver, or an expert swimmer. You can explore the depths and stay dry aboard the “Deepstar”, Saipan’s newest and only submarine tour.
A motor boat transported us to the submarine moored a few miles off Managaha Island on Saturday. From a distance, we could see the Deepstar bobbing on the water, looking seemingly small and I had doubts about going down in it.
I braced myself and descended 12 steep rungs through the main hatch into the interior of the submarine. I was in for a surprise.
The belly of the Deepstar was comfortably spacious and air-conditioned. Plush seats lined both sides of the submarine and we quickly filed in.
With hatches closed and cleared to dive, we descended to the bottom of the blue lagoon, the flashing numbers on the monitor telling us we were already from 16-20 meters deep.
Gone was my initial fear of the water as I peered through the large viewing portholes into an amazing aquamarine world filled with coral formations, schools of colorful, tropical reef fish and diversified marine life.
The view down is something I only saw in the movies. The tour gave us a chance to view the sunken wreck of a Japanese warship and the remnants of an airplane from the World War 11.
Diving into the deep sea aboard Deepstar submarine is the perfect way for those who don’t want to get wet yet curious of the underwater. Indeed, it’s a memorable experience especially for those who have no idea of the spectacular beauty that lies at the bottom of the ocean.
An audio narration translated in different languages gave us an idea where of where we where and what we were seeing during the tour.
Deepstar is fully certified and inspected by the American Bureau of Shipping, and United States Coast Guard, says Pacific Subsea Saipan Inc. vice president/general manager, John (Jack) McClure.
Pacific Subsea Saipan is the largest marine tour operator on Saipan. Over 17 years providing marine tours, Subsea has served over one million passengers aboard their various vessels.
Any trip to Saipan won’t be complete without going on a submarine tour that is recognized through out Asia as a “must-not-miss” tour
Pacific Subsea has 30 reliable people behind its force, sharing the same goal of providing guests an experience of a lifetime.
Deepstar has a capacity of 48 passengers and makes several dives a day on an hourly schedule, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. McClure said they also offer services like providing Managaha transfer vessels. (http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2875%3Aisland-explorer&Itemid=23)

For more photos click here.

A Hike to Old Man by the Sea

Island explorer

The spectacular rock formation resembles the figure of an old man crouching on the seashore, and this is the first thing that catches your attention the moment you emerge from the thicket and step into the grassy clearing. We were at the Old Man by the Sea, drenched with sweat and our lazy bodies a little bit shocked by the unexpected hike.

The trail is a little bit challenging because we presumed that the Old Man by the Sea is that accessible anytime that when you stop your car, you’re there but we were wrong. A short hike is necessary (that is if you call 30-45 minutes jungle trek a short hike).

The trail involves going up steep slopes and going down cliffs which could get muddy and slippery if it rains. There are portions where you have to hold on to ropes or hang on to the roots of the trees for support, and you have to duck to avoid having your hair or your head get entangled with the low twigs. If you don’t pay much attention to where you’re going, you may get confused and lose your way in the thicket but you will find the trek well worth it when you get there.

The beachside is spectacular with unusual rock formations and huge waves washing over the rocks, a perfect place to commune with the sun, sea and sky, indeed. Here is one haven where you can sit for hours, forget time as you relax and listen to the sound of the waves breaking on over the reefs, or wade in the cold, knee-deep waters near the shore.

Legend has it that an old man was fishing at this beach one day, and he cursed the ocean for not giving him any fish. The ocean reached up and plucked the old man away, but his image was left on this rock as a reminder for everyone to respect the sea.

For those of you who have only seen pictures of the Old Man by the Sea, get up and visit the place because the lens could not exactly describe the breathtaking splendor of the beach. Take some drinking water, snacks, sunscreen or a hat. A set of and extra clothes could come in handy so you’ll be free to go for a dip.

The Old Man by the Sea is accessible by following the Talafofo Road toward Kingfisher Golf Course in Capital Hill. The trail begins just after the Egigi Road intersection and before the San Igancio Road intersection. There is a parking space on the side of the road.

Marianas Variety
(www.mvariety.com) June 11, 2008

Taste of the Marianas 2008

All traces of the usually-quiet American Memorial Park grounds were gone and the whole place was turned into a beehive of non-stop activities as the 10^th annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden kicked off with much pomp on Saturday night.

The smell of the scrumptious and delectable food wafting from the different booths were enough to tantalize one’s taste buds the moment they step into the clearing which has been transformed into one huge village-type restaurant, and the visitors doesn’t need prodding to purchase tokens to avail of the wonderful spread all within their arm’s reach.

Here is one event nobody should miss. It’s that once-a-year affair when the island’s top chefs from the top hotels and restaurants go out from the confines of their kitchens and show themselves to the public to prepare delectable and affordable food.

It’s one of those rare nights in a year where locals, tourists and people from all walks of life rub elbows with each other and share in the fun and laughter as they sample and share the island’s diversity of culinary showcase.

Free entertainment from local artists and performers added sizzle to the festive event that is characterized by the unique warmth and hospitality in the island.

Guests had the chance to sample the widest array of local food and flowing drinks by hopping from stall to stall and partook of the specialties offered by this year’s participating vendors.

And for the night’s bestsellers:

Hyatt Regency Saipan: Chicken pajetas and the Shawarma, which made its debut to the island made an instant hit with the guests.

Aqua Resort Club: Beef Tinaktak, flat bread pockets with beef and Tinian hot peppers

3’s Hula Girl: Native delicacies and sweets

Ty & Tia: Pearl shakes, fruit mixes and chillers

Herman’s Modern Bakery: Double chocolate Oreo cake which disappeared in no time at all

Hafadai Beach Hotel: Barbeque, sushi and Oden, a Japanese delicacy consisting fish cake, raddish, eggs and garnish.

Pacific Islands Club: Banana crepes- fried banana rolled in lumpia wrapper and garnished with grapes, strawberry, cream and syrup.

Tony Roma’s Capricciosa: Pizza and rice croquette, a fried ball consisting of rice, green peas and stuffed mozzarella cheese dipped in savory meat sauce.

Saipan Grand Hotel and Fiesta Resort: Chinese and Korean combo

Thai House: Five choices of vegetable and seafood menu

D’ Elegance Café: Typical Filipino dishes and the ever-present pork lechon and dinuguan

Mariana Resort & Spa: Mixed serving of international taste from Mexican burritos, Chinese spring rolls and others.

World Resort: Tasty barbeque and other dishes

Palms Resort Saipan: Teppan-yaki and a set menu of three choices

Poon’s Restaurant: Chinese cuisine

Nothern Marianas Bartenders Association: Never-ending orders of all drinks, beers, Carlsberg, and Mangorita which for four tokens, you can avail of a tall, iced glass of fresh green mango juice with sugar and a shot of tequila.

Food lovers who flocked to have a taste of the local and international dishes and flowing drinks went home sated yet craving for more. The Taste of the Marianas is one of the much-anticipated events in the CNMI. The event is a chance to lose yourself in the “food and drink wonderland” for the four Saturdays for the month. Don’t miss it!