Guam isn’t one of those places you hear about too often when living in the States. And most people will probably look at you sideways when you tell them you’re moving there (unless you’re military). No worries! Just know you’ll soon be on a beautiful island with amazing views, crystal clear water, and so much more.
Guam is known as “Where America’s Day Begins” because it’s the first to experience a new day in the US. You’ll also hear that Guam is considered a poor mans Hawaii. Guam isn’t as developed as Hawaii (sorry no Target here), yes it survives on tourism and the military, but just remember you’ll be on a freaking island! Continue reading to find out the top 10 things you need to know before moving to Guam.
- Learn How to Say “Hafa Adai” (pronounced as half-a-day)
- Don’t be surprised to hear businesses and locals greet you with a hearty “Hafa Adai”! It’s the locals way of being friendly and saying hello in their native language. Find a list of other simple Chamorro greetings that you can learn here.
- Read up on the History & Culture of the Chamorro people
- There’s a ton of history here on the island and it’s best to know as much as you can before you arrive. In short, Guam was first colonized by Spain in the 1520s, the US went to war with Spain and conquered the land making it a US territory in 1898, the Japanese conquered it for 36 months during WWII, then the US re-conquered it and it’s been a part of the US ever since. You’ll find a few locals gathering on island in protest for their independence and it’s understandable why. Learn more about the Chamorro history here. Secondly, when traveling the island you’ll see some pretty cool stone structures called a Latte Stone. NEVER EVER sit on one. A Latte Stone is a sacred pillar constructed by the ancient Chamorro people. Read what happened in 2018 when a Navy Sailor took a picture sitting on one here. Again, take out a few minutes to learn about the history and culture of the Chamorro people. The locals will thank you.
- Weather
- Guam is hot and humid all year round, so be prepared to wear shorts and a t-shirt just about every day with temperatures ranging between 75 to 88 degrees. Although dry season is from December to June, you’ll find it rains just about every day. During this season when it does rain, it’s normally right before dawn for a few minutes and dries up within 30 minutes or so. Rainy season is from July to November so you’ll want to keep an umbrella in your car or a light rain jacket. The island is also prone to receiving typhoons a few times a year as well. It’s good to have a cooler and a backup generator on hand incase the power goes out.
- Outdoor Activities
- If you like the outdoors, then this is the perfect place to be. Guam is know to be one of the best places in the world for snorkeling. You’ll also find that diving is pretty popular too. You can get your diving license for $219 here. There’s SUP boarding, hiking (Guam Boonie Stompers for awesome guided group tours), fishing, biking, boating, and rowing to name a few. If you’re a runner there are plenty of trails and areas to explore. Plus you’ll find at least one 5k offered each month. Make sure to check facebook for upcoming events. Every year United Airlines Guam Marathon offers options for all kinds of runners (Full/Half/10k/5k). Check out their facebook page here. *Tip: Mosquitos and humidity go hand in hand after 4p and especially during the rainy season. Just be prepared with some bug spray to keep those pesky little buggers away.
- Festivals
- Guam has 19 villages and each one has its own festival every year. They’re a great way to meet new people and experience some of the local traditions and cuisines. Some of the more popular festivals include 1.) Liberation Day on July 21 (celebrating Guams independence from the Japanese). This festival is actually over a few days, but you can expect a carnival, a queen contest, and a mile long parade. You’ll find each village will have volunteers come together to build a float to showcase during the parade. It’s a very lively event and nice for the whole family to camp out and enjoy. 2.) The Coconut Festival or the Malojloj Fiesta is in May. Get ready to experience all things coconut. Here you’ve got to try the fermented coconut alcohol just to say you’ve tried it. 3.) The Agat Mango Festival is also in May. You might leave this festival with a sugar headache but it’ll be totally worth it. Be prepared to taste a large variety of mango treats and preview the most beautiful and ugliest mango on Guam. You can find a list of all the upcoming festivals here.
