World Traveling Military Family

Sea Glass Hunting in Guam

By: Mrs B1 Comment

Sea glass hunting in Guam is a fun hobby! There are lots of great locations to find sea glass, including rare colors, and even sea marbles! And if you’re really lucky a Japanese glass fishing float or mermaid nipple! In my post today I’ll share some of my favorite locations for finding sea glass.

sea glass hunting Guam

Sea glass is glass that has been in the ocean for a long time being tossed and turned turning it dull and not shiny, it also has smooth rounded edges. It has to be in the ocean for several years for it to be true sea glass tumbled quality. After doing some research it seems like it takes anywhere from 7-30+ years for sea glass to be made into the ‘treasures’ we collect. While that may seem like a long time I can tell you that we’ve been collecting parts of sea glass from old coke bottles from the 40s & 50’s here in Guam!

Sea glass chart

There are many colors that can be found. I have this awesome sea glass chart that I use to help identify the colors. It also helps to have an idea of what colors are out there that I should be looking out for.

Marbles are my favorite but they are harder to find as they often roll back into the ocean. I’ve found these at several locations here in Guam.

sea glass guam mermaid nipples

Also be on the lookout for mermaid nipples! These come from Japanese glass fishing floats and are harder to find as well. We’ve found several here including a huge one!

Japanese glass fishing float guam

Occasionally you can find Japanese glass fishing floats here as well but not as often as in Japan, where we found all of ours. The best location for these are down south near Jeff’s Pirate Cove area, but he scours the beach daily so you’d have to beat him to them 😉 I’ve also had friends find some on Tarague and Sirena beach on Andersen, but I’ve only known 2 people to do so in our 3 years here. We just found one (see above photo) in the Tarague/Sirena area! It’s taken many hours of beach combing and 3 years but we did it!

Now let’s talk about best beaches for sea glass hunting in Guam and what you can find there!

First Salvo Beach Sea Glass Guam

First Beach/Calvo Beach – this beach area is in Talofofo past Jeff’s Pirate Cove. This is a great beach for finding MASS quantities of sea glass! Here you can find a ton of white sea glass, parts of old coke bottles, and some turquoise & green. Not as many unusual colors here. But a great place if your needing to stock up on white as you can get a ton in one trip. Park along the street for First Beach. Then walk down to the beach and find the path going to the left. You’ll take the path for about 10 mins until you get to the beach. You’ll start to see a ton of glass about 5 mins down the beach.

Sea glass First Calvo beach Guam

 Green & brown sea glass on the beach.

Tanguisson beach sea glass guam

Tanguisson Beach – this beach is in Dededo, past Two Lover’s Point. When you get to Tanguisson you can walk to the right and about 10 minutes down you can start to find sea glass. Lots of brown, some green & turquoise, and occasionally a rare color.

Umatac beach sea glass Guam

Umatac Bay – Black sand and sea glass, great combo! This is a great spot for marbles, and colored sea glass! I found 2 marbles here as well as pink and gray sea glass! I also like this beach because you just park and walk along the bay, no hiking required. The water can be a bit hard to walk in with some large rocks so I like to wear my water shoes or hiking sandals here.

Umatac beach black sand sea glass Guam

Sea glass on the black sand at Umatac Bay

Sea glass pottery Umatac Bay Guam

Sea glass & pottery from Umatac Bay.

Paseo Stadium Beach sea glass guam

Paseo Stadium beach – this small strip of beach is located at Paseo Stadium park behind Chamorro Village. It’s not a big section at all but we always find a good bit of glass each time we stop here. Even some neat colors like dark blue!

Sea glass Paseo stadium beach Guam

Sea glass found during a quick visit to Paseo Stadium beach.

Fai Fai beach sea glass Guam

Fai Fai Beach – this hidden gem is easily accessed from Gun Beach. You can read more about it HERE. This is a fun beach and usually yields a good amount of sea glass. This is a good spot for the more common colors like white, green, and turquoise.

Sirena beach sea glass guam

Sirena Beach on Andersen – while this beach does often yield some ‘keeper’ sea glass it also has a lot of what I call ‘trash glass’ which is sharp and not tumbled at all. Meaning you can easily see through the glass. However with that being said I’ve found several mermaid nipples on this beach and we found a glass fishing float here.

Sea glass marbles Guam

And I’m sure there are more beaches where you can go sea glass hunting on Guam but these are just my top favorites that yields sea glass each time I go to them. Happy Hunting!!

Ague Cove – Dededo, Guam

By: Mrs Bcomment

Ague Cove - Dededo, Guam

Ague Cove, this hidden gem of a hike is worth the steep climb back up! Note this hike does require permission from the land owner as it’s on private property. The hike is fairly short, although a bit steep trail that leads you to the most gorgeous cove. It’s also has the perfect jumping rock.

There is a parking area outside the fenced area. Note cars here are often broken into so make sure to leave your car unlocked and nothing in it. My friend left her car unlocked but she did not realize that her car automatically locked after a few mins. Her window was broken for them to access her car, even though there was nothing in it 🙁 This was on a weekday and with permission from the landowners to hike the land.

This hike is best done with someone who has done it before and knows the way. You’ll be following a steep trail down that is a bit slippery in spots. Gloves are great for holding onto whatever you can as you head down.

Ague Cove

There are some great overlook views of the area, make sure to check those out.

Ague Cove

Once you arrive at the cove there is a small rocky cove area, lots of rocks to climb, and to the left is the jumping rock. You’ll need to wear water shoes or tennis shoes to jump as the rocks are sharp.

Ague Cove

Also make sure to check the area before jumping to make sure your not going to hit anything. Keep in mind currents can be strong to be aware of your surroundings and the currents.

Ague Cove

The hike back up while short, is steep and increases greatly in elevation. We had to stop for a few breathers on the way up. Make sure you bring plenty of water as you’ll be hot and thirsty after the climb up.

Know Before You Go

What: Ague Cove – Dededo, Guam

Hike Info: Moderate 20-30 min walk on a path, although it’s a bit steep and can be slippery. Hike back up is a bit slower as it’s a bit harder hiking up. Hike info can also be found in The Best Treks on Guam Book. 

