Guam 2010

Weather: tropical People:
35percent of the people are Chamorros, their native people;
25 percent Filipinos
40 percent Mix Westerners
80 percent of the tourist are Japanese
on the year 2011 the U.S. base from Okinawa Japan will transfer to guam around more than 5000 soldiers will be at Guam


Things to bring:
thin clothes,
shorts
slippers or sandals
don't forget sunblock


Transportation:
*Taxi - very expensive, but you can ride one from the airport to hotel around 15usd rather than getting a hotel pick which will cost 15usd per person, if your more than 1.

*Shuttle bus - very convenient for tourist, one ride at 3usd, 1 day 10usd, 5days 20usd and it stops at most of the hotels and tourist spots. The bus starts at 9:30am, ends at 9pm and is at the bus stop every 10 to 15 minutes.

*Rent a Car - a good way to explore the island where the shuttle bus cannot reach, there are lots of rent a cars it starts at 39usd(basic), but Guam doesn't have a GPS, should ask for a good detailed map, or else you will be stopping for direction most of the time.

*Duty Free bus - Duty free offers a free ride from the duty free to most of the hotels even if you didnt buy anything, it's a free service. It starts at 10am and should wait around 30minutes to an hours since they got 2 buses only for 2 different routes.

Hotel: Plenty of nice hotels along the beach.. We booked 2 hotels to compare.

Royal Orchid Hotel-at 70usd per night with 2 complimentary breakfast, is really affordable, the shuttle bus drops by at every 20minutes at the door step. The hotel lobby is at the second floor. If you check in early, they have an extra charge of 35usd. Room is ok, partial view of the ocean, big comfort room, bed is quite small for a king size. Aircon is really cold. Buffet is ok, but it would be a bit expensive if it's not included in your hotel package since they charge 16usd. The hotel has a convenient store on the ground floor, and 2 famous restaurants, Tony Romas and Caprisio.

Holiday Resort Hotel- has a grand lobby, at 85usd per night no free breakfast, it's quite affordable and have your money's worth since it has it's own beach, the room has a great ocean view, big bed with balcony, comfort room is standard not as big as Royal Orchid. It has a rent a car at the Lower ground which is very convenient, it has it's own small zoo for a fee. And it houses the California restaurant. The shuttle bus still comes to this hotel. Breakfast and lunch at 10usd, Dinner buffet at 15usd, kids below 4 years of age eats for free.


Things to Do:
Wednesday Night: Chamorros Village (can get there through the shuttle) Every wednesday night, feel the chamorro ambiance, eat food barbeque, pansit, dancing, performance, bazaars..

Saturday Morning: Flea Market at Dededon, sells anything.. and just near by there's the payless supermarket you can check out

2 Lover's point: Ride the shuttle bus for 7usd, it includes the entrance already of 3usd, there's a story behind. It has a great view of the beaches..

Aquarium - Nice to see the fishes, sharks, stingrays.. but not as big as Singapore. The biggest I have been to is the Aquarium at COEX Korea.

Fish Eye - Nice experience to see the fishes at their actual habitat, but if you are going to the Atlantis, skip Fish Eye, you see better stuff at the Atlantis. 10usd per person.

Atlantis Submarine- Nice experience since you would really ride a real submarine, see a lot of corals and real fishes at their own habitat. We were so lucky to spot a big turtle from a distance. What you see here is what a diver sees, lots of fishes corals.. it's like disneyland... If one cannot dive, this is the best alternative to see the ocean world, not as great as really diving with the fishes.. and the colors are a bit different from the submarine's thick glass.. but it's good already.

Other things to do: Diving, Sky Dive, Aquanaut, Fishing, hiking to a waterfalls...

Shopping
Duty Free Shop - Got lots of high end brands like Hermes, LV, Channel, to cosmetics and chocolates..

Micronesia Mall-Is where you can see Macy's, there's a food court, some small rides like the bump car, roller coasters.. some stores like shop for less..

Agana Shopping- Not so much to see.. Esprit shop, few shops. There's SM, small not as big as the ones in the Philippines, you can find a lot of Philippine products here.

Guam Premier Outlet- Where Ross for less is located, you can find branded stuff at a bargain price, you just need to browse to have a good find. There's Levis, California Mart..

KMart - a 24 hours store, where everything is there, Vitamins, shirts, food, baby stuff.. the guam chocolates are cheaper here compared to other stores.

We arrive ealy via Philippine Airlines, grab a cab 15usd plus 1 dollar each luggage, check in at Royal Orchid Hotel, since we were early, we were given a choice to check in early by paying additional 35usd. Slept 3 hours, get ready and stroll around Tumon. Grab a taxi, went to Guam Premier Outlet, shop at Ross, where we really saw bargain branded stuff, but you really need to find what you want since it's mostly one each, you might find the design you like but doesn't have your size.. but the stuff are orderly filed up according to sizes.. so you just need to browse on your size. Walk a few meters, went ot Cost You Less, a whole sale department store, bought some fruits, a balikbayan box. Ride a taxi to duty free shop, taxi is very costly, not recommended. Strolled around, wend inside underwater world, not so big, there are sharks, turtles and stingrays.. Went back to hotel, rest early.

Second Day, we had our breakfast at the hotel's restaurant. They have salad bar, congee, sausages, eggs, has brown, fish.. Waited for the shuttle bus,get on board at 9:30, purchased a whole day trip from the driver at 10usd for adults, kids free 4 years old below. First stop at Micronesia Mall, stroll around at Macy's, some stores, ride the bump car at their gaming zone, ate lunch at their food court. Second drop at KMart, shop some then drop the stuff at the hotel, then to Duty Free shop, stroll around, make use of the internet at the premier club lounge, then to Chamorro Village since it's wednesday night, plenty of tourist around, there's a live chamorro dance show. Walk around the bazaar, ate dinner, great barbeque at 1usd each. Went back to Tumon area around 9pm, checked PIC hotel just across Royal Orchid. Nice hotel too, got alot of water activities like the slides, jumpers and such for the kids. Back to hotel.

Third day, we rented a car at ORIX, went to two lover's point, nice view, if you get on a shuttle it will cost you 7usd, if by your own 3usd each person for the entrance. Nice view, romantic history. Next stop is Fish eye, along the way we pass by Governor's place where there's some cannons, visited their Liberty which is not that big. Then we checked out from Royal Orchid and transferred our stuff to Holiday Resort. Go back to Guam Premier outlet for a last minute shopping at Ross then had a great sumptous dinner at Tonny Romas where we ordered their famour Ribs, buffalo wings, salad, Onion rings and a free dessert, try check out their tourist maps for coupons.

Fourth Day, picked up at the lobby for the Atlantis submarine tour, 68usd for adults, 39 for kids free pick up. Ride the flipper a fast craft, around 20 minutes to the area where the submarine is. Then Ride the Atlantis submarine, drop down to see the corals, and fishes at their own habitat, was very lucky to see a turtle swim by at a distance. Went down to 50 meters, then up to the surface. Had lunch at the Californi Pizza where we had the works pizza, a chicken pasta, Fajita roll (recommended) very good. Stroll around Tumon hotel street, ride the free DFS shuttle bus back to the hotel. Went to the beach, played with the sand and swim in the clear waters. Had some sea sand scrub at the beach! the sand are soft. Dinner buffet at the resort's hotel, slept early in preparation for the early flight the next day.

5th day, checked out early, got a taxi with the hotel's concierge, just 10 minutes ride to the airport.