GUAM: Visiting somewhere obscure for no apparent reason (NGO-GUM-KIX on UA J)

[smit0847]

PS - for everyone else visiting GUM please add your thoughts to this TR! I would love this to be combo of peoples experiences rather than just mine. I'm back there for 40 hours in November and will add some thoughts to this TR then too.

There is something very exotic about flying to a tiny tropical island in the pacific (especially from a freezing Japan), however the reality of what awaits you when you get there can be very different to the expectation!

 

[travelislife]

Great feedback. It sounds like you had a very similar experience in Guam that I did.

I would argue the UA 737 J might be better than the 777-200 J as with a much smaller cabin its a bit more personable. We found the recliner seats extremely comfortable for the 2 day flights and though the IFE was non-existant, the crew ere pretty good in offering plenty of (somewhat average) food and drinks in the small cabin.

We were quite bored when it was raining as unless you like shopping or eating there is very little to do. $4.75 cinema tickets were a great way to pass the afternoon. It was glorious driving around in a convertible when the sun was out though!

What did you think of the roads? Did the word 'ghetto' come to mind when you were there at all?

The cabin only had about 10 seats filled on each of the flights so service was ok. Your right the roads are pretty average but I suppose not as bad as I thought, I have seen a lot worse through Asia, Africa, South and Central America! Didn't actually feel like a ghetto at all, just that general humid feeling, seen much worse ghetto looking places in the mainland US than anything I saw here. But definitely some more run down buildings around with only the small upper portion of the Tumon strip resembling an upmarket newer feeling.

What was funny that I didn't mention was that on the flight over the head FA said he had been getting a lot more Australians recently and asked how did we generally get to Guam, through Hawaii!? Also on Saturday or Sunday (can't remember which) I saw a younger male in the lobby of the Hilton with a silver Qantas coaster on his bag, someone on here???

 

[smit0847]

What was funny that I didn't mention was that on the flight over the head FA said he had been getting a lot more Australians recently and asked how did we generally get to Guam, through Hawaii!?

Bahahahahahaa!!

 

[Denali]

I visited Guam in 2004 and I still say to hubby its where I would like to retire. We also visited Palau and Yap - good memories.

Back then the flight route was, Syd>Cairns>Guam>Palau>Yap. We werent suppose to go to Palau but they changed their flight route after we booked.

 

[PMHI]

Have done the Sydney-Cairns-Guam return several times for work, most recently Oct13. The 0030 departure from Cairns with 0530 arrival into Guam on Continental 737 does not really result in an alert first morning. Tumon Bay now looks like what I guess Waikiki was like about 25 years ago in that there are some up market shops but a lot of scope for development.

Away from the up market section it seems to be gun shop, strip place and cheap restaurant followed by gun shop, strip place and cheap restaurant followed by .... Apparently some from Japan like to fire an AK47. Also seem to be Japanese weddings on the hour at a number of chapels on Tumon Bay beach.

While there are areas in Guam that could be improved, a few drinks on a dry evening as the sun sets over Tumon Bay is very pleasant.

 

[Denali]

What was funny that I didn't mention was that on the flight over the head FA said he had been getting a lot more Australians recently and asked how did we generally get to Guam, through Hawaii!?

I remember talking to a coworker about our visit to Yap (via Guam)

Him: Yap? Is that in country Victoria?
Me: *smacks forehead*

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

PS - for everyone else visiting GUM please add your thoughts to this TR! I would love this to be combo of peoples experiences rather than just mine. I'm back there for 40 hours in November and will add some thoughts to this TR then too.

There is something very exotic about flying to a tiny tropical island in the pacific (especially from a freezing Japan), however the reality of what awaits you when you get there can be very different to the expectation!

Great TR smit0847

Thanks for all your hard work & the level of detail in your review.

Guam - Certainly has now been added onto my bucket list.... even if it's just a stopover.

 

[get me outta here]

Reading the hotel reviews for Guam is pretty depressing. So, look out for the opening of the new Dusit Thani later this year.

 

[rogerkambah]

Great TR smit0847

Thanks for all your hard work & the level of detail in your review.

Guam - Certainly has now been added onto my bucket list.... even if it's just a stopover.

From what I've read here i wouldn't go to GUM as a destination. However, I'm not a diver.

 

[Denali]

From what I've read here i wouldn't go to GUM as a destination. However, I'm not a diver.

We went to Yap because hubby had to see mantas (we both dive, hes an scuba instructor). We did see them but for the time and effort, it was a bit disappointing and then we went to Lady Elliot Island (south Great Barrier Reef) and mantas everywhere plus whales and turtles. Yeah, our own backyard can be pretty awesome. We really liked Guam but that was 10yrs ago and things change.

 

[Mark3000]

Reading the hotel reviews for Guam is pretty depressing. So, look out for the opening of the new Dusit Thani later this year.

I had a look at the pictures on tripadvisor of the Westin & thought they looked nice, but maybe I'd better read the reviews.
Surely it would be better than being in Syd or Mel in winter

 

[get me outta here]

I read a lot of the Trip Advisor reviews (mostly discounting people w' very few reviews), and looked at photos of the rooms too, and it seemed that the hotels were in a race to the bottom. Maybe I'm just too fussy. I discount comments about the size of the lobby or that it took lots of minutes to check in.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotels-g60668-Guam-Hotels.html

I had a look at the pictures on tripadvisor of the Westin & thought they looked nice, but maybe I'd better read the reviews.
Surely it would be better than being in Syd or Mel in winter

 

[hummel]

If people think Guam was bad...they should try it's poorer cousin... Saipan!

 

[smit0847]

If people think Guam was bad...they should try it's poorer cousin... Saipan!

Yeah did anyone pick Saipan instead of GUM so they could stopover in ICN? I haven't heard any reports of anyone going?

I would love to hear how it compares with Guam!

 

[amaroo]

If people think Guam was bad...they should try it's poorer cousin... Saipan!

I found Saipan ok. It was 1989....things might have changed!

Although the Pacific Island Club doesn't look like it's changed at all Resort Saipan | Hotel Mariana Islands | Pacific Islands Club Saipan

 

[hummel]

Yeah did anyone pick Saipan instead of GUM so they could stopover in ICN? I haven't heard any reports of anyone going?

I would love to hear how it compares with Guam!

When I get a spare moment I'll put up a little TR about my trip over Easter.

Can't say I'm in a hurry to do it again but don't regret it.

 

[Denali]

Maybe because im a diver, on dive trips accomodation comes last over the diving. I remember one dive trip and the bed was a bamboo frame with a blanket for a mattress and mozzie net with holes. Diving was fantastic though.

I cant remember the Guam hotel we stayed out but it was the standard Hilton/Holiday Inn type place with good clean rooms and staff. I was wondering why we got such a great room with a balacony so high and then I was told due to cyclones/earthquakes the better rooms were lower.

 

[smit0847]

When I get a spare moment I'll put up a little TR about my trip over Easter.

Can't say I'm in a hurry to do it again but don't regret it.

Thanks hummel - I'd really appreciate it. All I know about SPN vs GUM is that SPN is smaller (size and population), less touristy, more Asian and the economy isn't great. If US had stayed in *A I would probably have booked a trip to SPN purely for something different to GUM (already booked 3 GUM trips).

The fact that the new Guam Dusit Thani is 'the first resort to be built in Guam in over a decade' gives you an idea of how old everything is!

Feel free to compare what you liked and didn't like about SPN to my list of that for GUM further up this thread.