How To Get There: Approx. 20 mins from Andersen, and 50 mins from Naval Base Guam. It’s in Dededo just past NCTAMS if headed there from Andersen. After passing NCTAMS its the next road on the right. Apparently that area used to be the old FAA housing area. Again please get permission before doing this hike or go with someone who has permission. It’s owned by the Pangelinan family.

10 Places to Explore on Guam with Free Printable Checklist!

By: Mrs B2 Comments

10 Places to Explore on Guam

I recently had a follower on Instagram ask me to post about some of the best places to see on Guam and I thought it was a great idea! I’m going to share 10 Places to Explore on Guam! While there are many more than 10 interesting places here on Guam, this is a good starting point for newbies to the island or visitors trying to make the most of their time on the island. I’ve also included a free printable checklist for those who enjoy using checklists 🙂

10 Places to Explore on Guam

Two Lover’s Point – I love Two Lover’s Point (Putan Dos Amantes) because it’s so ‘touristy’ which is probably an odd reason to love it but for me it works. There are several reason’s why I think you should visit Two Lover’s Point. The statue and the overlook tell the sad story of the doomed lovers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their love. Open daily from 7 am to 7 pm. Military/local discounts offered.

It’s also an amazing spot for views of the Tumon area! To go up to the overlook area it’s only $2 with the military/local discount. You can also leave a ‘love lock’ as well, these can be purchased at the gift shop for $4.

The gift shop here is also great! It has a wide variety of neat items from gourmet pancake mixes to handcrafted jewelry & soap. They also offer a military discount as well. Restrooms are located in the gift shop.

The restaurant is open air style and provides some amazing views. I’ve ate there both during the day & and sunset and haven’t been disappointed with the views yet! I also love the chicken kelaguen. There are also food vendors down in the courtyard area as well.

Fort Soledad & Spanish Bridge – I just adore the south end of the island! At Fort Soledad you can see the remains of the fort and take in some history. The views of the Umatac area are worth the stop as well. Always accessible, Free.

Don’t forget to check out the Spanish Bridge as you head towards Umatac. If you stop to walk the bay area in the village you’ll get to see a black sand beach!

T. Stell Newman Visitor’s Center – This small but mighty museum just outside of Naval Base Guam will provide you with the history of Guam. We found the displays to be very informative and we learned quite a few things during our visit. I also think this is one of the best places to get military & history books for this area. The 10 minute movie, The Battle for Guam, is worth watching as well. The museum is free to visit. Open daily from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years Day.

Valley of the Latte Adventure Park – We really enjoyed the Valley of the Latte Adventure Riverboat cruise, we did the one that included lunch. It’s a fun way to see and explore the local area. Plus you get to learn about some of the culture and history of Guam. The lunch was delicious & is the traditional local meal. You can also choose to do the cruise that does not include lunch, which is a bit cheaper. They also offer military/local discounts. Open daily from 9 am to 4 pm.

Chamorro Village – Chamorro Village is a great place to shop and get some local grub! While I like to visit it during the weekday when it’s sleepy and less crowded, it’s main draw is Wednesday Night Market Night. Every Wednesday starting at 5 pm you’ll find the place full of vendors, food, music, and even a carabou you can ride. Check out the taco stand, the shrimp tacos are so relish! Wednesday Night Market starting at 5 pm, Shopping & restaurants open daily as well, although availability & hours may vary by business.

Bikini Island Club – If you love spending an adventurous day in Guam’s amazing waters, this is THE spot to go! Bikini Island Club offers great military/local rates and for a set fee you can get 5 hours of fun and lunch! Dolphin watching, snorkeling, jet skiing, banana boat, screamer, & more! You can even add on parasailing as well. We had so much fun here and I can’t wait to go back! Military/local discounts offered. Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.

Tao Tao Tasi Dinner Show – This is the must see dinner & fire show on the island! The Tao Tao Tasi Dinner show tells the story of the Chamorro culture. It includes dancing, music, fire, knives, and more. The buffet dinner was a generous spread and we all left stuffed and not able to eat another bite. You can also chose to just purchase tickets for the show and not the dinner if you’d prefer to do that. Dinner starts at 5:45 pm. Show starts at 6:45 pm. Military/local discounts available.

Fai Fai Beach – This hidden gem of a beach is located just to the right of Gun beach bar. Walk to the right and follow the path around by the WWII gun. Once down the ladder & across the bridge you’ll be on Fai Fai beach. This is a great beach for swimming, avoiding the tourists, and finding sea glass. Always accessible, Free.

Ritidian Beach & Guam National Wildlife Refuge Center, & hiking paths – The Ritidian area has lots of offer! There is a beautiful beach area with gorgeous white sand. Note the currents can be strong here so stay far from the reef if swimming. The Wildlife Refuge is free to visit and has some great & informative displays set up. There are also several guided tours including one to caves with pictographs that you can schedule for free. Also there are several hiking paths that you can check out on your own. Don’t miss the fantastic overlook area you can stop at to take some great photos of the area. Open daily from 7:30 – 4:30 pm, except on Federal holidays. No dogs allowed. Access & tours are free but tours need to be booked in advance.

Tumon – Walk the streets of Tumon, people watch all the Tourists, & see all the ‘fancy’ stores they come to shop at. JP Superstore has some cute item if your looking to shop. There are lots of places to grab some of the tasty food down there as well. Don’t forget to walk along the beach area and there is even hidden gem there, a swing on the beach! It’s located on Matapang Beach (by the zoo area), if you walk to the right while facing the beach you’ll run into it. Always accessible, although the gates to Matapang beach say they close at 6 pm daily.


You can get the checklist HERE

Have you visited any of these places? What did you think?!

Talofofo Falls Park – Talofofo, Guam

By: Mrs Bcomment

Talofofo Falls Park - Guam

Talofofo Falls park is an interesting experience, and is a fun way to spend a few hours. It includes seeing the waterfall, riding the cable cars, museum, gift shop, lookout tower, Loveland, haunted house, & some animals. It also includes seeing the cave of where the Japanese solider lived for 28 years – although I’ve been told this is not the true cave, which is further away. There are also some bumper cars & few small rides but I didn’t see them running while we were there.

