Guam travel info

Nine in the morning on Tumon Beach: twenty steps from the hotel lobby to the sand, then hundreds of metres of pale-green water that never gets past your waist. The reef breaks the waves far out, so toddlers in rubber rings drift around without a care. Two Lovers Point juts up at the north end of the bay, and at the south end families light charcoal grills on the Ypao Beach Park lawn every weekend.

Guam is US territory in the western Pacific, a few hours' flight from the major cities of East Asia. You pay in dollars, drive on the right and check out at outlet stores with no sales tax added. But the menus are half in Chamorro: red rice tinted with achiote seeds, chicken kelaguen 'cooked' in lemon juice, finadene sauce of soy, vinegar and chilli. Go to the Wednesday night market at Chamorro Village in Hagåtña and you can pile all of it onto one plate.

Most people base themselves on Tumon's hotel strip, ride the red shuttle bus to the malls and rent a car for a day to loop the southern coast. The island is about an hour and a half end to end, so two days covers it even if you're greedy. The catch: July to November brings several downpours a day, and from August to November you keep one ear on the typhoon forecast.

Antonio B. Won Pat Guam International Airport (GUM)

• Taxi: 10–15 minutes · About $20–35 to Tumon hotels (2026 travel guides; varies with luggage and time)
• Hotel or tour-company pick-up (pre-booked): 10–20 minutes (longer with several hotel stops) · Hotel shuttles free to $20+; private cars roughly $50–95 per vehicle. Often included in packages or hotel bookings
• Rental car (airport pick-up): 20–40 min paperwork, then 10–15 min drive · Roughly $45–90 a day (depends on car, season and insurance)
• Stroll (Guam ride app): 10–15 minutes (if a car is available) · Shown in the app (no published fare table)

• Visa and entry (G-CNMI ETA): Free ETA in advance; up to 45 days
• Getting there by air: Fly into Guam (GUM)
• Time zone: UTC+10, no daylight saving
• Currency and costs: No sales tax; 11% hotel tax
• Paying and tipping: Cards OK; cash at stalls; tip 15–20%
• Power: 110V; flat-pin adapter needed
• Language: English; say 'Håfa Adai'
• Internet: Pick an eSIM that lists Guam
• Emergencies: Emergency 911
• Best time: Dec–May dry; Feb–Apr best