Guam, an unincorporated territory of the U.S., is inhabited by the Chamorros, sea-faring folks who migrated from Indonesia around 2000 B.C. The capital Hagåtña, still bears signs of the island’s former occupation by the Spanish, most notably in its architecture and stone bridges.
Catholic traditions permeate Guam’s culture. Each village has its own patron saint, in whose honor Guamanians hold festivals to which the entire island is invited. Traditional music is played on instruments indigenous to the Chamorros, such as the belembaotuyan and the nose flute. Native crafts are woven from coconut fibers or carved from ifit, mangrove, or pago woods and are available for sale at the Chamorro village. Flea markets and shopping malls make Guam’s duty free shopping plentiful and accessible. Guam enjoys a tropical marine environment and is nearly surrounded by coral reefs, making it a paradise for divers who enjoy the relatively undiscovered wreck and reef diving opportunities that abound here. The Piti Bomb Holes are an especially unique subaquatic attraction, a series of natural reef limestone formations that look as if they were blasted from the seabed. The largest hole contains the Fisheye Marine Observatory, where divers feed swarms of colorful fish that gather.
