Guam: Paradise Found

Barron's, the financial news publication, has included Guam on a short-list of great places to live, especially in terms of the cost of housing.

Here's the story kicker: 

Retirement: Bulletproof Your Portfolio -- U.S. territories like Guam and American Samoa may not be high on your list of retirement havens, but they're well worth a look. Finding oceanfront bargains.

Although the story is aimed at people who want to retire, I also believe that Guam, Micronesia and points in Pacific, can be attractive to knowledge workers, people who can work independent of any office. 

As the article points out: 

Guam is also much cheaper than Hawaii, and not as isolated as you might think. Though it is seven hours from Hawaii, good short-haul airlines make it easy to reach Japan, the Philippines or China. The big worry in Guam is weather; the island sits in the western Pacific's typhoon zone. In the past decade, it's been hit by two super-typhoons.

Yes, the typhoons can interrupt work but they are relatively rare and the island is usually quick to recover. But the more important is Guam's proximity to Asian countries, which, in my mind, can make it very attractive to U.S. workers who want to be in relatively close range of Asian time zones.

As a counterpoint to the Barron's article, read Brad Boydston's thoughts on the idea of retiring on Guam. He loves the island, but as a place for retirement?

The Guam primary

The New York Times calls the Guam Democratic primary on May 3rd., the island's "moment in the sun." (Subscription required) This may be true but will it matter?

The NYT reports:

With four delegates up for grabs in caucuses on May 3, Guam is a player in the Democratic primaries for the first time. Though island residents cannot vote in the general election, they can help choose a presidential nominee. In fact, Guamanians need not be registered voters to participate.

This strikes me as a huge opportunity for Guam to draw attention to its political status as well as push Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for changes. The candidates can't campaign for support without responding to local concerns.

Today, Guam is represented in Congress by a non-voting delegate. It is marginalized politically because it has no political power. The Democrat primary is an opportunity for the people of this island to tell the country what Guam is about.

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Note:

Guam is some 14 hours ahead of the East Coast. Which means when it is Saturday, May 3rd at 7 p.m. on Gaum, it will be 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 3rd in Washington. See: Guam Time Converter

Guam and Camping

Updated: May 22, 2018.

I wrote a post on this camping on Guam in 2008.  There was very little information about camping on Guam at that time. But this post continues to get hits because it's something people are interested in.

Since then -- 10 years ago, and how time flies -- more information has appeared about camping, so here's an update.

The good news: Camping on Guam is easy to do. But it might pay to do some additional homework.

The Guam Visitors Bureau has since published the rule on camping and it says this:


"Camping: Except for the historical parks, public parks on Guam are available for camping at any time. Gather your family and friends, pitch a tent, and get ready to enjoy the pleasure of cool evenings and sunny days. Fishing, glass containers, and loud music are prohibited to preserve the comfort of our beaches, but bring on the barbecue. For more information, contact the Department of Parks and Recreation."

That sounds fairly liberal and progressive of Guam.

How does pitch-a-tent-in-any-park works out in practice? I'm not sure. What parks have restrooms? And feel safe?

If you are off island, and want to camp on Guam, it might be worth your time to post a query on the Reddit Guam sub.

People are pretty helpful on this Reddit sub, and queries are basically anonymous. People are always seeking advice about visiting or relocating to Guam.

In you are military, you are in luck. See: Camp out at Andersen's Tarague Beach.

Other resources

Camping and surfing at Gab Gab Beach video. 

A cool drone video of campers at Tagachang Beach.

Information about Tagachang Beach


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What follows is from is from 2008 and what I wrote was boring. But I was in mood, remembering a happy time in my life ...

Among the best memories I have of growing up were the camping trips I took with my parents. We went to Hapgood, part of the Green Mountain National Forest in Peru, Vermont.

It was small campground, perhaps 20 sites as I remember it, a pond and wonderful trails. Camping was a major part of growing up, so it was with some surprise to read that attendance at national parks is in decline.

Reuters: Americans spend less time on nature activities: study.

Excerpt: "The average person in America used to go to the national parks every year. It was the iconic American family vacation.

Now, there are less people doing that," said Patricia Zaradic, a biologist with the Environmental Leadership Program, Delaware Valley, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Here’s an abstract of it at the National Academy of Sciences. After 50 years of steady increase, per capita visits to U.S. National Parks have declined since 1987.

