Heading to the U.S. for a weekend vacation? It’s possible!

Vernise Tantuco

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Heading to the U.S. for a weekend vacation? It’s possible!
Planning a trip to Guam? Here's everything you need to know

MANILA, Philippines – A trip to the US takes months to plan – if you’re going to take at least a 14-hour plane ride to get somewhere, you might as well get the most out of it. Every restaurant that you see on TV has to be visited, every cultural site explored, and every famous department store combed through for the best deals.

But many forget that there’s a part of America that’s just 4 hours away from the Philippines – Guam, the Pacific island that’s a US territory. While you can’t hang out at The Met’s steps and pretend to be Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, you will get to try lot of famous American restaurants, shop at the popular stores, get to know the island’s unique culture, and much more.

Looking to book a flight to Guam for a 3-day trip? If you already have a US visa, it’s easy. Cebu Pacific is one of the airlines that flies to the island and back. They have flights thrice weekly – Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays – and their lowest all-in year-round are at around P7370 for Manila to Guam and around P6558 for Guam to Manila.

If you’re at a loss to plan out your Guam itinerary, here are few tips we gathered form when Cebu Pacific flew us there for a visit.

Choose the right date

Your trip to Guam starts with the time of the year you’re set to visit, so think about what you want to do there and find out which time of the year is best. If you’re planning on going shopping, the Thanksgiving weekend (the 4th Thursday of November) is great because of the Black Friday sales that continue over the next few days. Typhoon season from August to October is the best time for expert surfers, according to guam.stripes.com, though it might not be what you’re looking for if you want to hit the golf course.

Plan out your shopping trips

One of the main reasons people visit Guam is the shopping, as the island is tax free. If you’re looking for discounted high-end buys, this is the vacation spot for you. 

Know which malls you want to hit up

There are quite a few malls in Guam, so knowing which hold the best fashion buys or the best deals on tech are will help you plan out your itinerary.

Guam Premier Outlets is a must-visit for the best deals on brands like Calvin Klein and Nine West. It also has a Ross Dress for Less beside it where you can find anything and everything from homeware to toiletries to clothes at the best prices. For higher-end goods like Louis Vuitton Tiffany & Co, Tumon Sands Plaza is the place to go.

GPO. The Guam Premier Outlets stocks branded products at less expensive prices. Photo by Nick Olayao

LOOK FOR LESS. Ross Dress for Less offers great discounts on everything and anything under the sun. Photo by Nick Olayao

TUMON SANDS PLAZA. For higher end purchases, Guam's Tumon Sands Plaza is the place to. Photo by Nick Olayao

Download the Shop Guam app for more discounts

The Shop Guam app is great because they offer discounts on top of existing discounts. It’s available on Google Play and iTunes.

Check the store’s websites for discounts

Sometimes, certain stores will offer a certain percent off your total purchase if you avail of coupons on their website. It’s best to know which brands you want to check out too, that way, you’ll catch their offers before you even fly out.

Set a budget

Of course, with so much stuff available at much lower prices, it’s easy to get carried away. Don’t spend your entire year’s salary at Guam – put a cap on your spending by only bringing the amount you’re allowing yourself to use.

Get to know their culture too

When you get sick of shopping (if that’s even possible), there’s an entire island’s culture and history to explore! Guam has a similar history to the Philippines –  colonized by Spain, captured by the Americans, and occupied by the Japanese – and their culture is also similar to Hawaii’s. Go on a river tour, visit museums, and see the sights in your spare time. 

TWO LOVERS. The heartbreaking story behind this couple will touch your heart. Photo by Nick Olayao

Two Lover’s Point is the perfect place to get a view of the ocean, and a river cruise in the Valley of the Latte is great for getting to know the interior portion of the island. Looking for dinner and a good show? Taotao Tasi is equal parts funny and mesmerizing. 

ENJOY THE VIEW. The lookout point at Two Lovers Point shows tourists the eastern and western sides of the island. Photo by Nick Olayao

Chill at the beach

Catch some rays or some waves at any of Guam’s beaches.

The island is great for surfing, and there a lot of public beaches where you can sun bathe or have a picnic. – Rappler.com

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Mayuko Yamamoto

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Vernise Tantuco

Vernise Tantuco is on Rappler's Research Team, fact checking suspicious claims, wrangling data, and telling stories that need to be heard.