Smiling Cove... Where the best things in life are free

One of my favorite places on Saipan is this short stretch of dock located at the far end of American Memorial Park, the Smiling Cove Marina.

Tucked at the farthest end of the Smiling Cove is a small park that gives you a perfect 360-degree view of Tanapag, Micro Beach, Managaha Island and the Capitol hills in the distant.
The place, a step just beyond the “Off limits to vehicles” sign issues a silent but irresistible welcome especially for wander-lusty individuals. The place has a mini-lighthouse and well-manicured grasses beneath the shades of pine trees—a perfect spot to sit, watch the activities around you or simply let the time pass by.
I happened to be at the place on one windy day and I have to literally hold on to the tree trunks so as not to be blown away by the winds but it was a refreshing experience, one I would gladly have in exchange for the routine of work any day.
If you want to check the place out, forget getting a coiffure or gel-plastered hair but be prepared to rough it out and breathe in the salty tang of air straight from the ocean.
Not many people frequent the place (it feels like a private dock actually) save for a few who venture out with their fishing poles.
Smiling Cove dock comes alive as sunset draws near, with hordes of tourists transported by buses arrive for sunset cruise trips via Jade Lady 111, Stars and Stripes and other luxury boats.
As a sunset buff, I have stored several gigabytes of photos in my computer of the setting sun with Micro Beach as the backdrop from my favorite location—perched atop a huge cement pole lying on the ground.
I can never get a fill of the place—seeing multi-colored fishes swimming in crystal-clear blue waters, hearing the happy chatter of tourists from the cruise boats, the splash of water as a fisherman throws in his line, fresh air blowing on your face—all these and more which you get to enjoy for free.

This article was originally published HERE

On top of Tinian’s suicide cliff

My periodic visits to the island of Tinian are always done is a hurry, with no spare time to go around. But not last month because I had a full day to spare and the pleasant company of Rep. Edwin Aldan who volunteered to drive me and my two buddies to visit the historical sites of the island.

We headed to the southern part and the first place we visited simply took my breath away—the Suicide Cliffs of Tinian. I’ve seen these cliffs from a distance one time when I broke one of the regulations and went out to the deck of the ferry but standing 180 feet above sea level right on top of the cliffs is a different story.
Here a glorious panorama stretches before your eyes—waves rolling on the clearest and the bluest of waters you can imagine, with the cliffs on the side forming a barrier like a protection cove.
Even if I don’t have acrophobia, I can’t stop the tingling feeling in my stomach when I leaned over the cement structure designed as a small lookout. The churning waters below looked hypnotizing yet dangerous. The lookout is just fantastic, the reality of a photographer’s dream.
This is one place you wouldn’t dream of associating with anything unpleasant like death and I wished I didn’t have an idea that from the very place we were standing on, thousands of Japanese committed suicide and jumped to their deaths during the World War 11 in 1944. They considered death a better option than to surrender to the Americans.
The thought alone gave me the shivers although it was broad daylight. I wonder how it would feel to visit the place at night. The place was deserted, but our host told us lots of tourists come to visit the place where they lost their ancestors.

This article was originally published HERE

Exploring Lake Susupe

THE swift strokes of the paddle competed with the fast ticking of the clock as we tried to catch the sunset in the middle of the water. We were onboard a floating open cottage and were heading toward the other end of the lake, busily clicking away at our cameras.

Susupe Lake has piqued my curiosity ever since I arrived on this island 11 months ago. We dropped by the place earlier that day, but decided to come back to catch the sunset. We were not disappointed.
Our host, Jesus Guerrero gave us a real treat when he decided to paddle us over to the other side with his two young nephews and regaled us with stories about this treasure of a place which he described as “everybody knows it’s there but not all know where it’s exactly located.”
Susupe Lake is a perfect place to while away the time, fresh air and best of all catch the sunset. You can’t help but hold your breath as the setting sun casts long rays of reds, oranges, yellows and vermillion reflections on the water.

Not as clear as you would expect it, Guerrero said the bottom of the lake is deep and muddy, and their place is the only access to the lake.
Bordered by thick trees all around, the lake is home to hundreds of tilapia (mudfish), birds and ducks.
If you are one of those individuals who stick to the main roads without getting curious as to what lies beyond the forks in the roads, you are missing a lot for these twists and turns on the road sometimes lead you to treasures waiting to be discovered. To get to the lake, just follow Hagoi Street from the main road in Susupe. It’s at the end of the street.

(This article originally appeared HERE)

Exploring Lake Susupe

THE swift strokes of the paddle competed with the fast ticking of the clock as we tried to catch the sunset in the middle of the water. We were onboard a floating open cottage and were heading toward the other end of the lake, busily clicking away at our cameras.

