The Territory of Guam is an island in the Western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. The island's capital is Hagåtña (formerly Agana). Guam is the largest and southern most of the Mariana Islands. It is located approximately 3,300 miles West of Hawaii, 1,500 miles east of the Philippines and 1,550 miles South of Japan, the Island of Guam is the Western most territory of the United States and one of the leading tourist destinations in the Western Pacific. Guam is truly a tropical island paradise. Approximately 30 miles long and 4 to 9 miles wide, the Northern end of Guam is a plateau of rolling hills and cliffs rising to 600 feet above sea level. Waterfalls, rivers and bays abound throughout Guam's central and southern areas. Luxury 5 star hotels line the Tumon Bay beachfront and Guam's unique "duty free" status makes it a shoppers' paradise. The beaches of Tumon Bay offer gleaming white sand and crystal clear, warm waters for swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing and enjoying the fantastic sunsets over the Philippine Sea.

The island has a long history of European colonialism beginning in 1668 with the arrival of Spanish settlers including Padre San Vitores, a Catholic missionary. The island was taken over from Spain by the United States during the Spanish American War in 1898. As the largest island in Micronesia and the only American-held Island in the region before World War II, Guam was occupied by the Japanese in December 1941, and was subject to fierce fighting when American troops recaptured the island in July 1944. Today, Guam's economy is mainly supported by tourism (primarily from Japan) and U.S.

It is believed that Guam was first discovered by seafaring people who migrated from southeastern Indonesia around 2000 B.C. Most of what is known about Pre-Contact ("Ancient") Chamorros comes from legends and myths, archaeological evidence, Jesuit missionary accounts, and observations from visiting scientists like Otto von Kotzebue and Louis de Freycinet. When Europeans first arrived on Guam, Chamorro society roughly fell into three classes: matua (upper class), achaot (middle class), and mana'chang (lower class). The matua were located in the coastal villages, which meant they had the best access to fishing grounds while the mana'chang was located in the interior of the island. Matua and mana'chang rarely communicated with each other, and matua often used achaot as a go-between. There were also "makana" (shamans), skilled in healing and medicine. Belief in spirits of ancient Chamorros called Taotao Mona still persists as a remnant of pre-European society. Early European explorers noted the Chamorros' fast sailing vessels used for trading with other islands of Micronesia. Guam today is a truly cosmopolitan community with a unique culture, the core of which is Chamorro heavily influenced by the Spanish occupation and the Catholic Church. Strong American influence is evident in regard to celebration of many public holidays, the form of Government and the pride in being U.S. that is displayed by the populace.

Official Languages: English and Chamorro

Demonym: Guamanian

Currency: United State Dollar (USD)

Time Zone: Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10)

Internet TLD: .gu

Calling Code: +1 – 671

Visa Formalities for Guam:

Passports

Required by all except:

1. US citizens entering Guam from the US mainland or a US territory provided they hold proof of citizenship and valid photo ID card.

Note: Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (introduced 23 January 2007), US citizens returning directly from a US territory do not need to present a passport to re-enter the USA. For further details about the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, visit the website of the US Department of State:

 http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

Note: All visitors must now hold a machine-readable passport (MRP).

Visas
Visa requirements for Guam are the same as for mainland USA; travelers require a visa or, if qualified, may travel visa free under the US Visa Waiver Program. If applying for a visa, application procedures are also the same (see Passport/Visa section in the USA section). However, there is also a Visa Waiver Program specifically for Guam.

2. Nationals of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK may travel to Guam visa free for visits of 90 days under the USA Visa Waiver Program (see Passport/Visa in the USA section).

3. Nationals of Australia and the UK may travel to Guam visa free for 15 days under the Guam Visa Waiver Program. This program is based on the following conditions: (a) purpose of visit is for business, tourist or transit purposes only; (b) the air carrier is a participant in the Guam Visa Waiver Program; (c) all visitors are in possession of a completed and signed visa waiver form, I-736 (obtainable from the airline).

Note: Travelers who enter Guam visa free are not eligible to travel onward to the USA.

4. Nationals of Canada may visit Guam under the same restrictions as a visit to the USA.

5. Nationals of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovak Republic should check Passport/Visa in the USA section for visa requirements.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see General Info).

Visa Note
The following are not eligible to receive a USA entry visa:
(a) people afflicted with certain serious communicable diseases or disorders deemed threatening to the property, safety or welfare of others;
(b) anyone who has been arrested (except for very minor driving offences) or who has a criminal record;
(c) narcotics addicts or abusers and drug traffickers;
(d) anyone who has been deported from or denied admission to the USA.
Note: Those who are ineligible may be eligible for a waiver of ineligibility.

