The ‘Secret’ Tropical USA Islands You’ve Never Heard Of

There is an easy warm-weather escape near Guam in the western Pacific Ocean that many people have never even heard of. The Northern Mariana Islands (often called The Marianas) is a Commonwealth of the United States, so you don’t even need a passport to visit. You can also live and work there Visa-free. The chain of 17 volcanic islands spans about 375 miles from north to south. Only six of the islands are inhabited, and most people live in Saipan, with Tinian and Rota as the second and third most popular islands to visit. If you’re down for the more-than-20-hour trip, you can pair The Marianas with a few days on the west coast, or in Japan or Korea. There are flights from big airports like Seattle (through Incheon) and LAX or DFW (through Tokyo). Here’s why this Micronesian oasis is a fantastic cold-weather escape.

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Year-Round Summer and the World’s Most Predictable Temperatures

Temperatures in The Marianas only range from about 78 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making it the perfect cold-weather escape. (Beware of the rainy season and monsoon season, though.) Once you’re on Saipan, you can choose your own adventure, and the island’s famously affordable prices make anything possible. Picnic on a secluded beach, try your luck at the palatial casino, golf on the cliffs of the Philippine Sea, or scuba dive to a WWII shipwreck. Saipan, the largest of The Marianas, is about 12 miles long and 5.6 miles wide, so you can drive its length by car in about an hour. There are quite a few amenity-driven beachside hotels to book here, many of them along the bright white shoreline of the popular Micro Beach. Close to the main tourist district, Garapan, you can book the five-star Hyatt Regency or funkier Surfrider. North along a quieter stretch of coast, there’s the all-inclusive Kensington Hotel or culinary-centric Aqua Resort Club. Hotels are often your best bet for upscale, beachside restaurants. Or stroll through Garapan for the island’s widest variety of eateries, bars, shops, and street stalls. The hotels and resorts are staffed with friendly locals who offer a wealth of knowledge about their vibrant area. They’ll suggest a cafe, book you a tee time, arrange a hike to a hidden beach, plan a fishing trip … whatever the day is calling for.

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On-Land Adventure

From ATV jungle treks to world-class golf, there is much to do out of water here. Hikers can tackle The Forbidden Island, a challenging route with great pay-offs like tide pools and secluded beaches. Or leisurely hike to Bird Island Lookout to spot hundreds of indigenous birds over the majestic limestone formation. Or visit the Old Man by the Sea, a breathtaking rock formation and a moderate hiking expedition.

Underwater Adventure

When you’ve had your fix of kayaking, windsurfing, jet skiing, and banana boating, there is more to see underwater. The Marianas have some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkeling, from caves to shipwrecks to coral reefs. The dubiously named Axe Murderer Tours is Saipan’s top dive outfitter for booking a trip. Good-for-beginner dive sites, like Dimple, show off huge coral reefs teeming with moray eels, hawksbill turtles, red snappers, and spotted eagle rays.

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Often ranked in the top-ten lists of diveable caverns in the world, The Grotto is not for the faint of heart. Seasoned divers will also get a lot out of sites like Eagle Ray City and the Naftan coral wall. But if you’re newer to diving, The Marianas is a great place to get your feet wet.

Day Trip: Tinian Island and Ancient Taga

From Saipan, you can easily hop over to Tinian Island by ferry or a 10-minute flight. A must-see for beach bums, dive fanatics, and history buffs, you could do a night here or see the highlights on a day trip. This friendly little island was once a very active air base for the United States during World War II, and its streets are laid out and named after New York City streets. The island is most famously known for The House of Taga, a mystical archeological site near the island’s cultural center, San Jose Village. You’ll see prehistoric latte stones (pillars) — the relics of an ancient palace built by the Chamorro Chief Taga more than 3,000 years ago.

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Diving is by far the most popular Tinian activity. Dump Cove is filled with old planes, tanks, vehicles, and ammunition from World War II. Spear fishermen will enjoy Unai Dankulo on the eastern shore, and there is ample relaxing and snorkeling to do on Taga Beach, Chulu Beach, or Tachogna Beach. The last is the site of the Tinian Hot Pepper Festival, the island’s biggest festival, which happens each February.

Day Trip: “Nature’s Treasure Island”: Rota

Another quick morning flight will take you to the little island of Rota. Aside from its collection of off-shore dive sites, swimming hotels, and pristine white beaches, Rota has the famous Old Japanese Cannon and the mysterious As Nieves Latte Stone Quarry, more large pillars carved but abandoned by the ancient Chamorro people. At Songsong Village, grab some street snacks and walk to the lookout for views of Mount Tapingot, also known as Wedding Cake Mountain. Visit The Marianas Trench Cave Museum (inside a cave), learn about island birdlife at Chenchon Seabird Sanctuary, and marvel at flora along Taisacana’s Botanical and Nature Trail.

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Cultural & Historic Sites

The Marianas’ storied past is rooted in the indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian cultures that are alive everywhere you look. The original seafaring people came to the islands around 2000 B.C., creating a secluded life here long before the Spanish, Japanese, and American eras of control. The NMI Museum of History and Culture details this fascinating history. The museum occupies an old Japanese Hospital where the people of Saipan got medical care from 1926 until its abandonment in 1944 during the World War II Battle of Saipan. History buffs will find The Marianas a trove of incredibly preserved World War II buildings and relics, including a Japanese lighthouse, jails, bunkers, underwater wreckage, and an abandoned airfield. Thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians jumped to their deaths from Banzai and Suicide Cliffs instead of accepting the surrender to the United States. A visit to the dramatic cliffs offers a somber reflection on the profound history of these islands. Once you’ve soaked up all the fun in the sun of this tropical ecosystem, visit the archeological sites, prehistoric stone structures, and friendly villages to connect with the islands’ locals. Street markets and festivals happen year-round and offer a lively taste of Chamorro and Carolinian food, dance, and music. There’s a wind kite festival in March, the Flame Tree Arts Festival in April, and so much more in between. No matter what is pulling you there, it’s time the United States discovers its neighbor, The Marianas!

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