Festivals across the islands
Throughout the year, a variety of festivals celebrate Chamorro, Carolinian, and international cultural traditions in song, dance, crafts, and food. There’s no better place to start than the weekly Sabalu Market in the heart of the main tourist district of Saipan or the annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden.
Elsewhere, the yearly Flame Tree Arts Festival showcases traditional Carolinian stick dancing, an old warrior dance, and artists from all over Micronesia share their masterpieces.
Suicide Cliff
Rising over 800 feet, Suicide Cliff juts out over the relatively flat plains of Marpi. This site is where many Japanese civilians and soldiers jumped off from the high cliffs rather than surrendering to American forces in the last days of the battle for Saipan. Memorials to the deceased are speckled along the cliff’s edge. Mesmerising, unobstructed views of the northern tip of the island can be glimpsed from the lookout points, while the location has also served as a launchpad for local hang gliding competitions.
