About the city of Tinian. Intellectual Foundation Holidays on Tinian: tourism opportunities in the region

Tinian is one of the four major islands in the Mariana Islands archipelago, along with Saipan, Guam and Rota, it is part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The island belongs to the United States, and I was lucky to visit there before the dollar skyrocketed, making such trips quite problematic.

We spent only a day on the island itself; we flew to see it from Saipan, where we were staying. The island has a small airport, Tinian International Airport, which is used for communication with neighboring islands; today this is the only way to get here. Previously, there was a ferry between Saipan and Tinian, but now the flights have been canceled, and only the air route remains.

This little plane took us to the island.

Only 5 people can be accommodated on board; seats are distributed depending on the weight of passengers. Before boarding, you will be weighed and given a ticket with your seat number. I was lucky, I was flying next to the pilot.

Island views from the sky fascinate with their beauty.

We flew as a group, booked an excursion to the island in advance, we had two guides, Vladimir and Paul. Vladimir has lived in Guam for a long time, more than 10 years, works as a guide and says that he is happy. When asked if he is drawn to his homeland, he replies that no, it’s so cool here! He has a family and has long been accustomed to it. Paul is an American who does not speak Russian (a great opportunity to practice spoken English). Born on the island, he has a Russian wife and two children. The guys were cool, joked a lot and showed us all the interesting places on the island, accompanying the shows with interesting stories. It's a pity that I didn't take a photo with them ((

The excursions were well organized and very thoughtful, we saw literally all the significant historical places and ended the day with a wonderful beach holiday.

Having landed, we settled into three cars and set off to drive along winding tropical roads.

For a long time, the island belonged to Spain, then to Germany, and as a result of the First World War - to Japan. In 1944, during World War II, the Americans captured the island. Tinian is famous all over the world because it was from here that the bombers that dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki took off.

Our first stop was the runways from which these monsters took off. They were the largest at that time. The asphalt has been preserved from those times, here and there there are cracks and overgrown grass, a depressing, deserted place.

Further we saw two large glass sarcophagi, concrete inside, with places to store bombs. On the walls are black and white photographs of smiling American soldiers removing bombs and preparing them for launch. The first bomb was called "Fat Man", and the second "Baby".

It’s amazing to look at all this, as if you are touching living history. By the way, there is still an active American test site here on the island.

The tourism infrastructure is poorly developed compared to neighboring Saipan. There is only one large hotel, Dynasty, which, by the way, has an operating casino. We stopped by here for lunch. The magnificent marble halls of the huge hotel provide a pleasant cooling after the hot tropics.

Vladimir says that recently the hotel has fallen into disrepair, there are fewer and fewer tourists, the ferry service has been closed, but the beaches are pristine and almost deserted. We asked if there were other hotels on the island, he replied that there were a couple of mini-motels, but only one large one.

We saw the beautiful, ancient Catholic Church of San Jose.

We went to interesting natural geysers, erupting with powerful fountains from coral ledges. The island is of coral origin; it is simply an atoll jutting out above the sea. Sharp, petrified corals create an interesting cosmic landscape, and the sea in the distance plays with all shades of blue and shimmers with azure so beautifully that no words can describe it.

The only populated area on the island is the village of San Jose. The indigenous people are the Chamorro tribes. In the very center there is the main ancient attraction - the first buildings of the settlers and the ruins of the “house of the leader,” the Chamorro king Taga.

“Taga’s House” consists of stone pillars up to 6 meters high that served as supports for the house. The picture shows how it was used.

Nearby is a large accumulation of stones used for ritual purposes - the Latte Stone Site.

On a high cliff there is an interesting Suicide Cliff memorial - “Suicide Cliff”, which was erected in honor of the mass suicide of the Japanese during the capture of the island by the Americans.

Women, children, old people... many chose to throw themselves onto sharp stones rather than surrender to the enemy. This was the official Japanese propaganda of those times. Better death than the shame of surrender. A beautiful and scary place.

There is an interesting tree on the island, similar to the tree from the movie Avatar. Its spreading branches, entwined with small, fluffy grass, hang weepingly to the ground, and a very hot little pepper grows under it. Pepper is found only in the Mariana Islands and is good to bring home as a seasoning souvenir. Sold in jars in regular stores.

The beaches of the island are a different story. Desert, paradise for lovers or exciting and interesting places for extreme sports, they will be whatever you want.