Warning
Most visits to Guam are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

Attractions & places to visit in Guam:

Golfing

With seven world-class golf courses designed by famous U.S. and Japanese golf greats, Guam is truly a golfers' paradise, sure to challenge all levels of skill and professionalism. Leo Palace golf resort, in central Guam has four 9-hole courses including one designed by Jack Nicklaus and two by Arnold Palmer. The 18-hole Talafofo golf course, in the Southern part of the island, was designed by nine of the top senior golfers in the world (Ben Hogan, Sam Sneed, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Billy Casper, Doug Ford, Gene Sarazen, Bob Toski, Orville Moody, and Gene Littler), each of whom designed two holes. Guam’s Golf courses are known for their breathtaking scenery with immaculately manicured fairways and greens surrounded by lush tropical jungles or perched atop ocean cliffs with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. All of Guam’s golf courses are open to the public and all skill levels, beginner to pro, are welcome. Greens fees start at $80, including the cart which is required at most courses. It is advisable to book with the golf courses in advance because they are all in great demand, especially in high season.

Atlantis Adventures Guam Submarine Tours

Explore Guam’s tropical reefs and expansive marine life up close without getting wet. Atlantis Adventures offers underwater tours aboard a 65' submarine. The submarine carries up to 48 passengers in air conditioned comfort. Each tour begins with a 15 minute boat ride from the Atlantis docks at Aqua Marine World in Piti, to the dive site just inside Apra Harbor. The dive lasts approximately 45 minutes after which passengers are shuttled back to the docks on one of Atlantis's large surface tenders. Atlantis tours are popular with tourists and military personnel stationed on the island. Current prices are $82 for adult and $42 for children under 12 years. Tour guides speak English and Japanese.

Fish Eye Park

Fish Eye Park is an undersea observatory that descends into a World War II bomb hole a couple hundred yards off the beach in Piti. An abundance of coral and marine life abound in these craters which have become prime dive locations and have been designated a marine preserve. The 71 foot Fish Eye Park marine observatory extends 31 feet below the surface into one of the bomb holes. Visitors walk down into the air conditioned observation chamber where they have a 360 degree view of the surrounding coral and marine life. Visitors often find themselves being viewed by the marine life and scuba divers. Cost is $28 for adults and $15 for children under 12 years.

Underwater World Guam

Guam underwater adventure can be found at Underwater World. Located next to Sam Choy's in Tumon, Underwater World is a large aquarium complex where you will stroll through a 7' wide by 7' tall tunnel in 10 feet of water separated by 3 inches of clear acrylic. As you stroll through 3 floors of exhibits you will view various undersea habitats from ocean depths to shallows and varied marine life to include various varieties of sharks, rays, groupers, lion fish, puffer fish, guitarfish, napoleon fish, clownfish, octopus, eels, crabs, clams, anemones, sea horses and live coral. An audio tour guide, available in English, Japanese or, provides general information and allows you to obtain specific information about a fish or marine animal that you see. The tour lasts from 45 minutes to 1 and ½ hour. Admission fees are $22 for adult and $14 for children under 12.

Boonies Stomps and Eco Tours

The Guam “boonies” include the large areas of undeveloped jungle and virgin beaches that cover a large part of the island. "Boonie Stomping", or hiking through these natural wonders is a popular, though demanding pastime for many residents and visitors alike.

Greyhound Racing

Greyhound racing is a popular pastime on Guam for visitors and residents. The Guam Greyhound Park in Tamuning offers racing every Tuesday through Sunday. Gates open at 7:00 P.M. and races start at from 7:45. Betting is legal. Betting tickets are $3 and payoffs can be sizeable. Entrance fee for local residents with valid ID is $2.50 and $1.50 for military. Local residents and military with valid ID are admitted free on Thursdays. Tourists and off-island visitors will have to shell out an $8.00 entry fee.

Water Parks and Beach Clubs

Water parks on Guam offer diverse activities as swimming pools, water slides, swim through aquariums, kayaking canals, water zoos, scuba and wind surfing, water aerobics and more. The largest and most extensive of the water parks are located at the Pacific Islands Club and Onward Beach Resort. Both of these parks offer an extensive variety of water activities, a number of restaurants and live entertainment. Beach clubs offer various activities on Tumon and Hagåtña Bays such as wind surfing, kayaking, paddleboats, jet skiing and parasailing. The Pacific Islands Club and Onward hotels offer beach club services as well as their water parks. Cocos Island is a small 100-acre island located approximately 2 miles off the Southern tip of Guam, surrounded by a vast barrier reef and blessed with good beaches and turquoise lagoons. Cocos Island has recently gained international notoriety as the site of a major Spanish treasure galleon wreck with billions of dollars worth of treasure that has yet to be recovered. Cocos Island Resort offers water sports activities such as diving, jet skiing, windsurfing and parasailing. The club house has full facilities including restaurant, bar and swimming pools.

Climate of guam:

Guam's climate is pleasantly warm year-round. The mean annual temperature is 81 degrees; generally, the range is from the low 70s to the middle 80s. The coolest and least humid months, marked by prevailing westerly trade winds, are in December through February. Although the warmest months are from March through August, the refreshing trade winds blow steadily. The annual rainfall totals 80 to 110 inches. There are two seasons, the dry and the rainy. The dry season, "fanumnangan," begins in December through June. The rainy season, "fanuchanan," falls within the remaining months.