I’ve seen mixed reviews on this so I wanted to go check it out for myself. I think it really depends on what you want from the experience. We were going to as a ‘date day’ and something to check out here in Guam so we didn’t have high expectations. For us it was a fun experience and we got so see & do some new things.

The military rate is $12 per adult. If you want to buy food for the animals it’s $2. I’d highly recommend taking bug spray! The mosquitoes were bad out by the falls & cave area. Also water if you plan to be there awhile as it got a bit toasty out. They do have some drinks & snacks at a small shop when you first enter. So for hubby and I it was $26 for admission & food. Was it ‘worth’ $26, that really just depends on you. I’m glad we went and checked it out and we had fun so that was a win for us.

Upon entering the park you get a map to follow that will take you around the park. The first stop was Loveland…and boy is that something else, LOL! The signs say for 19 years and older, so let’s just say there are some statues of some stuff you wouldn’t want to be checking out with your grandma, ha ha!! There were a few interactive displays that cracked us up. Not sure who thought of Loveland…or why, but it did make us laugh!

Next we headed to the cable cars to ride out to the falls. This is really the highlight of the park. It’s a few min ride to the falls stop and has some amazing views.

It’s really what I was looking most forward to with the visit. Even Mr. B who isn’t a fan of heights was able to tolerate the cable car ride. It was not nearly as high as the awesome cable cars we rode in Hong Kong though.

At the Talofofo falls stop you start walking the path with steps & bridges to the bottom of the falls.

This takes you across to the other side and offers some great photo opportunities of the falls from several different locations.

Great views from the bottom of the falls area. Closer up views are provided on the walk back across to the cable cars as well.

Once on the other side you’ll find a nice and cool gift shop to explore. They sold touristy gift items and a few snacks. Next to that is the small museum. The museum did have some AC so that was a plus. It was small with only a few displays but the walls were painted with some nice murals as well. There were descriptions posted to read about the history of Guam.

Off we headed down the path to the cave area. Mr. B got bit by a few mosquitoes here too. It was only few min walk and some of it was in the shade so it wasn’t too hot.

At the cave area you’ll see a display of what the cave looks like underground as well as get to peek down into the hole which is supposed to be Yokoi’s cave and where he lived for 28 years. It even made the Atlas Obscura site! You can read more about it there. From what I’ve found online this is a replica of the actual cave that was a few miles away and destroyed by a typhoon. Either way it was interesting to see how Yokoi lived for such a long period of time.

A view down in to what the cave area ‘looked’ like. Although I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a metal ladder 😉 Again this is a replica from the research that I found.

We took the path back to the museum/gift shop and then followed the upper path around the waterfalls. This path gets you closer to the upper portion of the falls and the bridge provides a good photo location as well.

The cable car ride back provides more amazing views of the local area & falls.

We decided to skip the haunted house…that’s just not my thing.

It was a short uphill walk to the lookout tower that was next on the list. The lookout tower was a bit of a climb since it was starting to get a bit hot out but overall not too base.

Also the breeze at the top was fantastic. Some great views of the ocean area to the right. We did the whole park minus the haunted house and rides in about an hour.

Also note there is a firing range on the site as well so that was a bit loud as well walked to the lookout tower. I thought it was was a bit odd, but that could just be me. We also noticed signs about wild pigs all over but didn’t see one wild pig roaming around while we were there.

The only animals we seen were penned up near the entrance. They did look a bit sad and hot so we fed them and then headed out.

There are a few small rides like bumper cars, etc. But we did not see them running or anyone using them while we were there.

Overall we had a fun time checking out the park and the falls. I’d say it’s worth it at least once to check it out. I’d love to hear about it if you do!

Have you visited Talofofo Falls? How was your experience?

Fonte Dam, River, & Overlook Hike – Nimtiz Hill, Guam

By: Mrs Bcomment

Fonte Dam - Nimitz Hill, Guam

Fonte Dam, River, & Overlook hike on Nimitz Hill, Guam is a fun and historical hiking experience here in Guam. I really thought we were just going to see and dam and it was so much more! This has been one of my favorite hikes here.

One of the reasons I was excited to do this hike is because of the history, I mean who doesn’t want to seen an amazing dam structure that was built back in 1910?! It was constructed by President Taft to supply water to Hagatna. It’s 150 feet wide and 24 feet tall, I was impressed! Both by the view from the walkway at the top and from the view at the bottom of the dam. If your interested in more history of the dam you can find some HERE.

The hike starts on the grassy trail by the power substation. From there you hike down a bit and take a left by the Fonte dam sign. I highly recommend using the Best Treks on Guam book if you have it! Or going with someone who has done it and knows the way. If not there are several websites that can give you more detailed instructions.

Also know if it has rained the trail may be a bit slippery and muddy! It was a little muddy for us but nothing terrible. We did notice mosquitoes when we got to the top of the dam area so bug spray is a must for this one. There is also sword grass so pants/long socks are helpful.

We stopped at the top of the dam and walked out on the narrow walkway to get some awesome pics and views. If your not fond of heights this is not the best idea as the path is narrow and it’s about a 24 foot drop. It does make for some great photo opps, especially if you have someone take a photo from the bottom of everyone on the top.

If you cross over to the right you can hike up to the overlook area which has some great views. Also you can hike further to the South to the memorial site of the Korean Air crash from 1997.  We didn’t make it to the memorial site.

After a bit of a downhill trek you arrive back at the river and follow it around to the swimming/jumping area.

There is an area where you can climb around the rock wall to stay out of the water. Although you can walk through the water instead, it was about thigh deep.

At the swim area there is a jumping spot to the right of the falls but you need to have someone check the water depth and where the rocks are before jumping! There is also a small cave area to the left that you can go in and sit on a shelf if so desired.

The hike back up was fairly straight forward along the river. We did get a bit off the beaten path for a few mins but made it back to the top with no major issues. A little bit of river walking too but it’s shallow.

