Saipan: An Amazing Place for Leisure!
Scuba diving, hiking and windsurfing: these are all tempting words for anyone who loves adventure. These words were favorites for me too, at least before marriage. However, this year, with an eight-month-old baby, my style of travel needed to change. But no matter what your situation is, Saipan is a haven where anyone can enjoy the clear blue sky, transparent water and lazy sea turtles.
Saipan’s History
Some readers may be surprised to know that Saipan belongs to America. Saipan is the capital and largest island of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, which has been a part of the United States since 1978. This beautiful island has its own sad history. During World War Ⅱ, the nearby island of Tinian was used to stage air raids on Japan for the atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Despite having a complicated history, today Saipan is well known as a growing tourist destination for events such as honeymoons, prenatal trips, golfing or simple leisure, due to its equable year-round temperatures and amazing natural heritage. Even though the humidity is high, the fresh sea breeze and nice view of the sky offset such an inconvenience.
Lodging
If you are with your family, it is best to stay in either a resort or hotel. Saipan’s western shore is lined with decent resorts that are equipped with restaurants, barbeque grills, pools, adventure activities and even private beaches. Do not shy away from opening your wallet for comfortable and cozy facilities. However, be aware that there are many guests in the resorts and hotels from Korea, China and Japan. You might even see people wearing the same sunglasses, swimsuits and bags throughout your resort. Hopefully seeing other guests in full makeup taking selfies will not bother you too much. Of course, the Island also has nice guesthouses and hostels as well.
Attractions
The Island is ten times smaller than Jeju Island of Korea, and in a car, you can travel around the whole territory within three hours. On the way to Suicide Cliff, we saw the memorial spot that honors Korean War veterans. Suddenly, the entire exciting mood stopped as we neared Suicide Cliff. The Cliff is aptly named because Japanese civilians and soldiers jumped off of the cliff to their deaths in 1944 rather than be captured by American troops. The lookout at the cliffs gave us breathless views of the crashing waves below. Many stones and flowers were there to honor the deceased.
Activities
Aside from admiring the beauty of the island, you can also enjoy a wildlife adventure by bringing snorkeling gear anywhere you go. Rich dive sites, such as Grotto and Managaha Island, can also be reached by a short boat ride. Bird Island and Forbidden Island are famous hiking destinations. Other options like golfing, a jungle tour, ATV riding and rock-climbing will keep you from getting bored. Personally, the most memorable part for me was to lay down by myself in the shade at the beach, watching over the calm sunset. From my perspective, people look so peaceful and seem to enjoy their lives more compared to the busy life back in Korea.
In conclusion, I think the natural beauty of Saipan has a huge influence on people’s characters. All the people I met had beautiful smiles on their faces and good manners. I think Saipan is blessed with perfect weather and stunning nature views. I am envious of the Saipan people. If I ever get the chance, I would definitely return to the island.