There are ideal conditions for diving or snorkeling (snorkeling), sport fishing and underwater sea hunting.

I snorkeled and it felt like I was in a tropical aquarium. Fish of unprecedented beauty swam past, a meter away from me. Vladimir, as an experienced guide, took bread with him and fed the bright sea parrots, and we, like a flock of kids, swam around him and went crazy with delight. It's as if a crazy artist painted the fish with all the colors of the rainbow. Long-nosed, black and white, blue-yellow-red, small and large with lacy fins and crests... I was gasping with delight and completely exhausted.

Huge, gentle waves and delicate, white sand, which, by the way, is completely unique in the world. Its grains, like small snowflakes, have a unique angularity when you look at them closer. “Star Sand” is found only here!

The coastline is carved with limestone caves, where you can find ancient Chamorro petroglyphs, but, unfortunately, we were not able to see them, the day was over, and we, tired, happy as children, returned to Saipan.

Located in the southern part of the Mariana Islands archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, 4.5 km southwest of and 163 southwest of.

Tinian Island is of coral origin and is a raised atoll. The main relief of the island is made up of terraces measuring 20 by 9 km. The highest point of the island reaches 170 m. The area of ​​the island is 102 km² (the third largest island of the Mariana Islands).

The coastline of Tinian in the southern and central parts is quite steep and rugged, but is replete with cozy small bays with tiny beaches, and in the north it is more gentle, but has almost no reefs protecting it from the effects of ocean waves. There are few coral reefs, however, the clear warm waters of the coastal zone are ideal for snorkeling, and the strait between Tinian and Agihan Island is excellent for scuba diving and sport fishing.

This sleepy island, home to the single village of San Jose, has fortunately escaped the main tourist influx and makes a good escape if the hustle and bustle of Saipan, for example, becomes too intrusive.

Population

In 2000, Tinian's population was approximately 2,000, representing 5% of the total population of the Northern Mariana Islands. Approximately 75% of the local population is made up of the country's indigenous people, the Chamorros, and Carolinians (immigrants from the Caroline Islands). Asians and Europeans also live on Tinian.

Story

The island of Tinian was inhabited about 4,000 years ago. The indigenous inhabitants of the island are the Chamorros. The island preserves ancient stone pillars, very similar, for example, to Nan Madol (Micronesia), the megaliths of Palau or the moai of Easter Island. The total weight of these structures exceeds a ton, and the height is about 6 m.

The European discoverer of the island was the Spaniard, Catholic missionary Diego Luis de Sanvitores, who discovered Tinian in 1669. At the end of the 17th century, the Mariana Islands became the possession of Spain.

On February 12, 1899, they were sold by Spain to Germany. Since 1907, Tinian has been part of German New Guinea, reporting to the District Officer of the Caroline Islands.

On October 14, 1914, the Mariana Islands were occupied by the Japanese. In 1920, a League of Nations mandate was established over the islands, administered by Japan. During this period, agriculture actively developed on Tinian, primarily the cultivation of sugar cane.

In 1944, the island was captured by American troops, who soon established a military aviation base on Tinian. In August 1945, bombers launched from an American air base on the island and dropped atomic bombs on Japan.

Beaches and attractions

San Jose, the island's main population center, grew out of an ancient Chamorro village. It is the buildings of the first settlers that are its main attractions.

Taga's House served as a venue for large gatherings and the residence of Taga the Great, the legendary king of the ancient Chamorro state. Around the ruins of this building there is Latte Stone Site- the largest accumulation of ritual stones of the ancient sea peoples in the Mariana Islands.

Nearby, just 800 meters south of San Jose, lies beautiful Taga Beach with turquoise waters and white sand, protected from the sea by a tiny island, and to the north, between Taga Beach and Chongya Beach, is The Dynasty casino complex, which includes a luxury hotel, several shops and restaurants.

Directly within San Jose, between Taga Beach and the port, is located the second popular beach area is Cummer Beach, as well as the Catholic Church of San Jose (1956) with the city bell tower of a rather original appearance (most of all it looks like a lonely lighthouse).

Chulu Beach (Unai-Chulu) on the northwest coast of Tinian, is the site of fierce fighting during the Second World War, where American troops landed on the island, so massive archaeological excavations continue here.

Located in the southeast of the island Suicide Cliff Historical Memorial- from the coastal cliffs towering here after the occupation of the island by the Americans, thousands of Japanese soldiers and members of their families rushed into the sea. Nearby you can see a Shinto shrine, the only intact shrine of this religion in the Mariana Islands.