Have you done Fonte dam, river, & overlook hike? What did you think?!

Know Before You Go

What: Fonte dam, river, & overlook – Nimitz Hill, Guam

Hike Info: Rated – Medium, Length – 0.8 miles, Elevation change – 400 feet down & up.

How To Get There: Put in Joint Region Marianas Headquarters in Waze or Google maps it’s located on Nimitz Hill. The parking area/start area is just across the street near the power substation. You’ll see a brown historical sign.

Bring: Water, gloves, pants or long socks for sword grass, bug spray, sunscreen & snacks (if desired). Visor/hat/sunglasses are optional. Also waterproof bags for cellphones, at a bare minimum as zip lock bag so it doesn’t drown if you get caught in a downpour! Camera floats are also helpful for waterproof cameras & waterproof cell phone bags.

Parking: There is a grassy area were people park by the power substation. If it’s full there are some parking lots for the Joint Region Marianas Headquarters across the street.

Cost: Free

Traveling with little kids: While this hike is under a mile long there is some uneven ground and it’s a bit tricky if wet & muddy. We did to this with kids ages 7-12 and they did well. There was also a set of grandparents with us who rocked it also they did have to go a bit slower on some parts of the path that were slippery.

How long: Plan on at least 1-2 hours, more if you want to hang out at the swimming area longer.

Space A in Guam – What You Need to Know

By: Mrs Bcomment

Space A in Guam - What you need to know

Space A in Guam – What you need to know to get off island and back on. Space A is an amazing perk but it does have a huge learning curve. Hopefully this will help to make it easier for your family to use Space A here in Guam.

I’ve been doing some Space A briefings here in Guam & have helped quite a few families have successful trips. I have been asked quite a few times do a blog post on it to share the info, so here it is 🙂 While the general Space A info applies to everywhere this info does have some Guam specific stuff.

I also have a few other Space A posts: Flying Space A on a Cargo Plane & What to take on a Space A Flight

 

I also have a free printable PDF file (pic above) that goes along with this info, you can find it HERE

Please know this is a LOT of Space A info and is certainly not as in depth as the briefings but it should get you well started on your Space A adventures. You can also join my World Traveling Military Families Facebook group if you need more Space A info or Travel info in general. It’s open to all US military families, retirees, spouses, etc.

What is Space A? – Space-Available travel is a travel benefit that allows authorized passengers to occupy DoD aircraft seats that are surplus after all space-required passengers and cargo have been accommodated.

*Please note that flying Space is a is privilege and not an entitlement. Having a good attitude and being polite to the staff goes a long ways. The staff cannot control if flights are delayed, cancelled, etc. Be kind, it’s free 🙂

Categories:
Cat I – Emergency Leave Unfunded Travel
Cat II – Accompanied EML (travel with Sponsor)
Cat III – Ordinary Leave, House Hunting Permissive TDY,
Dependents with Sponsor deployed more than 365 days.
Cat IV – Unaccompanied EML (travel without Sponsor)
Cat V – Students, Dependents (Cat for travel w/o Sponsor & no EML)
Cat VI – Retirees
More detailed CAT info can be found HERE

Restrictions & Notes – May NOT be used for personal gain & travel not guaranteed.
Air Mobility Command Reminder: Please be aware that Space-A travelers must be prepared to cover commercial travel expenses if Space-A flights are changed or become unavailable. ALL ASSOCIATED EXPENSES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRAVELER.

*If you can’t afford a commercial ticket back or several nights to a week in lodging/hotels if you get stuck, then Space A may not be the best option for you.

EML – EML is Environmental Morale Leave. In certain OVERSEAS locations, living conditions are such that leave must be taken in a more suitable geographic and cultural environment to accomplish its stated purpose.
Guam Authorized Destinations: CONUS, Hawaii, Japan, Guam, & Korea

Restrictions: Can be used twice a year, 6 mo after arrival & 6 mo prior to leaving. Letter good for 90 days OR 1 round trip.
-More EML location info: www.spacea.net/images/pacom_eml_instruction.pdf

*Note if you plan to use EML to Korea you must ALSO have a Command Sponsored Space A Memo, this is an extra requirement for this location.

*Once you reach for first EML Destination you revert back to your ‘normal’ category.
Ex. Traveling with your Sponsor on EML as CAT 2 – Once you reach Travis
you are CAT 3. Leaving Travis you’ll be CAT 3 until you get back to Hickam,
then you’ll go back to your EML category of CAT 2. You CAN continue to Space
A in CONUS with your Sponsor.
– Traveling WITHOUT your Sponsor on EML as CAT 4 – Once you reach
Travis         you are CAT 5. Leaving Travis you’ll be CAT 5 until you get back to
Hickam, then you’ll go back to your EML category of CAT 4. You CANNOT
continue to fly in CONUS without your Sponsor, you’ll need to fly commercial
from this point.

Where Can I go? – depends on what CAT you are and/or WHAT memo you have

        *Traveling WITH your Sponsor (EML) – CAT II CONUS & OCONUS
CONUS – Contiguous US (48 States)
OCONUS – Outside the Continental US
This includes HI, AK, & US Territories

        *Traveling WITH your Sponsor (Non EML) – CAT III CONUS & OCONUS

*This is the least restrictive CAT for Space A travel. But does require AD member to be on & use leave.

*Traveling WITHOUT Sponsor (EML) – CAT IV OCONUS to CONUS (First EML Location in US) No CONUS travel after arriving at first base
Can only travel from 1 CONUS base TO your OCONUS location, no CONUS to CONUS travel. EML starts when you get back to HI.

*Traveling WITHOUT Sponsor (Deployed) – CAT IV OCONUS & CONUS
You MAY travel CONUS with deployed Memo

*This is the least restrictive CAT for dependents without their sponsor because it allows you to fly CONUS as well.

