- How to choose a route
- 4 days: a Guam short break
- 5 days: Saipan & Tinian
- 7 days: Guam and Saipan
- 10 days: the island chain
- Planning notes for every route
How to choose a route
The first decision is simple: one island or more? Guam and Saipan each make a complete beach holiday on their own, and most visitors from Korea and Japan choose one of them for three to five nights. Combining them is rewarding but costs a flight each way, and entry arrangements are not identical for every passport, so check that your documents work for both before you plan a two-island trip.
The second decision is how much quiet you want. Tinian is an easy day trip from Saipan by small plane. Rota needs at least two nights and some patience with timetables. Both reward travellers who like empty roads and do not need restaurants on every corner.
| Route | Days | Islands | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guam short break | 4 | Guam | First visit, families, beach and shopping |
| Saipan & Tinian | 5 | Saipan, Tinian | Lagoon, snorkelling, Second World War history |
| Two capitals | 7 | Guam, Saipan | Seeing both sides of the Marianas |
| The island chain | 10 | Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian | Slow travel, divers, repeat visitors |
4 days: a Guam short break
Day 1 — Tumon. Arrive, check in on Tumon Bay and get straight into the lagoon. Walk to Ypao Beach Park for sunset and eat on Pale San Vitores Road.
Day 2 — On the water. Drive or transfer to Piti for a morning dolphin cruise or guided snorkelling in the marine preserve (both are among the few things you can book ahead online). In the afternoon see Hagåtña: the Plaza de España, the cathedral and Latte Stone Park. If it is Wednesday, stay for the Chamorro Village night market.
Day 3 — The southern loop. Hire a car for the classic circuit of southern Guam: Asan Beach, Cetti Bay Overlook, Umatac and Fort Soledad, Merizo, the Inarajan pools and back up the east coast. Allow six to eight hours with stops.
Day 4 — North and home. A last swim, then Two Lovers Point for the view over the bay. If your flight is late, add a dinner show on the beach.
5 days: Saipan & Tinian
Day 1 — Garapan. Settle into Garapan, swim at Micro Beach and walk through American Memorial Park at sunset.
Day 2 — Managaha Island. Take an early boat to Managaha for snorkelling and the lagoon’s best sand; be back by mid-afternoon for the Thursday street market if your dates fit.
Day 3 — The north. Drive the Marpi loop: Last Command Post, Banzai Cliff, Suicide Cliff, Bird Island lookout and — if the sea is calm — the steps down into the Grotto.
Day 4 — Tinian by air. Take a morning flight to Tinian, collect a pre-booked hire car, and loop the island: House of Taga, Taga Beach, the Blow Hole, North Field and the atomic bomb pits. Fly back before dark.
Day 5 — Summit and south. Go up Mount Tapochau for the whole-island view, then choose between a shore snorkel at Obyan Beach or Lau Lau Bay and a last lazy afternoon in the lagoon.
7 days: Guam and Saipan
Days 1–3 — Guam. Follow days 1–3 of the Guam short break above.
Day 4 — Fly north. Use the morning for Two Lovers Point or shopping in Tamuning, then take the short flight to Saipan (about 45 minutes in the air; see getting there). Evening in Garapan.
Day 5 — Managaha Island and the lagoon.
Day 6 — Northern Saipan in the morning, Mount Tapochau and the east coast in the afternoon.
Day 7 — Tinian day trip or a rest day, then fly home from Saipan. Booking an “open-jaw” ticket into Guam and out of Saipan (or the reverse) saves backtracking; where that is not possible, return to Guam on the last evening.
10 days: the island chain
Days 1–3 — Guam, as above.
Days 4–5 — Rota. If a small-aircraft service between Guam and Rota is operating on your dates, fly straight to Rota; otherwise route via Saipan. Spend two nights in Songsong: the bird sanctuary at dawn, the latte stone quarry, Teteto Beach and the Swimming Hole, and a dive in Sasanhaya Bay if you are certified.
Days 6–9 — Saipan. Fly to Saipan and follow days 1–3 and 5 of the Saipan plan at a gentler pace.
Day 9 or 10 — Tinian as a day trip, then depart from Saipan.
This route has several small-plane legs with strict baggage limits and few seats. Fix those flights first, keep a spare day before your international departure, and travel with soft bags. The Northern Islands beyond Saipan are not part of any ordinary itinerary — our guide explains why.
Planning notes for every route
- Book island-hopping flights before hotels. Seats on the small planes are the scarcest thing in the Marianas.
- Hire cars ahead on Tinian and Rota, where only a few are available.
- Put boat and dive days early so that a windy day can be swapped.
- Mind the weekdays: Chamorro Village on Guam is at its best on Wednesday night; Garapan’s street market has traditionally run on Thursday evenings. Check both are operating.
- In typhoon season (mostly August to November) choose refundable flights and leave slack.
