So the spouse booked us a trip to Guam in CNY.
Yep, the beach looks nice, the island flat as a pancake and aside some WW2 left overs, shopping seems to be key , supported by the weak USD.
So, anyone whom could give advice what is worth looking at being on US soil?
I hoped to find a Best Buy for electronics (bringing a TV with me ) , but that seems to be a non-no? Any chainstores there? google gave zero.
Clothing? Abercrombie etc?
Food?
[quote=“ceevee369”]So the spouse booked us a trip to Guam in CNY.
Yep, the beach looks nice, the island flat as a pancake and aside some WW2 left overs, shopping seems to be key , supported by the weak USD.
So, anyone whom could give advice what is worth looking at being on US soil?
I hoped to find a Best Buy for electronics (bringing a TV with me ) , but that seems to be a non-no? Any chainstores there? google gave zero.
Clothing? Abercrombie etc?
Food?[/quote]
Take a helicopter ride around the island if the weather is fine. Not so cheap < 400 USD but worth it.
See here: americopters.com/
Make sure you ask them to remove the doors.
flickr.com/photos/mrtang/1799759106/
Otherwise I’d just relax there 
For the shopping part you might be a bit disappointed.
There’s some good snorkeling and hiking to be had, as well as some sombre WW2 relics. The main thing is to get off the beaten tourist path, which is thronged with hordes of tour groups.
According to this site:
virtualtourist.com/travel/Au … -BR-1.html
K-Mart!
Tiffany!
Outback Steakhouse!
Denny’s!
Just like you’re in Texas!
Guam…erm…Starbucks!?
No word of a lie…
My girlfriend purchased two tickets to take me there for a birthday some years ago. We got there and it was so hot, we decided to hire a car for the length of our duration on the island.
We took it out and a few minutes later had taken a wrong turn or something and ended up right back at the rental place. I went to buy a map and of course had a shock when I realised we had already navigated around the whole island. What an idiot! And I was left there wondering what I was going to do with a car for another four days.
Anyway I didn’t have to worry too much. I was far too taken with rushing to the toilet with diarrhoea attacks from the very second day, once I had received food poisoning from Denny’s the night before. I was pretty busy for the next two days.
We tried the beach for about five minutes and got bored. Then I tried Starbucks, the cinema, the gift shop and finally Wendy’s on the last day which I couldn’t eat. It still surprises me that Wendy’s not only sells things to put in your mouth that are more akin to industrial lubricants, but that some people even put it in. Earch!
Anyway…Guam. Its rather a way to go for some Yank and rather rank food. My best advice is that if you go, then at least don’t get sunburn on the first day as the beach is the only bit that’s nice, so you won’t want to spoil that.
Now I would much rather go to Kenting. Its a fraction of the cost, has far more to enjoy, but the bonus is that you can always leave the filthy, obnoxious, loud mouthed, drunk whities there during holiday season and then drive two and a half hours to Taidong, find a secret mountain chalet with some hot springs outside for five hundred a night plus BBQ facilities and just chill.
[quote=“sulavaca”]Anyway…Guam. Its rather a way to go for some Yank and rather rank food. My best advice is that if you go, then at least don’t get sunburn on the first day as the beach is the only bit that’s nice, so you won’t want to spoil that.
Now I would much rather go to Kenting. Its a fraction of the cost, has far more to enjoy, but the bonus is that you can always leave the filthy, obnoxious, loud mouthed, drunk whities there during holiday season and then drive two and a half hours to Taidong, find a secret mountain chalet with some hot springs outside for five hundred a night plus BBQ facilities and just chill.[/quote]
Totally got to disagree with you. I’ve been to both several times. Kenting is much lower in quality to me than Guam.
One example for the food/cocktails on Guam:
[wikipedia]Sam Choy[/wikipedia]:
Cocktails:
Well, I am now even more curious after some pro’s and con’s above!
Thanks all! My ladies and I will elaborate post and let you know on which area’s we found it a 
or 
The first good thing : we stay in the Niko which guarantees beach view.
The lesser thing, 99% Japanese around us. 
[quote=“ceevee369”]Well, I am now even more curious after some pro’s and con’s above!
Thanks all! My ladies and I will elaborate post and let you know on which area’s we found it a or
The first good thing : we stay in the Niko which guarantees beach view.
The lesser thing, 99% Japanese around us. [/quote]
Nikko is on the north tip of Tumon Bay and has a very good reputation (also for the restaurants inside).
All rooms there have ocean view. Starting from the 5th floor they have balconies.
Make sure you call them ahead that you can check-in already in the morning.
One big headache when flying from Taiwan (which is usually overnight) is that usually
(if booked with a travel agent “group ticket”) the hotels [strike]treat you like taiwanese[/strike] don’t allow you to check-in in the morning.
So you’re there with your luggage in the hotel lobby and can not get a shower or nap if you’d like. 
I stayed in the Fiesta (center of Tumon Bay) last time which especially allows morning check-in.
[quote=“engerim”][quote=“sulavaca”]Anyway…Guam. Its rather a way to go for some Yank and rather rank food. My best advice is that if you go, then at least don’t get sunburn on the first day as the beach is the only bit that’s nice, so you won’t want to spoil that.