*Traveling WITHOUT Sponsor (Non-EML) – CAT V OCONUS & CONUS
(Only to first Location in US) OCONUS – Japan, Singapore, Korea, HI

Space A Destinations from Guam – Common: Travis, Hickam, Japan
Hidden Gems: Singapore, Australia, Osan, & Alaska

*Note Japan can be difficult for those in Guam. While there are often flights to Kadena, Kadena typically only flies back to Guam 3-5 times a month. So this requires some good timing and plans to not break 😉 Also Guam occasionally flies to Yokota and takes PAX, but Yokota doesn’t often fly back to Guam taking PAX. I have seen a few flights recently but it’s not on a regular basis. So know you may have to pay to fly back one way commercially from Japan. Which is around $200-$300 per person.

*The Hidden gems also require some creativity to get back to Guam.
~Singapore goes from Yokota 3 times a week, so you need to get to Yokota to take it. To come back you’d have to go back to Yokota and try to get back either from Yokota or hop down to Kadena. The commercial alternative would be to take a one way commercial flight for around $200-$300 per person from Singapore back to Guam.
~Australia goes from Andersen every few weeks, however recently it hasn’t been taking many if any pax. The last flight I seen only had 2 seats. Also note the flights coming back from AUS are only once every 2 weeks and often get cancelled or don’t take tax. So plan to stay for 2-4 week or fly back commercially. It’s around $600 one way and about 30 hours to fly back on budget airlines from AUS.
~Osan shows up from Andersen occasionally and takes some pax. But Osan does not fly back to Andersen, it does to to Yokota. Alternatives would be to fly back one way commercially on one of the discount airlines like Jeju or JinAir.
~Alaska flights go out of Hickam occasionally and out of Travis fairy often. You’d need to get to either of those bases to get there.

Cost? – Free unless on Patriot Express where you pay a head tax per person. (aka PE, which is a commercially chartered flight by the military) . Optional box lunches are often available for purchase. Carry cash as not all terminals take card payments or systems can be down.

*There is NO PE here in Guam. Most common PE’s are BWI to Ramstein, SEATAC to Osan/Yokta, & Norfolk to Rota. The head tax is around $20-$30 per person. You fly on a commercial plan so it’s really a great deal.

Passenger Terminal Facebook Pages – Andersen, Hickam, Travis, Yokota, Kadena, Osan, AMC RAAF Base Richmond

*This is THE source of current flight history & 72 hour flight info! Some bases do a much better job than others of keeping their FB page & slides updated.

*Also it’s ALWAYS good to check the slides or call before heading out to the terminal, things can and do change quickly with Space A.

*Knowing how to read a roll call report correctly is very important, BWI has a great slide on how to do it HERE

Facebook Group Info –
World Traveling Military Families ~World Traveling Military Families is my travel FB group to go along with my blog. Open to all US military families & spouses including retirees.

Space A DOD Travelers of USA ~Space A DOD Travelers of USA is a great group for learning about Space A & asking questions. Please make sure to read the pinned post before posting questions.

SpaceAtheWorld ~Space A the World is ran by my awesome friend Shannon, who has literally Space A’d around the world twice now! She was recently here in Guam and got to hang with us for a few days.

Helpful Websites –
www.takeahop.com ~ Takeahop, this is a great website to use to sign up for Space A flights. If using the website you can sign up for 5 terminals at a time (you can do this multiple times). You can also buy the app for $7 (one time fee) and you can sign up for 30 terminals at a time. It also uses your email to send the sign ups, which is VERY important! Because if you arrive at a terminal to check in and they do not have you signed up all you need to do is show your email with the sign up date & time and they’ll add you to the list with that date/time.

www.amc.af.mil/Home/AMC-Travel-Site/ ~Air Mobility Command Official Website, this is the best places to find all the official info about Space A. It has all the forms that you need, info on categories, etc. There is also a new sign up link for the terminals on this site, it’s so new that I haven’t received any feedback on it yet.

www.worldtravelingmilitaryfamily.com ~World Traveling Military Family is my blog

www.spacea.net ~This site is great for finding info for each of the terminals and printing the AMCGRAM for each terminal. This info is also included in the takeahop app as well.

www.poppinsmoke.com ~Poppin’ Smoke is a great site for retirees wanting to use Space A as well as general Space A info.

Signing Up – Travel WITH Sponsor sign up at Midnight day leaves starts. Without Sponsor you can sign up date you get memo. If your Sponsor is deploying you can sign up 10 days prior to them leaving, can leave as early as the first day they deploy.
Sign ups good for 60 days OR flight through terminal
Sign up at ALL terminals you ‘may’ use going & coming back
Keep a copy of the sent emails!
Once you fly through a terminal sign up again ASAP for route back

*For Space A all passengers count as 1 person/seat. There is no such thing as lap babies for Space A, everyone must have a seat. So if your a family of 4 and there are only 3 seats available you will not be selected for the flight.

*Don’t forget about signing up for your return flight terminals as well, that way you’ll be higher on the list when coming back.

*Once you fly through a terminal, it voids the sign up, and you need to sign up again after getting to your next destinations. EX. Guam>Hickam>Travis, once you fly through Hickam you need to sign up again for your flight back, you can do it once you arrive at Travis. But don’t forget!

Required Documents – Military ID, for all 10 & over. Under 10 need DOD ID or Passport. Use MilConnect for DOD ID. Kids 10 & over must have Military ID.

*While civilian passports are not required for US travel they do offer you more options for getting back to Guam. It will allow you to Space A to Japan if needed as commercial flights one way from Japan are MUCH cheaper. It also will allow you to purchase a flight that may route through one of the asian locations need here. I highly recommend always traveling with a civilian passport. Kids are good for 5 years and adults (including kids ages 16 and up) are good for 10 years.

*Getting a civilian passport here in Guam is fairly easy and you get it back quickly. We had to get our kids renewed here and we got them back in 10 days. Also know if your taking kids under 16 to get a passport both parents will have to be present. If your spouse is deployed there is a form they can fill out to allow you to get the passport.

Marking Self Present– Must be done to compete for flight, do at terminal up to 24 hrs prior. While there also verify that your on the list and sign up date/time is correct.

Roll Call/Show Time – This the time listed on the slide and is normally 2-3 hours before flight will leave. I recommend arriving at least 1 hour early but others recommend 2 hour prior. You’ll need all passengers present, required docs, luggage, & be ready to fly! Seats called by Cats from lowest to highest.

