Taste of the Forbidden Island

The name Forbidden Island alone is more than enough to trigger anyone’s curiosity, just likeanything 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

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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

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.
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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

Island Explorer: Amid the pillars of a historic house

Stone monoliths are among the mysterious attractions in the Pacific Islands, and CNMI has got a fair share of these stone edifices that has existed and weathered the elements of nature for years. The stone monoliths play a special role in the islands as though the people wanted to leave something to remind the future generations that centuries before, they existed.

The House of Taga on Tinian is one example of these monoliths. In fact, it is one of CNMI’s main attractions as visitors spread the word about its strange and unfathomable existence.

The huge pillars of stone which people of long ago had industriously and painstakingly hewn out of solid rock or reef corals were supposed to be the foundations of an elevated structure or meeting house.

According to Tinian representative Edwin Aldan who volunteered to give me and my buddies a tour of the island, the pillars were believed to be the base or foundations of the house of Taga, a 17th century Chamorro leader who possess great strength and wisdom. He was known for aiding Spaniards who were shipwrecked in the island. Legend has it that when the last of these group of latte stones fall down, the famous Chamorro leader will return to Tinian.

Even in broad daylight, it felt strange and kind of eerie to be walking around the huge slabs of stones that had been mute witnesses of the events of long ago. If the stones can talk, they would have so much to tell, more than enough to fill volumes.

A visit to Tinian will never be complete if you miss out this famous edifice that is located right at Tinian’s central area in San Jose. It is readily accessible to anybody who will spare a few minutes to drop by and marvel at this piece of history that will be here for a long time.

This article was originally published HERE

An afternoon’s escape at Tachogna Beach

IN one of my trips to the scenic island of Tinian, I grabbed the chance to escape and do some exploring on my own one late afternoon as my companions were emerged in a fierce battle with the one-cent slot machines.

A leisurely stroll from the Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino on that bright afternoon led me to Tachogna Beach, a few meters south of Tinian’s famous Taga Beach.

Save for a few cottages, the beach is still unmarred by changes brought about by modernization and has retained its natural scenery.

A stress-free atmosphere pervades the place. It’s an entirely different world out there, as though time stands still and nothing else exists except for the long stretch of white sandy beach, the endless, blue skies and the shouts of glee as children chased each other to the sea. Anytime of the day, parents and kids can be seen frolicking in the sand.

Tachogna Beach is an ideal spot for get-togethers, picnics, or simply for hanging out. The coconut trees on the seashore provide an excellent shade to individuals who just want to unwind.

The beach is the venue for the Tinian hot pepper festival which never fails to draw huge crowds each year.

Taghogna Beach is Tinian’s best spot for snorkeling with its crystal clear waters which continue to lure not only tourists from all parts of the world but locals, too.

For several months now, I had been combing the island’s famous and not-so-famous beaches, nooks and crannies and writing about it to urge the residents to look at the beauty of this place with new eyes.

When you are on the island of Tinian, try to spend a few minutes of your time to visit Tachogna Beach, and one tip—time your visit in the late afternoon and you will be in for a very wonderful experience of seeing the sunset at Tachogna Beach. It’s one of Tinian’s unequalled wonders.

This article was originally published HERE

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