Also worthy of attention Korean Memorial Park in honor of the Korean workers who died on the island.

And on the northeastern shore of Tinian stretches Unai Dankulu Beach, better known as Long Beach as it is the longest beach on the island. In the coastal cliff above the edge of this secluded stretch of shore there are several caves in which ancient Chamorro wall paintings have been discovered.

“Tinian Island, one of the small islands of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean. Tinian belongs to the southern group of islands that are part of the Mariana archipelago. Together with the island of Saipan, located 4.5 km away, and the distant islands of Guam and Rota, more than 100 km away, it forms the state of the Northern Mariana Islands. Tinian's closest neighbors are the same island states; Caroline Islands in the south, Nampo Islands in the north, Marshall Islands in the east. The distance to the Asian mainland is over 2800 km.”

The indigenous population of Tinian, like the entire group of Mariana Islands, are the people Chamorro, who sailed from the Philippines and settled the archipelago back in the 2nd-1st millennium BC. e. Scientists believe that the ancient Filipinos knew about these islands long before moving to them. Philippine and Mariana Islands separated by more than 2000 km of open ocean, it seems doubtful that the ancestors of the Chamorros, in search of new lands, randomly sailed so far east in their fragile boats. But what is more likely, the migration was preceded by a search expedition, which, having discovered lands suitable for habitation, explored them and only after that, returned to the Philippines and told others about their discovery.

According to another version, the ancestors of the Chamorros were people from Indonesia, or even Malaysia, as indicated by the structure of the skulls found in ancient burials islands. In addition, supporters of this version argue that the settlement Tiniana did not happen purposefully: supposedly the sailors from New Guinea were carried north and thrown ashore by a storm. Such an event could well have taken place, except for the subsequent resettlement, and such a “Robinsonade” looks unconvincing. But in favor of the first version, the ceramics found on the island, completely identical to those found in Mindanao, part of the Philippines, eloquently speaks in favor of the first version. archipelago.

But whoever these first settlers were and wherever they came from, from the west or from the south, to Tinian, this had only an indirect connection. It was settled as one of the last in the Mariana Islands group, and not from the distant ancestral home of the Chamorros, but from a nearby island Guam, which was mastered several centuries earlier. The resettlement to other islands of the archipelago was caused by population growth, which Guam alone, by that time, was no longer able to feed. Check-in Tiniana occurred approximately in the 16th-15th centuries. BC e. and the colonists brought to it not only elements of the emerging culture, but also seeds of domesticated plants, and among them, as many researchers believe, was rice. And this alone completely refutes the theory of spontaneous settlement.

But the most interesting thing that the settlers brought with them to Tinian, was a stone processing technology that they mastered back in Guam. This seems incredible - these people did not know metals until the discovery of the islands by Europeans, and the hardest material they had to deal with was the shells of sea animals. And, nevertheless, they learned to process stones and carve out the so-called latte. Latte, or as they are also called - skittles, are mushroom-shaped columns, similar to a glass with a high stem. Lattes consist of two parts: the actual “legs”, called haliga, which, in turn, are crowned with tasa, a kind of capital shaped like a bowl. The process of processing stone, which is represented here mainly by limestone, and hewing from it column latte, was very labor-intensive and apparently took quite a lot of time: First, the stones were fired, heated to a certain temperature, and then doused with water, as a result of which the limestone became soft enough for processing by scraping. The main tool for this difficult task was scrapers made from shells with jagged edges.

Used latte for building houses and served as piles. On the one hand, high above the ground there is always better air circulation, due to which such houses were open to all winds, which in hot climates Micronesia more than relevant. On the other hand, during the monsoons, thanks to the cup-shaped shape of the tasa, which creates a negative angle of elevation, rats and coconut crabs, who strive to hide somewhere during the rainy season, could not get into the dwelling. But this is only an assumption, albeit the most common one, and the true meaning of this may be completely different. After all, it seems not entirely logical to make so much effort just for utilitarian purposes. However, if these guesses are correct, we can say with confidence that the people Chamorro already during the late Neolithic, he was at a fairly high stage of development, since he was so concerned about his comfort.

