Not to miss

Cocos Island

About 3km (1.9mi) off Guam's southern tip, Cocos Island is surrounded by a vast barrier reef and blessed with good beaches and lagoons. While most of Cocos is privately owned, the west side of the island - a former US Coast Guard station area - is part of the territorial park system.

To get to the park, called Dano, you must either hike over from the resort dock or, in true seadog fashion, commandeer a private boat - 'arrgh!' Picnicking and camping facilities are available. Boats go to Cocos from the town of Merizo several times a day.

Inarajan

A sleepy village with a smattering of Spanish-era influence and some of the island's richest Chamorro flavours, Inarajan is perched on Guam's scenic southeast coast. Along the waterfront is the Chamorro Cultural Village, a bamboo and thatch complex where traditional Chamorro crafts are demonstrated.

Salugula, a natural saltwater pool, has diving platforms and arched bridges. There are nearby ruins of a concrete Baptist church and a bronze sculpture of a Chamorro battle. In the cliffs across the bay from Inarajan is Gadao's Cave, which has ancient pictographs said to be drawn by Gadao himself.

Ritidian Point

At the northernmost tip of Guam is Ritidian Point, a national wildlife refuge and the site of one of Guam's most pristine sandy beaches. On weekdays the beach is gorgeously empty except for a few stray fishermen, while on weekends it fills with families and picnickers.

Pago Bay Vista Point

An unmarked viewpoint just past the town of Yona on Guam's central eastern coast lets you gaze out over the Pago River as it empties into the broad Pago Bay. There was once a Spanish village at the mouth of the river, but its inhabitants were wiped out in a smallpox epidemic in 1856.

According to legend, a giant fish who wanted to cut the island in half at its narrowest point used to nibble away at the land here, but Guam was saved from bisection by a woman who wove her long hair into a net and scooped up the mischievous fish.

Umatac

This unspoilt, friendly village is soaked in history. Prior to Magellan's 1521 landing in Umatac Bay, a spot just north of Umatac was reckoned by the Chamorros to be where the first people were created; they celebrated the event annually. Then came Magellan whose landing is now celebrated in the village each March.

Opposite the Magellan monument in the village centre are the ruins of the Saint Dionicio Church, originally built in the 1690s, reconstructed in 1862, and destroyed by an earthquake in 1902.

There's a Japanese Zero fighter plane in the bay about 137m (449ft) from the beach and 50m (164ft)under water - it makes for a good dive.

On your way out of town you'll see the decorative Umatac Bridge, with its spiral staircase towers intended to symbolise Guam's Chamorro-Spanish heritage. Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad offers a stunning hilltop view of Umatac Bay and the coastline to the north; on a clear day the aesthetic qualities of the sky and bay defy belief.