Manifested – Selected for flight! Make sure to get manifested through if you’re traveling to another base after! Book lodging if needed, find transportation, & commercial flights.

*Getting manifested through is VERY important if your traveling en route to multiple locations!
For Example: Andersen>Hickam>Travis
If you are NOT manifested through to Travis then when you get to
Hickam you would have to compete again against all the people there
to get on a flight!
This is also important if your traveling to a CONUS location further than Travis from Andersen especially WITHOUT your sponsor.
EX: Andersen>Hickam>Travis>Texas
If your WITHOUT your sponsor once you reach the first CONUS
location (Travis) you are unable to fly Space A in CONUS. The
exception to this is if your manifested through to a further location
from an OCONUS location. So if you get manifested through from
Andersen to TX you CAN then still get on the flight at Travis to get to
TX. Note you will NOT be able to Space A back from TX to Travis, you’ll
have to fly commercially, but one way tickets are generally reasonable
in the US.

*You cannot be manifested round trip back to your location, the flights are one way and you’ll have to compete again for the return flight.

*While in the terminal waiting the hours before boarding use this time to book lodging, locate taxi numbers, etc. This will help to ensure that you get lodging & know what transport to use in the area. Also know that the flights in Hickam from Andersen often require 10-12 hour crew rest, make sure to ask at the terminal so you’ll know if you need lodging. The terminal in Hickam is NOT open 24 hours so you’ll have to leave during the closed hours.

Flying Cargo – Must have closed toe shoes! This is a requirement for flying Space A.
Dress in layers! The flights are usually cold.
Floors are cold, while you can lay on them a blanket is normally enough to prevent the cold. We take small camping mats that roll up and can be thrown into a duffle bag if we need to check them for further commercial flights.
Seating first come, look for outlets above seats.
Car seats can be used.
No running water in bathrooms, bring sanitizer.
Flights are loud, bring earplugs or noise cancelling headphones!
Some PAX offer boxed lunches but not all do, you can bring food. Drinks after security are OK.
Baggage is ‘usually’ 2 bags that are 70 lbs plus a carry on per person. However if you are flying commercial after the Space A flight keep those baggage limits & costs in mind.

Country Restrictions – Japan: Stamp from Customs off base upon entry & departure which require a taxi ride.
Singapore: no gum/knives/shorts. All members must have pants or long skirt.
Australia: need VISA before leaving Guam, this can be done online. It’s $35 per person and is good for a year.

Lodging Info – Use www.Spacea.net info & AMCGRAM, secure before leaving your location if you can.

Arriving at Destination – Use transport, head to lodging/airport, make return plan!

I hope you found this info helpful and that it’ll help you to have a successful Space A in Guam experience. Keep in mind Space A is not guaranteed, so be flexible & enjoy the journey so help have a positive experience.

If you’ve got any tips or tricks to share for Space A please leave a comment! 🙂

Bikini Island Club – Merizo, Guam

By: Mrs Bcomment

Bikini Island Club - Merizo, Guam

Bikini Island Club in Merizo, Guam is a great way to spend the day having many fun adventures! Dolphin watching, snorkeling, jet skis, banana boat, screamer, & more! You can also add on parasailing! This is a MUST do while in Guam!

They also offer an amazing military discount rate as well! You can get the Marine package for $99 per adult. This includes lunch, dolphin watching, snorkeling, jet skis, banana boat, screamer, dock fishing, and kayaking. For $145 you can get all of that PLUS parasailing, that was SO much fun!!

The experience is from 10 am to 3 pm, so you get a great deal for your money here! They do have locker storage for valuables. Shelves are provided for non-valuables like towels, clothes, bags, etc. You need to bring your own towels & I’d recommend water shoes and sunscreen. Also a few snacks.

After checking in and signing waivers you get split up into groups. They keep the parties together, we were a group of 4 and paired with another small group.

At 10:30 am we boarded the boat to head out to see the dolphins. As with all dolphin tours they can’t guarantee that you’ll see dolphins but they do know where to go. We seen a TON of dolphins, including babies! It was so much fun watching them race with the boat. To get the best ‘view’ of the dolphins sit in the front of the boat!

When we finished watching the dolphins we were taken to another area to snorkel from the boat. It was here I wished that I had brought my own snorkel gear as they only provide you with mask & no fins. It was a bit choppy so it was harder to stay close to the boat without fins but there is a rope that you can hang onto to help.

While you’re on the boat they take a group off at a time to ride the banana boat over to the jet skiing area on the sandbar. The banana boat was fun but not nearly as fast & fun as the screamer you’ll get to ride later. The staff will start to offer to take photos, these are available for purchase later. I wasn’t able to take pics as we were flying along, LOL!

The jet skis were a blast! I wasn’t sure what to expect as we’ve done jet skiing with Joe’s Jet ski’s and loved it, but this was just as fun if not faster, LOL! They allow you to switch driver’s halfway through so both of you get to drive. Sunglasses were a must for this as water was flying everywhere, take ones you don’t care if you lose, but we all kept ours. Again the water was a bit choppy that day but it just added to the adventure for us 😉

Back on the boat after another banana boat ride we headed back to the clubhouse for some lunch. I did wish I’d had a few snacks in my bag on the boat as we were hungry way before it was lunchtime LOL! We did take our hydroflasks with us.

Lunch was yummy and was a large serving. They served us the traditional lunch of ribs, chicken, & red rice. Water was provided but you could also purchase other drinks like soda inside the clubhouse as well.

When lunch was over we rode the screamer, which literally makes you scream or die laughing. I laughed so hard! You get pulled behind the ski so fast & whip around, it was fun!!! You do this in pairs of two people.

It was our turn to parasail so we headed out on the boat for that. Those who were not parasailing were doing their other options like kayaking, fishing, etc. Parasailing was really so amazing!

It’s great to go out in a group as you parasail in pairs. That way those still on the boat can take photos & video for you. I’ve never tried parasailing before and really loved the experience! Not to mention the views were amazing!