Leftovers column latte, have survived to this day and are located in the area of ​​​​local beaches, but they are all relatively small, but the ruins of an ancient settlement, called by archaeologists Taga's House, truly impressive. Not so long ago, one of its buildings, which was the “residence” of the Tinian leaders, was a colonnade consisting of 6 pairs column latte. But after the earthquake of 1907, all of them collapsed, except for one, which retained its vertical position, but it also gives a clear idea of ​​what the Taga House looked like in ancient times. The dimensions of these columns are impressive: they are about 6 m in height and weigh more than a ton; all the others, in comparison, look like dwarfs. According to the legend of the Chamorro people, this village was built by someone Taga, who sailed to the island with his family from somewhere far away, at the behest of the local leader, who decided to test his strength in this way.

But in reality it turned out that Taga's House has a much more ancient history than local legends say. Taga himself is a real historical figure, he was the leader of Tinian and lived at the end of the 10th century. n. e. But the emergence of the village named after him is attributed by archaeologists who began excavations on the island in December 2011 to the 16th century. BC e., that is, by the time of its settlement. As a result of their research, the remains of two-story houses with stone-paved floors were discovered, in which people constantly lived from the 15th century. BC e. to the 11th century n. e. Both in them and next to them, many fragments of broken ceramic dishes with patterns characteristic of the local culture were found. And also, numerous burials, a little away from Taga Houses, belonging to the same period as the buildings. And one can hope that the most interesting, perhaps even intriguing, finds await archaeologists yet to come, as excavations continue.

About the people themselves Chamorro Apart from the fact that they were skilled sailors, as well as skilled potters and stonecutters, little is known. In particular, thanks to the work of the same archaeologists, we can now say with confidence that for thousands of years, communication between the Mariana and Philippine Islands has never been interrupted. Besides, Chamorro had extensive cultural and trade ties with the islands of Indonesia, as well as Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, and by the end of the 1st millennium BC. e. they began to regularly visit the shores of New Zealand. But the most amazing thing is that around the 9th-8th centuries. BC e. they established trade relations with Taiwan, and after that with the east coast of China!

The first Europeans to see the Mariana Islands were members of the expedition Ferdinand Magellan On March 6, 1521, they tried to land on the coast, but were unfriendly by the local population. In a skirmish on the shore, 7 natives were killed and 2 Spaniards were wounded, who immediately retreated and returned to the ships. In the heat of battle, the islanders stole the boat, although they themselves, like all the naive native peoples of Oceania, far from the concept of property, did not consider it theft, and did not feel any remorse. Magellan thought differently, who plotted the outlines of the islands on the map, and in memory of this event, named them Robbers.

Officially, the islands became the property of the Spanish crown in 1565, but the first Europeans began to settle on them only in 1668, and the authorship of their modern name is attributed to a Spanish missionary Diego Luis de San Vitores, who actually named them Mariana, in honor of Doña Marianna, widow of King Philip IV. The first attempt to colonize the islands ended unsuccessfully, he San Vitores was killed by the natives, which led to an armed conflict that lasted almost half a century. By 1700, when the Spanish-Chamorra War ended, the indigenous population of the archipelago was almost completely exterminated, out of 150,000 only 5,000 remained. The inhabitants of Tinian were resettled to Guam, and the island was settled by Spaniards and Filipinos who converted to Christianity. In 1899, after defeat in the Spanish-American War, Spain sold the Northern Mariana Islands to Germany, and in 1907 Tinian became part of German New Guinea.

In 1918 after graduation First World War, control over Tinian, like the other Mariana Islands, was established by the League of Nations, but already in 1920 it transferred them to the control of Japan. The Japanese, starting in 1926, launched large-scale clearing of the jungle, after which their place was taken by plantations where sugar cane was grown. In fact, during this period, the entire Tinian turned into one large sugar plantation, covering an area of ​​3000 hectares, which accounted for more than 80% of the entire island. In parallel with this, large-scale construction began here; a large port, a distillery, a power plant appeared, roads were laid, in addition, Tinian was actively Japaneseized: schools and Shinto shrines were built throughout the island.

During World War II wars, in the northern part of the island the Japanese built the Yushifield airfield, and since 1944 the headquarters of the Japanese Air Force, commanded by Vice Admiral Kakuji Kakuta, was located here. On July 24, 1944, an American force of fifteen thousand landed on the beaches of Unai Chulu and Unai Babui, taking the Japanese army by surprise. The Japanese launched a night counterattack on the coast, but as a result of a 3-hour battle they were forced to retreat, losing 2,000 people. The Americans, having quickly advanced deeper into the island, captured the airfield and the most important strategic facilities on July 25, and the Japanese troops were thrown back to the southern tip of the island, where they still had fortifications. After a massive bombardment on July 27 with “fire bombs” filled with napalm, which were used for the first time, the surviving Japanese units, realizing the hopelessness of their situation, committed an act of mass suicide on August 1 by jumping off a cliff.

