Northern Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a United States Commonwealth territory in the western Pacific Ocean, a scattered archipelago of 14 islands that stretches north of Guam towards Japan. While less famous than Hawaii or Guam, the CNMI — particularly its main island of Saipan — offers an exceptional combination of tropical beauty, WWII historical significance, and easy accessibility for travellers from both the US and Japan. The islands receive significant numbers of Japanese visitors seeking the tropical climate and proximity that the CNMI's unique US-Japan relationship offers.

Saipan, the capital island, is home to white-sand beaches backed by palm trees, a vibrant coral reef system, and some of the most profoundly affecting WWII memorial sites in the Pacific. The island saw some of the most intense fighting of the Pacific War in June and July 1944, and the memorials, battlefields, and Suicide Cliff at Marpi are a sobering counterpoint to the tropical beauty of the surroundings. The crystal-clear waters off Saipan and the neighbouring islands of Tinian and Rota offer world-class snorkelling and diving, including wrecks from the war.

Rota, the southernmost island, is considered the jewel of the CNMI for divers and nature lovers — quieter and less developed than Saipan, it offers pristine coral gardens, a traditional Chamorro community, and a slower pace of island life that feels refreshingly authentic. The CNMI is a destination that rewards exploration beyond the main island.

The Marianas were settled by the ancient Chamorro people approximately 3,500 years ago, with evidence of sophisticated society visible in the latte stone structures found across the islands. Ferdinand Magellan became the first European to reach the Marianas in 1521, and Spain established formal colonial control in 1668. The colonisation process was violent and transformative, reducing the Chamorro population dramatically through warfare, disease, and forced resettlement. Spain sold the islands to Germany in 1899, following which Japanese administration began after World War I under a League of Nations mandate.

The CNMI was the site of brutal battles in World War II — the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign of 1944 resulted in enormous casualties on both sides. After US victory, B-29 bombers departed from airfields on Tinian to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The United States administered the islands as a UN Trust Territory after the war, and the CNMI voted to enter political union with the US as a commonwealth in 1978. The islands have faced economic challenges in recent decades following the decline of the garment industry and the impact of multiple severe typhoons.

The Northern Mariana Islands' cultural identity is rooted in the ancient Chamorro civilisation, which inhabited the Marianas for at least 3,500 years before European contact. The Chamorro people developed a sophisticated matrilineal society known for its remarkable latte stone pillars — ancient limestone columns that supported communal structures and remain one of the most iconic images of Micronesian heritage. Spanish colonisation from the late 17th century profoundly reshaped Chamorro culture through mission conversion, displacement, and demographic collapse, but the Chamorro language and traditions have survived and are experiencing a cultural renaissance today.

The CNMI also has a significant Carolinian community, descendants of settlers from the Caroline Islands who arrived in the early 19th century. Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Filipino communities add further layers to the multicultural fabric of modern island life. Traditional practices including weaving, outrigger canoe navigation, and local fishing methods are maintained as living cultural traditions. Community festivals such as the Flame Tree Arts Festival celebrate the islands' diverse heritage through music, dance, traditional crafts, and local food.

Chamorro cuisine is the soul of Northern Mariana Islands food culture, a tradition shaped by the land, sea, and centuries of cultural influence. Red rice, tinted with achote seeds and served at every festive occasion, is the iconic Chamorro staple — rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. Kelaguen, a dish of grilled or raw meat or seafood dressed with lemon juice, onion, and hot pepper, is a communal favourite at parties and fiestas, prepared in fresh batches and eaten with corn tortillas called titiyas. Barbecue — particularly grilled ribs, chicken, and fish marinated in a soy sauce and lemon base — is central to Chamorro social life.

Japanese culinary influence is unmistakably present throughout Saipan, where excellent sushi, ramen, and Japanese fusion restaurants sit alongside local Chamorro barbecue joints and Korean restaurants. Fresh tuna, mahi-mahi, and reef fish are available daily, often prepared in the local kelaguen style or grilled simply with local seasonings. The Saturday market at As Teo in Saipan is an excellent place to sample homemade Chamorro specialities, local tropical fruits, and freshly prepared street food in a community atmosphere.