Share from the weekend in Saipan

[Killercavecow]

Exploring more of the sites around Saipan. In the harbor there is so much to see and explore. Between Eagle Rays, sharks, wrecks, and normal tropical kine stuff, it's been great.

Been here about a 15 months now and started diving about a year ago. Two dives at least every weekend. As simple as getting a bottle and driving 20 minutes to the beach. Very grateful.

Here we have a view from Sugar Dock where the boat picks us up if we're doing boat dive.

Big type tippin' bottle in a rubbish field. The kind you would rest in the crook of your arm as you tipped it back while relaxin' on the porch.

Six Stripped Angel fish. Please correct me if I'm wrong.(I have been corrected, it was correctly identified as a Pacific Sailfin Tang by member Dan T. Thank you Dan T!)

A bindle of .50 cal bullets left over from some sort of event that went down 70 or so years ago.

 

[Dan]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

I think that’s a Pacific Sailfin Tang. Six Bar Anglefish is this, below:

 

[Killercavecow]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

I think that’s a Pacific Sailfin Tang. Six Bar Anglefish is this, below:

View attachment 449123

That seems exactly right! Thanks. I Googled for it, but not deep enough.

 

[markmud]

Hi Killercavecrow,

I have some questions for you:

1. How many dive ops with boats are on Saipan?
2. What hotels are on Saipan?
3. Are there lots of u/w wrecks?
4. I assume there are reefs, what other dive features are there? Walls, blue holes, etc.
5. How about restaurants? Good ones, and lots of them?
6. Are there remnants of WW2 airfields still visible?

Thanks,
markm

 

[Killercavecow]

Hi Killercavecrow,

I have some questions for you:

1. How many dive ops with boats are on Saipan?
2. What hotels are on Saipan?
3. Are there lots of u/w wrecks?
4. I assume there are reefs, what other dive features are there? Walls, blue holes, etc.
5. How about restaurants? Good ones, and lots of them?
6. Are there remnants of WW2 airfields still visible?

Thanks,
markm

1. There are several dive ops with boats on Saipan. Most are pointed toward Korean or Chinese tourists. I would recommend Axe Murderer Tours out of Saipan for a dive service. They can set up boats and do most anything that you want. Lots of experience.

2. There are several hotels on the island, once again though, centered around the Asian tourist. Upper end properties would be the Hyatt Regency Saipan and Fiesta Resort Saipan.
Less pricier would be Mariana Resort and Himawari.
If you're just looking for just diving, I'd go with the Aquarius Beach Tower. it's right by Sugar Dock where you would launch from and has the best beach front. No dining there, but close enough to some.

3/4. There is no where near the amount of wrecks that you would find in Chuuk and such, but the three most common probably would be the troop ship, the Higgins Boats, and the Flying Emily.

The Grotto is probably one of the premier spots on the island. It's a hole, with lots of steps. Popular place with some walls and entry points.
At least three bays with shore dives that are good. See turtles, bait ball, reefs, fish, the kine.

This site here explains some of the dive features of the island pretty well.

Dive sites of Saipan - Wikitravel

5. Ummm. lol. No. They aren't bad, but it's not like the mainland. There is some good Asian food, and a Tony Roma's and Bubba Gumps. There are a couple of the hotel resort dining facilities that are good, but like kick ass eating destinations...for me, no. But plenty that will push one out, if you get my drift.

6. WW2 airfields. The primary airport on Saipan is a former Japanese/American airfield, there are some bunkers close to it and inside the airport they do a good job of showing the history. There are several places on Saipan that have WW2 history. Bonzai Cliff, Japanese Jail, bunkers, hideout caves, gun emplacements, ect.
If you want airfields though, you gotta take a $100 round trip to Tinian and rent a car. Go drive the airfields, see the buildings, visit the sites where the atomic bombs were loaded, that's the better airfield experience.

I try to document most dives and most outings when I go explore, so if you check out Killercavecow on Instagram, I promise not very many selfies and lots of pics of the local stuff.

Please hit me up with any other questions. Happy to help out.