And we can say that exactly Tanian put an end to World War II when bombers took off from an American base on the island to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the end of the war, the island remained under American control, but in 1978 it received special status and became part of the state of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the image of the famous latte columns, became an element of its national flag.

The legend of the Chamorro people says that in the standing column lives the soul of a young maiden, the daughter of the leader Taga. She cannot leave the world of the living because she grieves for her brother, who was killed by their father in a fit of rage. When her tears dry up, the princess's soul will leave this world, and then the last column will collapse.

Saipan Island

The largest island and administrative center of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. White sandy beaches, quiet, emerald lagoons and a necklace of coral reefs line much of the island's west coast. Here you will be offered a wide range of sea sports. Warm weather and year-round sunshine make the island a paradise for beach lovers.

Most hotels, shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs are concentrated in the tourist center of the island, Garapan. Here you will find the world famous Hard Rock Cafe and Duty Free store. No more than a 5-minute walk from the gallery there are gift shops, car rental offices, and companies offering various types of services and entertainment. The central part of the island is covered with green jungle. This is the kingdom of wildlife, exotic flora and fauna.

Saipan was the scene of some of the most intense battles of the Pacific War. To this day, both on the island itself and on the seabed, you can see the wreckage of planes, tanks and ships. Banzai Cliffs, Suicide Cliffs, and the Last Command Post exhibit are open to the public. From these historical monuments in the north of the island, more determined travelers can continue their adventures by following the eastern shore of the island. Here they will be greeted by wild cliffs, limestone caves and jungle trails. Mount Tapochao offers views of the whole of Saipan and the neighboring island of Tinian.
Saipan is 23 km long and 8 km wide.

Garapan - the busiest area of ​​Saipan, and indeed the entire Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Almost destroyed during the fighting of World War II, Garapan has now been rebuilt and is replete with shops, sushi bars, restaurants, karaoke clubs and other establishments that are very popular among tourists from Asia. Micro Beach, whose white sands are located near the Hyatt Regency Saipan and Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan hotels, is considered one of the best on the island. To the north of the beach is the American Memorial Park. There is a protection zone for forest and marsh birds here. The park also serves as a favorite site for events and picnics to commemorate American soldiers killed in the US invasion of Saipan and Tinian.

The park houses the Museum of the Second World War, the exhibition of which includes weapons, samples of military uniforms, ammunition and other military attributes of that time, as well as many photographs.

Tinian Island

This sleepy one-village island, just 4km south of Saipan, has fortunately escaped the main tourist influx and makes a good getaway if the hustle and bustle of Saipan becomes too intrusive. It is hard to imagine that such a peaceful place could be involved in one of the most tragic events in history: Tinian became famous as the site of the Enola Gay and Box Car bombers that dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

San Jose, the island's main population center, is the site of an ancient Chamorro village. Its settlers created masterpieces that mainly attract visitors here today.

The main attraction of San Jose is the Taga House, which served as a place of large gatherings and the residence of Taga the Great, the legendary leader of the ancient Chamorros.

Tinian has several good swimming spots, including Cammer Beach in San Jose and Taga Beach south of the village, which feature turquoise waters and white sand. Chulu Beach, in the northwest of Tinian, was the site of fierce fighting during World War II, where American troops landed on the island. Archaeological excavations continue here. The only casino in the region, Tinian Dynasty, is also located on Tinian.

• Sights of Tinian:
• Taga Beach Park
• Taga's House
• Atomic bomb loading pits
• Suicide Cliff
• Unai Danculo
• North Field
• Well of Taga

Blow Hole

Historically named "Luta", a small pearl island, lies halfway between Saipan and Guam, and is only now beginning to emerge from the shadows of the larger islands and develop the direction of eco-tourism. The main village, Song Song, still does without traffic lights and shopping centers , but is famous for several good restaurants. Contrary to the image of a lost island, there are recreational conditions for tourists - the island has the Rota Resort & Country Club with a first-class golf club; the Coconut Village hotel, whose bungalows are located right by the sea, the Rota hotel and several small hotels in Songsong.

