Guam 7 Day Itinerary
7-Day Itinerary for Exploring Guam
Guam is simultaneously a US territory and a Micronesian island, which means you get American infrastructure (USD, English, national park system, no customs for US citizens) layered over Chamorro culture and a landscape shaped by two world wars and a coral reef ecosystem. That combination makes it more interesting than its reputation suggests among travellers who associate it mainly with Japanese package tours and duty-free shopping.
Entry Requirements
US citizens and US permanent residents can enter Guam without a visa. Nationals from 12 countries including Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK can enter under the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program for up to 45 days. Since November 2024, G-CNMI VWP travellers must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving. All other nationalities require a standard US visa. Check current requirements for your passport before booking since the program rules updated in 2024.
Getting In and Around
Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport is in Tamuning, five to ten minutes by taxi from the Tumon hotel strip. Taxis from the airport to Tumon cost USD 15 to 25 on metered fares. There is no public bus system worth relying on; a rental car is the practical choice for exploring beyond Tumon, available from USD 40 to 60 per day at airport desks from Alamo, Dollar and Budget. Most Tumon hotels are walkable from each other, but the southern and northern parts of the island require a vehicle.
Where to Stay
Tumon Bay is the main hotel district, with options running from around USD 80 per night for budget properties to USD 300 plus for beachfront resorts such as the Westin Resort Guam and Hilton Guam Resort and Spa. Staying in Tumon keeps you near the beach, restaurants and the Wednesday night market; it is the sensible base for most visitors. Mid-range options at Guam Reef Hotel or The Bayview Hotel run USD 100 to 180.
Day 1: Arrival and Tumon Bay
Arrive, check in, and give yourself the afternoon on Tumon Bay beach. The water is calm, clear and warm year-round; the bay is protected by reef offshore. The Gun Beach area at the northern end of Tumon is quieter than the stretch directly in front of the major hotels and has better snorkelling close to shore.
For dinner, try one of the Chamorro restaurants on Pale San Vitores Road rather than the hotel buffets. Red rice, kelaguen (lime-marinated chicken or seafood), and Chamorro barbecue are the local staples worth eating on the first night. Dine at TurDuckEn or Jamaican Grill, both of which serve solid Chamorro-influenced food at prices well below the resort restaurants.
Day 2: Hagåtña and the Wednesday Night Market
Hagåtña (also spelled Agana) is the capital and has a compact historic core worth a morning. The ruins of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica and Latte Stone Park, with its ancient Chamorro stone pillars, are within walking distance of each other. The Plaza de Espana gardens are a calm stop, particularly in the morning before the heat builds.
If you are visiting on a Wednesday, structure the whole day around being in Hagåtña and Tumon for the Chamorro Village Night Market, which starts around 6 PM and runs until late. Food stalls serving Chamorro barbecue, kelaguen, coconut candy, and fried breadfruit line the waterfront village; there are also live music and cultural dance performances. Arrive by 7 PM to get ahead of the crowds and to find seating. The Wednesday market is one of the most genuine and affordable cultural experiences on the island; do not miss it if your timing aligns.
On other days, the Chamorro Village is still open for artisan crafts and some food stalls, but quieter.
Day 3: War in the Pacific National Historical Park
The War in the Pacific National Historical Park covers seven units across Guam and is free to enter. The T. Stell Newman Visitor Center in Asan has well-produced exhibits on the 1941 Japanese invasion and the 1944 American recapture of Guam; the battles here were among the bloodiest of the Pacific campaign. Asan Beach, the main landing beach in 1944, is directly in front of the visitor centre and now has calm, snorkelable water over fringing reef with scattered WWII relics visible below the surface. Low tide mornings give the clearest visibility.
From Asan, drive south to the Piti Unit to see the Japanese Zero fighters and tanks partly submerged in the harbour, visible by snorkelling or glass-bottom kayak. The park units on the southern coast at Agat are less visited and worth stopping at if you have a car.
