…his chronicles and travels
Life on Saipan… the small town feel, the amazing sunsets, the feeling of being in Asia yet still being on United States soil… There’s no other place quite like Saipan in the world. It’s unfortunate that it is so off of the beaten path that chances are slim any given person will ever make it to the island, and for those who do, chances are even slimmer still that they will ever return someday.… Read more
When American forces initiated the invasion of Saipan on the 15th of June 1944, it was the World War II Pacific theater’s version of the D-Day invasion of Normandy in Europe and was equally important to the Allied war effort.
Saipan represented the first Japanese “homeland” territory under threat in the Pacific, and the fall of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands chain would result in Tokyo being within B29 bombing range.… Read more
One interesting and unique-to-the area aspect of Saipan are the latte stones – visible in various company logos and on signs around the island. The latte is almost somewhat of a mascot for the native Chamorro peoples of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands region, and it is used frequently to represent their culture.… Read more
One hundred and twenty miles north of Guam lies Saipan (サイパン島), the main island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Wrestled from Japan during WWII, now as part of the CNMI, Saipan remains an overseas U.S. territory and – along with Guam – the westernmost in the world.… Read more
Bantayan Island has an old church in the square of Bantayan town founded in 1580, and of which the current structure’s construction began in 1839, finishing around 1863. The church has extensive ceiling murals, stained glass windows, and a replica of the Santo Niño de Cebú.… Read more
Known locally as Virgin Island, Silion Island is about a 45 minute pump boat ride away from the Santa Fe area of Bantayan Island. Since it’s a little off the beaten path there is still plenty of good snorkeling with lots of tropical fish to swim with.… Read more
You can rent a motor bike in Santa Fe (sometimes from your resort), and drive about ten minutes across the island to the town of Bantayan where there is a broader selection of places to eat and also an extensive fresh seafood market as well as a dried seafood market among many other shops.… Read more
About a five hour bus ride north from Cebu City (including several stops along the way) lies Hagnaya Port which has regular daily ferry service to Bantayan Island. After an hour boat ride, the ferry docks at Santa Fe Port where several resorts, restaurants, and a currency changing service are close by.… Read more
One attraction The Philippine Islands are famous for is their beloved Tarsier. Bohol Island is one of the few places in the world that the public can view the Tarsier in its natural habitat. This strange creature is one of the small number of mammalians to have excessively large eye sockets.… Read more