Discover Saipan!
With Walt F.J. Goodridge
The Jamaican on Saipan!
Who am I?
"I escaped the New York rat race to live my dream life on a tropical island! Now I share the history and the mystery of my new home with others from around the world!"
My name is Walt Goodridge. I first discovered Saipan while at a house party in Brooklyn one winter night in December 2005. I was in conversation with my friend Ken, who had visited the island a few months earlier. He raved about his amazing experience—and something clicked!
Two months later…
Located in the western Pacific, a short flight from Guam and 3 hours from Japan, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a popular tourist destination rich in history, culture and natural resources. Saipan, just 5 miles wide by 13 miles long, is the largest and most populated of the 15 islands making up an archipelago that stretches 400 miles (north to south) along the edge of the Marianas Trench.
What People Say About My Tours
“We have been on many tours in many countries and this tour is among the best. Walt is a transplant from Jamaica via NYC but has fallen in love with Saipan. He is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastically shares that knowledge. He is incredibly attentive to every detail. The tour was exhaustive and insightful. We felt we really knew Saipan at its conclusion. If I had a complaint, it would be the high cost. Although initially reluctant because of the price, we are glad we chose to do the tour.” —Bill Abbott, New Mexico
“Let me just say that Walt took Saipan’s war history experience to a whole new level! Not only was he patient and knowledgeable about each and every detail, he made me feel as if I was living the experience in real time. Walt went above and beyond to help me see this beautiful island when it was at its most vulnerable. He helped me appreciate the sacrifice, blood and tears that each and every service member and local experienced at a critical moment in history. I salute you Walt for your due diligence!”–Barbara G.
What You Get: My DiscoverSaipan Advantage
“Not all tours are created equal!” Every customer is unique. Some have unusual requests for their visits to Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Pagan and Guam–everything from simply finding unique accommodations and transportation to locating specific individuals for genealogical research, or historical/cultural artifacts for study, to visiting “off limits” areas, and doing unique activities! Whatever your unique request, my mission is to “make it happen” for you. In the process, I do everything I can –leveraging professional as well as personal contacts, calling in favors, harnessing my experience in unrelated industries and backgrounds–to make your request come true. That’s my Discover Saipan advantage, and that’s what you pay for! Sure, you’ll pay a bit more for it, but the overall experience, the information, the connection to your guide, plus the photos and memories you’ll take with you will be priceless!
What's a Personalized Tour?
A personalized tour is
• Unrushed–At your pace!
• Intimate–No huge, noisy crowds!
• Conversational–Ask absolutely ANYTHING you want!
• Customizable–More of what you like, less of what you don’t!
• Flexible–Want to go back to that first site? No problem!
• Interactive–Get out, touch, meet local residents…
• Unpredictable–may include a special treat!
• Extended–Twice the duration of standard tours! (7 hours!)
Take my personalized tour and you, too, can discover Saipan, explore Saipan, understand Saipan, and really get to know Saipan (as well as Tinian and Rota) in ways most people never will! Typically, tours on Saipan are conducted from inside big buses of 50 or more people, visiting just a few manicured sites, lasting for just a few hours, and narrated by a tour guide who has memorized some approved facts and figures– doing what amounts to a job. Now, that may be okay for some folks. But what if you had a guide for an entire day; someone who does this as his passion; someone who could take you off the beaten path, show you sites and sights the average tourist never gets to see; taking detours based on your unique interests, in a more intimate setting, with one-on-one conversation in which you could ask anything about the island, and get a real person’s perspective while you tour the island? What if you could get all that, AND get to see all the standard, manicured sites, too! Well, that’s what a personalized tour is! (I and my tours were recently recognized by American Memorial Park (The National Park Service) for my efforts to bring visitors to this national historic park!)
Pick a Tour:
Saipan in a Day
Indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian culture, World War II history, breathtaking natural beauty—circle the entire island and experience a little bit of everything in this all day tour of Saipan! Personalize your tour and we’ll focus more heavily on what you’re really interested in!
WWII Pilgrimage
Take a trip back in time to re-live the bloody 1944 Battle of Saipan, a decisive conflict in the Pacific theater of World War II. Explore and touch relics, pill boxes, block houses, bunkers, landing beaches plus visit the sad yet beautiful Banzai Cliff and Suicide Cliff, plus visit a private collection and more.
BONUS: In Search of Amelia Earhart
Tinian to Hiroshima
Saipan’s sister island of Tinian has profound historical significance as the site from which the Enola Gay and Bockscar took off to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. Visit the runway, bomb pits, bunkers and relics, and also learn of the archeological signficance of the ancient Chamorro latte stones found nowhere else in the world.
Saipan & Tinian 2-DAY
On Day One, we’ll tour the entire island of Saipan focusing on WWII, culture, nature or anything else you wish. On Day Two, we’ll rise early and head to Tinian to experience its unique historical and archeological significance—returning by midday, so you’ll still have time for activities on Saipan!
Cruise Ship Shore Excursion
Cruise ships are a once-a-year (or less) occurence on Saipan! Experience a customized “Saipan in a Day” tour of the island in groups of 12 people per van. Start from the time you disembark and return to the dock an hour before the ship’s departure!
Trekking
Want to experience Saipan”s natural beauty, rugged terrain, hidden pools and secret spots? We can trek down to Forbidden Island, Bird Island or other off-the-beaten-path trails as your stamina and sense of adventure dictate!
Relocation or Reconnaisance
Where’s the best neighborhood to live? What are the supermarkets like? Where do I get my driver’s license? Where are the schools located? I’ll drive you around the entire island in each village, giving you my honest (sometimes politically incorrect) opinions, experience, tips and advice to answer ALL your questions!
Logistics
Filming a music video, directing a documentary on extreme weather, researching northern island volcanic activity or Chamorro/ Carolinian culture, the garment industry? These are all requests for on-the-ground coordination I’ve received and fulfilled! What’s your project?
Customized Adventures
I’ve facilitated battlefield studies for military clients, book research for authors, archeological expeditions for dissertation students, interviews with locals and eyewitnesses for Amelia Earhart mystery buffs. You decide. If it’s possible, we’ll make it happen!
Bonus: The Saipan-Amelia Earhart Connection!
Since 1937, residents of the many islands of Micronesia have known that Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan were not lost at sea, but were captured by the Japanese military and imprisoned in the old Japanese jail on Saipan. I’ll share the solved mystery and the connection to the US military during any tour and decide for yourself…
Guam!
I don’t conduct the tours personally on Guam, but I work with experienced, knowledgeable, licensed Guam-based guides who will provide the same thorough, professional experience you receive on Saipan and Tinian!