Now I would much rather go to Kenting. Its a fraction of the cost, has far more to enjoy, but the bonus is that you can always leave the filthy, obnoxious, loud mouthed, drunk whities there during holiday season and then drive two and a half hours to Taidong, find a secret mountain chalet with some hot springs outside for five hundred a night plus BBQ facilities and just chill.[/quote]
Totally got to disagree with you. I’ve been to both several times. Kending is much lower in quality to me than Guam.[/quote]
I admit that it is twelve years since I have been there, so perhaps things have changed somewhat.
Guam: lived there, done that.
It may be an exotic visit worth doing ONCE. Beyond that, the place really bites. For residents GUAM stands for Give Up And Move. For lonely military guys posted there, it stands for Give Up And Maaasticate. Now for the avid scuba diver, fisherman, WWII buff, or hardcore escape artist, Guam is a nice, perhaps necessary, layover before exploring some exotic islands like Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnapei … simply some incredible little corners of the world.
If you remember one thing before your first visit, make it this: When the roads are damp from rain or light shower, drive about 1/2 the speed that feels normal. The roads are literally paved with coral rock, and they are slicker than sh*t when even slightly wet. It is like driving on ice … really weird, and dangerous for the novice. Frankly there is no place on the island worth speeding for, so take it slow. Visitors are notorious for skidding out of control when the roads are damp. Don’t let yourself become a number.
[quote=“HooknSinker”]Guam: lived there, done that.
It may be an exotic visit worth doing ONCE. Beyond that, the place really bites. For residents GUAM stands for Give Up And Move. For lonely military guys posted there, it stands for Give Up And Maaasticate. Now for the avid scuba diver, fisherman, WWII buff, or hardcore escape artist, Guam is a nice, perhaps necessary, layover before exploring some exotic islands like Palau, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnapei … simply some incredible little corners of the world.
[/quote]Suppose on any remote, low populated island the salaries are ridiculously low and there’s also poverty.
What I like about the Islands over there is
I don’t know anything closer to Taiwan which is similar.
Life is what you make of it. I’ve met many happy locals in Guam.
I thought it amusing that the islands mobile speed cameras would be spotted and promptly reported to the local radio station which would immediately tell everyone where they were situated.
I thought it amusing that the islands mobile speed cameras would be spotted and promptly reported to the local radio station which would immediately tell everyone where they were situated.[/quote]
Thats very common in Germany too (at least on the country side).
[quote=“ceevee369”]Well, I am now even more curious after some pro’s and con’s above!
Thanks all!
My ladies
and I will elaborate post and let you know on which area’s we found it a or
The first good thing : we stay in the Niko which guarantees beach view.
The lesser thing, 99% Japanese around us. [/quote]
nice work playboy :bravo:
[quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“ceevee369”]Well, I am now even more curious after some pro’s and con’s above!
Thanks all!
My ladies
and I will elaborate post and let you know on which area’s we found it a or
The first good thing : we stay in the Niko which guarantees beach view.
The lesser thing, 99% Japanese around us. [/quote]
nice work playboy :bravo:[/quote]
Well, an 18 YO stepdaughter whom looks like she is the sister of my wife creates a lot of confusion. Therefore, My ladies indeed 
Not a Hustler trip la :no-no:
[quote=“ceevee369”][quote=“Deuce Dropper”][quote=“ceevee369”]Well, I am now even more curious after some pro’s and con’s above!
Thanks all!
My ladies
and I will elaborate post and let you know on which area’s we found it a or
The first good thing : we stay in the Niko which guarantees beach view.
The lesser thing, 99% Japanese around us. [/quote]
nice work playboy :bravo:[/quote]
Well, an 18 YO stepdaughter whom looks like she is the sister of my wife creates a lot of confusion. Therefore, My ladies indeed
Not a Hustler trip la :no-no:[/quote]
Damn. Imagine your wife has a twin.
Well, time to pack.
I fursakingly do not regret booking this trip despite CNY prices seen the current weather here in TW :raspberry:
The Japanese Hotel did not replied , neither on a Fax or email, so no surprises there. No flowers in the room for the wife as a belated honeymoon :neutral:
Guess they do not care anymore when JAL pulls the plug soon.
So how was it?
Posting to myself I have to update / edit this weekend. Will make a detailed summary for future go-ers.
Let me say that 4 days was waaaaay enough
[quote=“engerim”][quote=“sulavaca”]Anyway…Guam. Its rather a way to go for some Yank and rather rank food. My best advice is that if you go, then at least don’t get sunburn on the first day as the beach is the only bit that’s nice, so you won’t want to spoil that.
Now I would much rather go to Kenting. Its a fraction of the cost, has far more to enjoy, but the bonus is that you can always leave the filthy, obnoxious, loud mouthed, drunk whities there during holiday season and then drive two and a half hours to Taidong, find a secret mountain chalet with some hot springs outside for five hundred a night plus BBQ facilities and just chill.[/quote]
Totally got to disagree with you. I’ve been to both several times. Kending is much lower in quality to me than Guam.
One example for the food/cocktails on Guam:
[wikipedia]Sam Choy[/wikipedia]:
Cocktails:
[/quote]
You better watch out. Using such nomenclature (your stinky Taiwanese comment) will mean you’re going to have Dragonbones and headhonchoII saying you’re racist against the Taiwanese. 
(as they accused me of being when I stated injecting new DNA into the gene pool [by massive immigration from China to Taiwan in late 40s] benefitted economic development).