Getaway

Reroutes, postponement, cancellations – chaos was experienced in the travel industry with the SARS outbreak. We, along with many other travelers worldwide, were forced to cancel our original leisure plans when transiting through some cities proved too risky. After many reroutes in search of an international destination last Holy Week, we finally settled on one not too far from home — Guam.

Barely visible on my reference map, Guam was initially not on my "must-see" list, especially after hearing about the very few activities available to the visitor. However, I thought of giving it a second look. After all, those were comments from travelers of at least two years past. After learning more through research on the Net, Guam appeared to have been underrated, and was now fit as a short leisure getaway that we were looking for.

Short and sweet. Less than four hours flight time, we flew with our flag carrier for a non-stop flight. We left at around 10 p.m. and arrived at dawn. Although the flight schedule is mainly geared toward sea crews transiting, it’s also the best time to catch some shut-eye. After clearing customs and checking into our hotel, we were ready for our first day by 5:30 a.m. The return flight leaves in the morning as well, at 7 a.m. This gave us plenty of time to relax in Manila before going back to work.

Sunshine and rain. It’s always good to check the weather for the duration of your stay. Weather.com provides a good five-day forecast. Of course, we knew about the thunderstorms a few days before our flight, anticipating that the worst-case scenario would place us indoors – shopping at the mall – which was actually a good thing. Bags packed and ready to go, we were at the airport when the lady screening our bags blurted out, "Guam — Cancelled." At first, I thought she was just kidding, but lo and behold, the status beside our flight on the electronic board read "CANCELLED." The storm had intensified that afternoon and for safety reasons, the airline scheduled us on the next flight. So off we went on the next flight. For the most part, however, the sun shines happily in Guam and it’s a great opportunity to get a tan, as we saw several international travelers in beachwear strolling around the area with envious sun-kissed color. Various hotels have built their chains along the beachfront, allowing easy access along the coast to the sea.

Around and around. Bus operators have made it easy for tourists to get around the island. Unlimited-ride passes are available and the buses stop in various malls and hotels. This is extremely cost-efficient if you do not plan to go on a shopping spree. If you plan to buy some bulky items or hoard a lot of things, renting a car would be a good idea to save you from going back and forth to the malls. You only need to remember two major roads – San Vitores and Marine Drive. Everything anyone needs can be found along these roads. They go in a loop, so it’s virtually impossible to get lost.

Another advantage renting a car is that you can venture off to different restaurants. Before our trip, we had searched for the best restaurant on the Internet. After all, what’s a vacation without having a good meal? The result of my research for the "best restaurant in Guam" with a search engine gave me Sam Choy. Don’t be fooled by the name; it’s not a Chinese restaurant. It’s one of the best seafood fusion cuisine restaurants in the area. The food was great and definitely lived up to our expectations. If you’re more the red meat eater, try Lone Star Steakhouse. Aside from serving up huge portions of one of the best-tasting steaks, they’re also known for their free bread rolls (yum!).

Malls and K-mart. With a population of just 155,000, you’d never expect three major malls in the area plus a strip of premium brand-name boutiques. This development is due mainly to the Japanese market and transiting Navy men and Marines – both of which Guam caters to. K-mart, on the other hand, has become one of the major tourist attractions in itself. Going there, we had the impression that Guam has the largest K-mart ever built. When we asked a local whether it was true, he thought for a moment, then said that it probably used to be, but that now he was not so sure anymore. Oh well, it’s still in our "must-visit" list. It’s one gigantic store in a large area with both food and non-food items segregated by aisles instead of by floors. The main advantage is that most everything is available and you just need to queue up once at the checkout counter for all your goodies. It’s definitely efficient. However, if you’re looking for signature brand-name items, it’s best to visit the DFS Galleria strip. Oh, and have I said that Guam is tax-free?

Tees and greens. For the aficionados, this is your haven. Due to the limited population of local players and catering mostly to the tourist market, most golf courses are available for play to walk-in guests. It’s recommended that reservations be made beforehand, although we were able to easily book our preferred schedules upon arrival. There are about eight different courses on the island, and our concierge recommended Alte Golf, a 27-hole course. According to our golfer companions, golfing in Guam is pretty good, except that you’d have to carry your own bags since they don’t have caddy services unlike in Asian golf courses. Therefore, it’s almost imperative to get a cart; otherwise, travel light with those clubs!

Filipinos and service. According to statistics, Guam’s population is comprised of 25 percent Filipinos. A resident off-handedly commented that McDonald’s outlets require applicants to be able to speak fluent Filipino to qualify. No wonder. Everywhere we turned, whether speaking in fluent American English or in straight Filipino, a friendly kababayan was almost always there to offer help. Whether it’s part of their friendly service, majority of them are ready for a short kamustahan – hungry for information on recent local events and expressing their extreme homesickness. A taxi driver even commented that earning a living there isn’t as easy as it used to be (I doubt this would deter OFWs to queue up at the POEA office, though). Still, they never forget to smile and say "Salamat po. Kamusta na lang po sa atin."

Our time there was short, but we were able to appreciate a lot what the island has to offer and to experience great hospitality. It’s always good to know that there’s a place where you can get away from the busy city life, enjoy a change of scenery that’s just a short hop away.

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Annabelle K. Yap is CEO of Yapster e-Travel Inc., a member of the Yapster e-Conglomerate Inc. You may contact her at [email protected].