The island of Saipan is surrounded by coral reefs and tranquil sea. You will be awed by its plethora of hues. Travel around the island by rental car and tour Banzai Cliff and Bird Island; enjoy marine sports like snorkeling, jet skis, banana boat rides; taste fresh raw tuna; enjoy a dip at the hotel pool ... and as you experience all that Saipan has to offer, the thing that will remain with you the most is its seas: the silver, shining sea in the morning sunlight, the blue sea glowing in the bright afternoon and even a reddish sea under the glowing sunset.

As you gaze into sea changing colors hourly like a school of tropical fish swimming within it, you forget the world, yourself and the movement of time.

There are many special places in Saipan where you can view this beautiful sea. In fact, it is hard to pick one particular spot because you will encounter beautiful and immaculate sea just about everywhere you go in Saipan. Still, many say the best scenery is from the Banzai Cliff and Managaha Island.

Banzai Cliff got its name from WW II when thousands of Japanese soldiers chose to jump from this cliff shouting "Banzai" (Long live the Emperor) rather than surrender to the advancing American forces. Not even the legacy of a violent war, however, can mar the beauty of this spot. The sea from Banzai Cliff is a vivid dark blue as if blue ink had been spilt into it.

It is so blue that the sky and the waves crashing against the cliff seem white in comparison.

Normally tourists take pictures near the memorial tower at Banzai Cliff facing the sea. I, myself, came back admiring the sea. However once ... I ventured over to the field to the left of the entrance to the memorial and saw a person standing on top the cliff at the back of the field – a spot which I thought was closed to the public. The person was fishing, and as I lifted my head and gazed to the right, a breathtaking view spread before me; people gathered here and there on top of the cliff and below white waves and blue sea all at a glance.

It was a work of art, a magnificent view, and I felt like the main character in a movie or commercial. For a while, I faced the wind and gazed at the sea, leaving with a sense that a part of me was left behind. Travelers visiting Banzai Cliff should make an effort to go a little further. They can experience their own private view by simply straying 200 meters from the memorial.

Managaha, the sandy beach covering this small coral reef island and the coral-colored sea beyond are so beautiful it leaves you speechless. Less than three kilometers from Micro Beach, and it takes only 30 minutes to walk around the whole island -- still, you cannot imagine the joy you will feel on this small island. The sea here, shining so beautifully that it is barely visible, is not the indigo hue seen from Banzai Cliff but a greenish blue that seems filled with the sky.

Under the sea -- to the delight of people snorkeling -- swim beautiful fish which make the color of the water all the more stunning.
As you lie under the blazing sun, bathed by refreshing wind, you feel the urge to just forget your troubles and stay like this forever.
It is a blue paradise, blending sky and sea. Forget a book or music; looking at the endless sea and sky, listening to the sound of wind and waves, that is all you need.

When daily life drags me down, I suddenly remember...