No airline, ferry or tour boat serves the islands north of Saipan. There are no ports, only open anchorages and beach landings that depend on the swell, and no maintained airfield. A voyage means a seaworthy vessel, an experienced crew, permission from the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office on Saipan, and — for the waters around Uracas, Maug and Asuncion — compliance with the rules of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA, which jointly manage the marine monument. Farallon de Medinilla is a US military bombing range and is closed to everyone.
Everyone else gets as far as Saipan. Flights to Saipan and between the inhabited islands are covered in getting there.
Routes at a glance
| From | Best route | Time | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saipan (to Anatahan) | Private or chartered vessel, with permission | Under a day at sea each way, weather permitting | By arrangement only |
| Saipan (to Pagan or Agrihan) | Private or chartered vessel, or a government or research voyage | Roughly 1–2 days at sea each way | By arrangement only — no public fares |
| Saipan (to Asuncion, Maug, Uracas) | Research or permitted expedition vessel under monument rules | Roughly 2–3 days at sea each way | Not sold to the public |
| Western Pacific ports | Expedition cruise ship that very occasionally calls at Pagan or Maug | One stop on a voyage of two weeks or more | Varies — at the top end of cruise prices |
| Guam (to Challenger Deep) | Research or expedition ship carrying a deep-diving submersible | About a day’s sailing to the site | Not available to the public |
| Saipan airport (SPN) | Window seat on an arriving or departing flight, for a distant view on clear days | A few minutes of the flight | Nothing beyond your ticket |
| Anywhere | NOAA deep-sea expedition footage and monument information online | As long as you like | Free |
Getting around The Northern Islands & Marianas Trench
On the islands: there are no roads in use, no vehicles for hire and no marked trails. Movement is on foot over lava, ash, long grass and loose rock, in heat, without fresh water you have not carried yourself. Feral animals and unexploded wartime ordnance are additional hazards on Pagan.
On Saipan: the places that bring you closest are easy to reach by hire car or on a half-day van tour — the Marpi cliffs at the island’s northern tip, covered under northern Saipan, and the museum exhibits in Garapan.
