If you want to take the kids and go to the beach for a week, Saipan is a great place to go. The primary language is English and Saipan is a US protectorate. As they say, it’s where the US starts it’s day. Coincidentally, it is where many Koreans go on their honeymoons so you’ll see a lot of couples in matching T-shirt and a lot of Hangul, too.
Keep in mind, there is nothing but sun and sand in Saipan so don’t go for the shopping, the entertainment, or the food. The resorts have decent restaurants, but they are a bit pricey because they are resorts. There is a McDonalds, Subway, Tony Roma’s, Hard Rock Café, and that’s about it for US chains. There are also a lot of excellent Japanese and Korean restaurants.
You don’t need a car in Saipan. The resorts will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel. Most of the things “to do” are at the resorts or in the streets around the resorts. Once a week, there is a street festival with food vendors. Good food, cheap prices. We ate it and remained healthy.
It is worth renting a car from the resort for a morning to drive around the island. This is where you can really see the beauty of the Pacific islands and also take in some of the history.
There is a huge World War 2-Pacific Theater history in Saipan and it is one of the sites where the US defeated the Japanese in these battles. The history is somewhat of a touchy subject, but only because the wounds are still fresh. There is a museum run by the US National Park Service that tells you more about the history of Saipan.
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, but there are other resorts as well, such as the Pacific Island Club. The beaches are great for kids because the water is shallow and warm. The beaches are soft and pleasant. There is a water park at one of the resorts that is well worth the trip. There are places to Scuba, such as The Grotto. So if you are a scuba diver, you may be able to take advantage of that.
We booked our trip through ITT. The main thing about the trip is that the flights from Korea are terrible schedule-wise. You leave in the evening (around 8pm) and arrive around midnight. You catch the return at around 2 in the morning. With kids, this is not so great. However, I have a suspicion that if you fly through Japan, you can get a better itinerary, so ask and see.
Here’s a link to the Saipan Tribune: http://www.saipantribune.com/ There is not a whole lot of information online. It is a VERY SMALL place, but we loved it.
Helen, Guest Blogger
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