Spend the afternoon at Two Lovers Point, a clifftop lookout above Tumon Bay. Entry costs USD 3. The 368-foot viewpoint gives the best elevated perspective of the island’s western coast, and on clear days you can see the curvature of Tumon Bay’s reef line. The Chamorro legend about the two lovers is carved into stone panels at the site; it is genuinely affecting rather than tourist-kitsch.
Day 4: Ritidian Beach and the Northern Tip
Ritidian Beach, at the northernmost point of Guam inside the Guam National Wildlife Refuge, is the single best beach on the island and the one that most generic itineraries undervalue. The road there is paved but the beach itself has no facilities, no jet skis, no beach bars; just white coral sand, sea turtles nesting from July to November, and a fringing reef with excellent snorkelling. Bring your own water, food and snorkel gear. The refuge gate opens at 8 AM and closes at 4 PM; arrive early.
On the drive up Route 1 through northern Guam, stop at Tarzan Falls if you want a 30-minute jungle hike to a freshwater waterfall and pool. The trailhead is near Yigo and the hike is easy but muddy after rain.
Bring the evening back to Tumon; this is a full-day excursion and you will not need additional afternoon activities.
Day 5: Apra Harbor Diving and Cocos Island Snorkel
Apra Harbor contains some of the best wreck diving in the Pacific, including the SMS Cormoran (German WWI cruiser) and the Tokai Maru (Japanese WWII freighter) lying alongside each other on the harbour floor. Nitrox-certified divers can also reach the deeper WWII vessels. Dive shops in Tumon and Agat include Fish Eye Marine Park and Padi-certified operators with full-day packages from around USD 120 to 180 for two tank dives with equipment.
For non-divers, snorkel cruises to Cocos Island off the southern coast offer colourful reef fish, coral gardens and occasional manta rays. Half-day tours depart from Merizo Pier and cost approximately USD 60 to 90 per person including equipment; book 24 to 48 hours ahead during peak season (December to March, July to August).
The Guam Aquarium (Fish Eye Marine Park) in Piti has an underwater observatory 25 feet below the surface that works well for children or those who prefer not to snorkel.
Day 6: Southern Guam and Chamorro Culture
Drive Route 4 south from Agat through the villages of Santa Rita, Umatac and Merizo. Umatac Bay, where Ferdinand Magellan landed in 1521, has a small memorial and a bay view that puts the historical scale of Pacific navigation in perspective. The bridge at Merizo over Cocos Channel is a good spot to look for manta rays in calm mornings.
Stop at Inarajan Natural Pool, a natural swimming pool formed by reef and lava rock on the southeastern coast. The water is shallow, clear and calm; families swim here and local kids use it as an after-school spot.
The Guam Museum in Hagåtña (open Tuesday to Saturday, admission USD 6) is worth the early afternoon if you want a structured understanding of Chamorro history from pre-Magellan settlement through Spanish colonisation and the WWII period. Small but well-curated.
Day 7: Leisure and Departure
Save the last morning for whatever you most want to repeat: Gun Beach for a final snorkel, Chamorro Village for last-minute craft purchases, or the Micronesian Mall for duty-free shopping (Guam’s prices on Japanese electronics and cosmetics attract serious shopping tourism from Japan and Korea). The Micronesian Mall and the GPO mall near the airport both have good ranges of Chamorro snack foods and Guam-branded goods that travel well as gifts.
Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport is small and tends to be quiet outside peak departure windows. Allow 90 minutes before your flight for international departures. The taxi from Tumon to the airport costs USD 15 to 25 and takes under 15 minutes in normal traffic.
Practical Tips for the Whole Trip:
- Guam’s wet season runs from June to December with heavy afternoon downpours but generally clear mornings; the dry season from January to May is more reliable for beach and outdoor activities.
- The US dollar is the currency; there are no exchange complications.
- Petrol is cheap by US mainland standards; renting a car for the full week costs less than you expect.
- Sun protection is critical. The equatorial UV is intense and the reef and beaches encourage hours of exposure.
- Japanese tourists form the largest visitor group and most resort staff speak Japanese; English is universal everywhere.
- Wednesday is the one day to definitely stay, purely for the Chamorro Village night market.