Overall we had an AMAZING day and enjoyed our time so much! I can’t wait to back and do it again! Plus that part of the island in Merizo is just gorgeous! We did have some cloud cover and short rain shower which helped to keep it cooler. Once that went away it was hot! Make sure to reapply sunscreen while out there & stay hydrated.

I hope you get the chance to check out Bikini Island Club, I’d love to hear about your experience!

TaoTao Tasi Dinner Show – Gun Beach, Guam

By: Mrs Bcomment

TaoTao Tasi Dinner Show

If your looking for a great fire show & dinner in Guam then you’ve got to check out the TaoTao Tasi Dinner show on Gun Beach! It’s a great night of entertainment and good eats! Plus the backdrop of the beach and the sunset add the the ambiance making it a great evening on the island.

You can chose to do the dinner show, which is about a 2.5 hour experience or just the show which is a little over an hour. They offer a military rate as well. The military rate for the dinner & show is $68 per adult, kids 12 and up are considered adults. If you choose to do just the show it is cheaper but the seating is towards the back & on the sides. We chose to do the dinner experience while our oldest was here visiting us. So for our family of 5 it was $340 but I figured it’s an experience that you need to do at least once! 😉 I was able to call them directly and get the military rate. I only booked a week out and was easily able to get reservations and great seats.

We were lucky and got a table right up in front and in the center on the 2nd row, we had a great view of all the entertainment! The stage is interactive and has some platforms that are used during the performance. On the website linked above you can find a sneak peak video of the performance that the company has on the site.

For the dinner experience it’s buffet style. We were able to get in line right when dinner started so we didn’t have any wait time. Even when we went back for seconds there wasn’t a whole lot of waiting, so that was a plus.

Water & ice tea included in the set price, other drinks like soda or alcohol you have to purchase. They do offer a drink package plan but if one person at the table gets it everyone has to purchase it. We chose just to purchase individual drinks.

We were pleased withe the dinner spread. They had shrimp, steak, chicken, roasted pig, pasta, rice, salad, and more! We were all so stuffed! The tourists went crazy for the roasted pig and literally ate all of it, it was a bit gross to watch them picking it over like ravens, LOL!! It’s best to pay attention when they start releasing tables to eat so you can get there first. We arrived early and were one of the first ones through the dinner line.

Desserts went super fast, we’re tasty & there was good spread. They did replenish some of the desserts but if you see something tasty grab it the first time through.

Dancer walked around doing photo ops with the diners. You could also walk up on the stage and take photos with them as well.

At 6:45 pm they had a singer preform as the pre-dinner show entertainment.

One of the things about the TaoTao Tasi dinner show is that it tells the story of the Chamorro people and how they came to the island. It incorporates their culture and dances in the story as well. There were so many dancers in the performance as well, even some kids. I really loved the storyline of the show!

The interactive stage was great and added excitement to the performance.

The show was great for all ages! Fun interactive stage that added lots of excitement to the show. There was also lots of interaction with the audience. Several people were pulled out of the audience to participate with the entertainers. The show included storytelling, knives, fire, & dancing. It was really quite entertaining. Even my kids 14-21 enjoyed it, which is hard to often get teens to say that they enjoyed something 😉 We tried another dinner/fire show here but were not really impressed with it, this one exceeded my expectations.

I hope you get the chance to check out the TaoTao Tasi dinner show! I’d love to hear about your experience.

Hong Kong Day 4 – Central Area

By: Mrs Bcomment

Hong Kong Itinerary Day 4 - Central Area

Our final day in Hong Kong we spent exploring the Central area. Today I’m sharing our Hong Kong Itinerary Day 4 – Central area plans. We hit some of the must do’s like Victoria’s Peak area (but skipped the tourists masses), temple, escalators, markets, and riding a ‘ding ding’ which is a must do. Great way to wrap up our time in Hong Kong!

For more Hong Kong itineraries you can find them at these links: Hong Kong 4 Day Itinerary HERE, Day 1 itinerary of the Kowloon area HERE, and Day 2 of the Lantau Area HERE, Day 3 of Ocean Park HERE.

Started the day off by taking the MTR to Central station and walking to the Central Mid Level Escalators. We rode up them and noticed all the shops in the area.

Next we headed to Man Mo Temple, this was great temple and photos are allowed. Please be respectful as this is a place of worship. We spent some time checking out the temple and the decor inside.

A trek down Hollywood Road as we headed back towards Central station. This road is known for it’s antique shops but since it was a holiday (Ching Ming Festival) sadly all the shops were closed.

Lunch was at Cali Mexi where we enjoyed some tasty Mexican food. Our family of 4 ate for 356 hkd/$45 USD. It was a great restaurant with plenty of seating upstairs where we relaxed our feet and filled our bellies.

There was also a little market along some of the streets so we got some fresh fruit, something we really lack in Guam. The strawberries were delicious!

Victoria’s Peak was next on our list. I had researched several ways to get to the peak as there are quite a few transportation options, bus, taxi, tram, etc. The trams have notoriously long lines and I’m not someone who wants to wait hours just to say ‘I’ve done that’ so I had already ruled that out for getting up to the peak. I did leave it as an option for going down (It’s approx. $4 USD per person each way) but there was a long line so we skipped that as well. I read that the bus is a nice scenic ride (and cheap approx. $1.26 USD per person each way) but we decided to just use a taxi. The taxi was a nice ride up to the peak and it was only 71 hkd/$9 USD for our family of 4 and was the fastest option.

At the top I’d already planned on avoiding the normal ‘tourist spot’ where you pay a fee to see the overview area. I had found out a about a hidden gem of a viewing area that is FREE, plus it included a nice walk and was away from the crowds of tourists. Win, win for us! We followed the directions from this awesome blog HERE, it has photos to help ensure your on the right track! After taking our photos we headed back to check out the mall.

At the mall there were some awesome chocolate eggs being displayed so we checked them out as well headed to Starbucks. After getting our Starbucks we headed to the rooftop area to hang out with our drinks and enjoy the view.

We took a taxi back down (approx. $8 USD) because I didn’t want to wait in the long lines at the tram. Then hopped on a ‘ding ding’ and headed to check out a local street market. Spent some time wandering the streets and checking out the vendors.