- Day & Night Markets
- Every Wednesday Guam has a night market at Chamorro Village. It’s a popular spot for tourists, but you’ll see a mixture of locals and military dropping by for the festivities. You’ll find tons of street food, coconuts (try coconut meat with sashimi = wasabi + soy sauce), loads of souvenirs, music, and so much more. While there, you’ll also see a carabao. It’s considered a symbol of Guam. You can ride it for a small fee if you dare. Chamorro Village is open every day from 10A to 10:30P and Wednesdays to midnight. The other market to try is the Mangilao Thursday Night Market. It’s open from 5-9P. *Note it’s a smaller market and doesn’t have the same vibe as Chamorro Village. Next is the Guam Farmers Market. It’s open Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 6A to 9A. You’ll find tons of local produce, seafood, BBQ, coconuts as well as a flea market. I great way to find more souvenirs!
- Travel
- If you love to travel, Guam is in a great location to do so. Here are a few of the surrounding countries to visit: Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines. Japan and the Philippines are International Airports and it about a 3.5 hour flight. The Philippines, Japan, & Taiwan are all under a 4 hour flight, so if you’re looking to hop on a plane and get somewhere fast then one of those countries are perfect. Tip: I’ve found it significantly cheaper to book a single flight to the Philippines, then book a second flight (with another airline) from the Philippines to my next destination. For example, take United from Guam to Manila, Philippines ($232 per ticket round trip – 3.5 hr flight), then Singapore Airlines from Manila to Singapore ($355 per ticket round trip – 3.5 flight)= Total ticket cost $587 – 7 hour flight. If you took United to Singapore, tickets START at over $2 thousand at two months out! Crazy!
- Shopping/Malls
- Let’s dive right into the shopping! First is the Micronesia Mall. It’s known as the largest American style shopping center on island. It’s got a little bit of everything here. You’ll find a Macy’s, Ross, a movie theater, an arcade, a decent food court, a grocery store, tons of shopping options and much more. What’s nice is there’s always something lively happening here like music concerts and holiday entertainment that you can find in the middle of the mall. Second, is Guam Premier Outlets (you’ll hear locals calling it GPO). It’s smaller and has about 30ish stores, a movie theater, and a food court. There’s a popular Ross at this location that can get pretty busy. Go early when it opens at 8A because by 10A you might find yourself in a line of locals and tourists trying to check out. Third, is the T Galleria and the Plaza. Both are found on the main strip in Tumon in the midst of the tourist area. At T Galleria you’ll find mostly all high end stores and at the Plaza (directly across) you’ll find a mixture of stores, a bunch of restaurants, and entertainment. Lastly, you’ll have to make sure to check out the largest (and now the only?) K-Mart in the world. Yup, that’s right, K-Mart. It’s basically the islands version of Walmart or Target (two stores you won’t find on island, sorry). This K-Mart is open 24/7 and gets pretty busy during the day. *Tip: You are not going to find an Apple Store, Best Buy or Starbucks, but you can always order what you’re looking for online. Amazon, Target, and Walmart are a few stores that ship to Guam. It normally takes about a week or two. **Not all items ship to Guam though, so just be mindful of that when looking to place your order.
- Grocery Shopping
- There are a few grocery stores on island but the most popular choice is Payless Supermarket. They have 9 stores with the newest being in Maite. Find a list of all their locations here. If you’re looking for a vegetarian/vegan grocery store then Simply Food is your best option. Keep in mind that it’s pretty small and some of the options can be expensive. You can find a decent selection of healthy and organic at Pay-Less O.N.E. – Specialty Natural & Organics Store and at the Micronesia Mall Pay-Less. The other Payless Supermarkets do not have a dedicated area, but you can find organic sprinkled within the isles.
- Expensive
- This little island can get a little pricey! Everything from gas, the malls, grocery shopping, and even making copies at a local mom and pop store. Expect to pay a few extra dollars then if you were in the states. If you’re military, make use of on base shopping to save a few dollars!
I hope this post helps you prepare for your adventure on Guam. There’s so much to look forward to. Although the island is small and you can probably drive the entire island in about an hour, take advantage of all the exciting things that you CAN do here. So get to planning and enjoy living in paradise!