Where do parents take their children today?

Guam has a seamless connection with the outdoors. I lived outdoors, especially when I lived in a house on the island’s south side. The beach, snorkeling, boonie stomping were very important.

Work in Cambodia as a copy editor

I know there are a fair number of Cambodian ex-pats living on Guam. This job that sounds like a wonderful opportunity for someone with copy editing skills. A publication, The Cambodia Daily, is seeking several copy editors. The pay is only $10,000 a year, but it includes a place to live. It's an English language publication.

Two interesting posts about Guam

Final Thoughts on Guam at the Everthing Everwhere Travel Blog. The writer reflects on his visit to Guam.

Guam Is Doomed If We Don't Wake Up. Will the increase military build-up increase the military threat to Guam as well? That's what this writer is arguing.

Guam’s own shock and awe

The U.S. Department of Defense is getting ready to transfer 8000 marines and 9,000 family members from Okinawa to Guam. Add to that thousands of contractors, support personnel and you have the makings, of "a huge shock to our system ...." according to the testimony of Trina Leberer, marine conservation coordinator for the Micronesia Program of The Nature Conservancy.

Lebere's testimony was part of a hearing in August by the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, on the "U.S. Military Buildup on Guam and Challenges Facing the Community."

The testimony, in total, outlines the impact this build-up will have the enormous cost imposed to expand utilities, improve roads, and other services.

What follows are excerpts from some of the testimony.

Facilities must be constructed for the 8,000 Marines and 9,000 family members. It is anticipated that such construction will require 12,000 to 15,000 construction workers, with 75 percent of such workers coming from outside of Guam.

The increase in Guam’s population, by an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 people or over 20 percent including military and family members, construction workers, and other public and private sector service providers, will create opportunities.

-- David Cohen, deputy assistant secretary, Dept. of Interior.

Our preference is to remain on land owned by the federal government, but at this stage we have not determined whether our requirements will fit on existing DoD lands.

-- David Brice, executive director for the Joint Guam Program Office, and the person responsible Department of Defense planning.

Guam’s population is expected to increase from 168,564 in 2005 to 180,692 in 2010, without factoring any increase to the local military population by the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Government of Guam has estimated the costs to support the military buildup at an estimated $1.1. Billion dollars.

-- Felix Camacho, Guam governor Our water and power systems are at near capacity; our roads are in need of repair; there is an immediate need to close Ordot dump and to open a new sanitary landfill, and our only civilian hospital has been struggling to meet the needs of the current population. Imagine the impact of additional military personnel and support staff and their families totaling 30,000 people on our ailing infrastructure.

-- Senator Judith T. Won Pat, minority leader, Guam Legislature

The increase of vehicle traffic throughout the island on the major roadways is definitely a concern by all motorists.

-- Melissa Savares, mayor of Dededo

... our people’s voice really do not count.

-- Hope Cristobal, University of Guam, adjunct professor who teaches the history of Guam.

The Districts are also recommending that the military buildup address the issue of alternative types of renewable energy generation such as bio energy, ocean wave energy, wind power and other sources of renewable energy as part of its buildup operations.

-- Benny P. San Nicolas, chairman of the Southern Soil & Water Conservation District

A majority (71%) of Guam residents polled support an increased military presence, 14% opposed, and 15% were either neutral (9%) or don’t know (6%).

-- Stephen Ruder, chairman, Guam Chamber of Commerce

For an island of only 212 square miles, this will be a huge shock to our system ....

-- Trina Leberer, marine conservation coordinator for the Micronesia Program of The Nature Conservancy.

Brown Tree Snakes

March 25, 2007 I realize Brown Tree Snakes are predators and a particular threat to some birds, especially the Guam Rail. I live in DC and have seen that bird at the National Zoo. Here’s what the zoo’s Web site has to say about the Guam Rail and the Brown Tree Snake:

The introduction of brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) in the 1950s almost spelled doom for the rails. Snakes feeding on the rails’ young and eggs caused the Guam rail population to crash to only 21 birds by 1985. Other birds on Guam have been similarly affected by the brown tree snake. Guam Micronesian Kingfisher.

I have to admit that in the years I was on Guam, almost three years in the mid-1970s and for a return visit about five years ago, that I have never seen a Brown Tree Snake. I spent much of my time living off base in the southern end of the island. The snakes are largely out of sight.