For our trip back to the hotel we took the ‘ding ding’ or tram. A short walk down to McDonalds provided a quick dinner, this makes this 15th country we’ve ate at McD’s in. I just HAD to try the black bun hamburger, I mean who would want to pass up that opportunity?!

Back at the  hotel we got packed up and ready to head to the airport in the morning. Also spent some time people watching from our hotel view.

We really had a fantastic time in Hong Kong! I really hope you get the opportunity to go check out the Central area!

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Hong Kong Day 3 – Ocean Park

By: Mrs Bcomment

Hong Kong Itinerary Day 3 - Ocean Park

Hong Kong is so amazing with so many great sites to see! If your looking for my full 4 Day itinerary you can find it HERE.  Our Hong Kong Itinerary Day 3 – Ocean Park, was a break from sightseeing and just hanging at the park all day. It’s an aquarium and amusement Park. I’ll be sharing info and tips about Ocean park in this post.

You can find my Day 1 itinerary of the Kowloon area HERE, and Day 2 of the Lantau Area HERE.

Ocean Park is an amusement park & aquarium that has lots to offer as well as lots of animals to see. There are a few ways to get a good deal on the tickets. You can purchase them online and it’ll even give you an option to purchase a ticket that includes a meal. I did consider doing this however chose not to. After getting to the park and seeing the HUGE line of people waiting to use their free food voucher I’m so glad we didn’t buy that ticket. We probably wouldn’t have used the food voucher as the line was ridiculous! I found that you can get the best deal by finding a local CTS travel office and purchasing the tickets there! At the office we paid 1380 hkd/$175 for all 4 of us, all over 12 years old requiring the adult tickets. Online it would’ve been 1752 hkd/$224 used for 4. So we saved $50 by using CTS!

And even better news is that they recently opened a MTR line that goes to Ocean Park! Before you had to bus out there and back. It was literally a 2 min ride from the station near our hotel. It was 22 hkd/$2.80 usd for our family of 4. Again we used our Octopus card.

We got there about a half hour before opening and there was already a queue started for getting into the park. We were able to get in line near the beginning and got in fairly quickly when the park opened. You can download a free Ocean Park app to check waiting times of rides, etc. We did this on the phone that the hotel loaned us that was included with our room.

Again I had done research on how to ‘beat’ the crowds, as we do that when we hit amusement parks all over the world. Helps us to get through the park with very little waiting time and to do everything we want in a few hours instead of all day.

I knew that we needed to head up to The Summit area via the train. The train is neat and done in a 20,000 leagues under the sea kinda theme. There was literally NO queue for the train and we jumped right on. At the Summit we found that the larger rides didn’t open for another 30 mins. We took advantage of the time and rode the Ocean Park Tower with no queue! This provides some amazing views of the park and I highly recommend it if there is no line.

After that we went and checked out the Pacific Pier to see the seals. There is also a great vending machine in this area that dispenses slushy Cokes, we loved it!

We headed over to Thrill Mountain to start on the rides. Their big coaster, Hair Raiser, is in this area. It was our first stop and there was almost no line. We finished this area quickly due to it being so uncrowded and headed to the next area.

We took the escalators down to Adventure land where we did the Mine Train and the Raging River. Again no lines so we got through the rides quickly

Using the escalators we headed back up to The Summit area and finished out the rides there including the coaster, The Dragon. We also went through the Shark Mystique and it was not crowded at all. It’s from this area that we took the amazing cable car ride! The secret at Ocean Park is to train up and take the cable cars down to avoid a queue. As we were walking to the cable cars we seen a huge line and I was getting nervous, but as we walked up we realized that the line was for people trying to use the food vouchers from the online tickets! We walked right up to the cable car and go on with no line!

The cable car experience was amazing! However some in my family are not fans of heights and weren’t quite as excited as I was for this long scenic ride! As we were getting close to the bottom you could see the huge queue of people waiting to ride the cable cars up.

At this point we were starting to get hungry and hit up the food stalls in The Waterfront area near where the cable cars drop you off. We found the MUST try egg waffles and they were delicious! It was like a belgium waffle but light and airy, so good! We grabbed a few others snacks as well. Prices weren’t horrible as we only spent around $53 usd in the park on food for all 4 of us for lunch/snacks.

We went to the Giant Panda Experience hoping to see Pandas but there was a sign up saying it was mating season and not one panda was to be found. Bea was disappointed about that.

We also checked out The Grand Aquarium, this was our longest queue of the day and it took about 15 minutes for us to get in as they only allow so many people in at a time.

By this point the kids were getting tired and felt like they had seen and done enough in the park. It was around 3:30 pm so we had spent around 5.5 hours in the park. We’re not ones to stay and close the park down. Satisfied that we’d gotten our money worth we headed back toward the hotel to find some dinner.

We took the MTR back to the station that was a 5 min walk from our hotel. Again it was a whole 22 hkd/$2.80 usd for our family of 4. Walking back to the hotel we seen this delicious looking pizza place and decided to check it out since we were all pretty hungry after our long day. This was our most expensive meal in Hong Kong but it was so fantastic it was worth it! And we did get a lot of food for the money. We got 3 pizzas, 1 pasta, and 5 sodas for 800 hkd/$102. The pizzas were like those you’d find in Italy and simply divine! We headed back to the hotel with full bellies and ready to relax.

One of our favorite things to do was people watch from our window view of the hotel. It was neat to get a glimpse into the Hong Kong lifestyle as there were apartments right across the street from us. The locals hang dry their laundry even outside the windows of the super tall buildings! You could see laundry scattered all the way down the building where it had blown off to never be retrieved again.

Overall our kids had a good time at Ocean Park, it wasn’t a Six Flags or anything super exciting but I did like that it also had an aquarium and animals so you felt like you were getting a good deal for the money. I know lots of people go to Disney in Hong Kong but with teens I knew they’d be bored to tears, especially after we had just done the one in Paris not that long ago.

If your heading to check out Ocean Park I hope that you find this information helpful!

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

error: Content is protected !!