Susupe Lake has piqued my curiosity ever since I arrived on this island 11 months ago. We dropped by the place earlier that day, but decided to come back to catch the sunset. We were not disappointed.
Our host, Jesus Guerrero gave us a real treat when he decided to paddle us over to the other side with his two young nephews and regaled us with stories about this treasure of a place which he described as “everybody knows it’s there but not all know where it’s exactly located.”
Susupe Lake is a perfect place to while away the time, fresh air and best of all catch the sunset. You can’t help but hold your breath as the setting sun casts long rays of reds, oranges, yellows and vermillion reflections on the water. Not as clear as you would expect it, Guerrero said the bottom of the lake is deep and muddy, and their place is the only access to the lake.
Bordered by thick trees all around, the lake is home to hundreds of tilapia (mudfish), birds and ducks.
If you are one of those individuals who stick to the main roads without getting curious as to what lies beyond the forks in the roads, you are missing a lot for these twists and turns on the road sometimes lead you to treasures waiting to be discovered. To get to the lake, just follow Hagoi Street from the main road in Susupe. It’s at the end of the street.

(This article originally appeared HERE)

Hidden Beach revealed

Driving all the way up to Capitol Hill and going to the very end of Talafofo Road will lead you to the portal of one of Saipan’s pleasant secrets.

Last weekend’s wandering brought me and my buddy to this spectacular cove which I had been targeting for quite sometime. A photographer friend recommended the place, telling me we don’t have to walk far as the beach can be seen from the parking area.
But the sea was nowhere to be seen or heard from the area where we parked. An unpaved road under the trees stretched to infinity before us, and we agreed going back was out of the question.
The wet road led us down, past several turns and yet I can not hear the sea. Walking was not easy with my 2-inch heeled slippers. I was about to give up when I heard the unmistakable rumbling- like the rolling of thunder from a distance.
With renewed courage, we plodded on. A few meters away, we came upon a small clearing behind a thicket. Suddenly, we were looking at a post-card perfect vista from our perch.
Going down 31 cemented steps and ambling over knee-high shrubs, we were finally at the Hidden Beach.
To describe the place as awesome is an understatement! Huge waves slapping on the flat table stones issue a silent yet dangerous challenge for the daring, although personally, I think the place is not ideal for swimming. Those waves are so huge they could sweep you off to the Pacific Ocean and into nothingness in a few seconds.
Hidden Beach is protected by huge boulders of stones that resemble many figures, depending on how creative you are in interpreting them. Here is one secret paradise perfected by nature which provides total relaxation.

This article was originally published HERE
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Mysterious cairns of the Suicide Cliffs

FOR a casual passerby, they look like small, ordinary stones piled atop each other but for the discerning eye of an adventurer they could mean a lot of things, depending on the angle where you look at them from, or how the sun casts its shadow on the stones.

But these stones did not happen to accidentally pile on top of each other to create a spectacular view. Somebody exerted effort and creativity to pile the stones into attractive shapes to make driving, jogging or cycling up to the Suicide Cliff lookout a more pleasant experience.
For some, the cairns scattered along the road especially in the last two miles toward the Suicide Cliff stirs the imagination.
“Some thought that they are part of a local culture, some thought the stones have something to do with religious rites while others thought the stones bring good luck,” the person behind the artistry who opted to remain behind the limelight to maintain the aura of mystery to the cairns said.

He said he gets a lot of satisfaction knowing that the stone piles he started to create some months back have begun to stir intrigue among the visitors.
“Each individual has different interpretations of the stones, and that adds up to the mystery,” he said.
The cairns captured my interest when I first saw them sometime in June. From a distance, some of them look like dwarfs gregariously perched on top of the cairns. I couldn’t help but snap some photos while thinking it had some historical significance.
There are more cairns that you see along the way. Some of them are mysteriously hidden between trees a little distance from the road that you really have to look for them to find them.
If you haven’t seen the cairns yet, go for a drive or jog up Suicide Cliff lookout in Marpi and you will see them along the road. Just be careful not to break the piles, or better yet you can add to the cairns.
I wonder what they look like in the moonlight. That is something I will have to discover for myself, and soon!

This article was originally published HERE

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Atop Saipan’s highest mountain

IF there is one place that offers you a perfect view of the whole island from a 360 degree angle, it is Mount Tapochao, the highest point of Saipan.

A view of Garapan seen from Mt. Tapochao.

Last weekend’s gallivanting saw me and a buddy slowly urging the small car we took to navigate the rough and bumpy roads snaking its way up the mountain. We knew the roads were fitted for an ATV or a 4x4 vehicle but we still took the chance, hoping our car won’t give up on us and leave us in the middle of nowhere.
After a nerve-wracking climb, we finally reach the top. I took in huge gulps of the cold, early morning air while trying to catch my breath. Mt. Tapochao is indeed a perfect place to meditate and get in tune with nature.
My first visit to this mountain was during Good Friday this year when the roads and the whole place littered with people, tents and cars. We had to walk all the way to the top as the roads were barely passable.
Last Saturday, it was totally different because my buddy and I had the whole place to ourselves. It was eerily quiet, save for the howling of the winds. I felt like we were intruders but it was wonderful to be standing at 1,545 feet above sea level and marvel at the amazing panoramic view of Saipan and the island of Tinian.
Mt. Tapochao carries both historical and religious significance for the people of CNMI. Several markers are planted at the top of Mt. Tapochao to serve as constant reminders that Japanese spotters positioned themselves on this mountain to direct cannon fire to the advancing American forces during the bloody World War 11.
A slight drizzle started to fall, interrupting the peace and soliloquy I was enjoying for a moment. I am still looking forward for a chance to watch the sunset from this point. I know words would be inadequate to describe its splendor.

(this article is originally published HERE)