Here you should definitely rent a car and take a trip to this Treasure Island. You can travel from Songsong on foot or by jeep to the northeast, where the shores of the island have a particularly picturesque view. Attractions include: Tanga - a giant natural cave with intricate limestone formations; the botanical garden of Taisa-kana, the ancient grotto museum of Rota Cave, where the first settlers of the island lived, the Coral Garden. The north of the island will make tourists wonder how the ancient Chamorros managed to carve giant letti stones by hand. They can be seen in the ancient Taga Stone Quarry.

Ggeological origin
The age of the island is estimated at 42 million years. At that time, an underwater volcano began to erupt in the area of ​​the deepest place on Earth - the Mariana Trench. Coral reefs formed on the top of a volcanic mountain that reached the surface of the sea. Tectonic movements slowly raised coral reefs above the surface of the water, forming limestone terraces and shaping the modern topography of the island. Corals not only formed the land in ancient times, they continue to grow in shallow waters, providing shelter for the inhabitants of our waters.

Coast
Standing on the steep cliffs of Pona and As Matmos, you can see and feel the powerful energy of the waves in action. If tourists are looking for soft beaches, they will enjoy the fine white sand of the northern shore at the beaches of Teteto, Tatgua or the secluded shore in the Swimming Hole area or the Coral Gardens of the Marine Reserve.

Forests
Rota has the largest forested areas remaining in the Commonwealth. Some of them are protected in the Sabana Nature Reserve. You can explore these forests by traveling on wheels and on foot along Mount Sabana, or look at the high forest canopy from the Alaguan Bay observation deck.

Adventure for nature lovers - a descent along the bypass road leading through the Paili forest, the grassy plain of Talahaya, past the Okgok waterfall, and along the high cliffs above the Coral Gardens of the Marine Sanctuary.
Animal world

The fauna of Rota amazes with its amazing diversity. Many of its representatives are rare. The best place to watch seabirds is at the popular Ai Chenchon Bird Sanctuary. Here from the observation deck you can see one of the largest nesting colonies of seabirds in the Mariana Islands. Or, in the company of a local guide, go in search of the rare bird aha (Mariana crow) or nose (Rotsky white-eye) in the Sabana Nature Reserve. These rare birds cannot be seen anywhere else in the world in natural conditions. Here, from the Alaguan Bay observation deck, at dawn or in the evening twilight, you can see a large and rare fanihi (Mariana flying fox) soaring above the primeval forest. These rare animals have a wingspan of up to 3.5 feet (1.05 m). Historically, they were an important part of Chamorran culture. Today, fanihi is not found on Saipan, Tinian, or Guam, and fewer than 1,000 survive on Rota.
Rare plants

There are hundreds of plant species on Rota, and some of them are unique. The rarest plants can be found on Mount Sabana. In the company of a local guide, you can go in search of these rare plants.
Ocean

The Mariana Islands have hundreds of species of other sea creatures: small nudibranchs, lobsters, octopuses and the giant haggan betde (green sea turtle), whose shell can reach 4 feet (1.2 m) in length.

The Coral Gardens Marine Sanctuary was created in 1994. This is the Commonwealth's first maritime protection zone. Here, the diversity of marine life is protected for the benefit of local people and tourists, as well as future generations.
Paths and paths

Today you can travel along many trails. There are many beautiful backcountry roads of interest to mountain bikers. If tourists are interested in short walks, we recommend the trails in the area of ​​the Ai Chenchon Bird Sanctuary, Liyo Trail, Chugai Rock Art Cave, and Okgok Waterfall. The trail on Mount Sabana is the longest and most difficult route, but it is not finished yet. This spectacular trail system provides long hikes under the arches of primeval forest and across the grassy Talahaya plain with its breathtaking views.

• Sights of Rota:
• Tonga Cave
• Twixbury Beach
• Swimming Hall
• East Harbor
• Japanese cannon
• Ancient quarry of latte stones
• Bird sanctuary
• Japanese locomotive
• Ancient latte settlement of Mochong
• Ancient latte settlement of Dugi
• German chapel
• Sugar factory NKK
• Rota Zoo
• Teteto Beach
• As Matmos
• Peace Saban Memorial

Songsong observation deck

Story
Pre-Latte era (1500 BC -1100 AD)

The ancient ancestors of the Chamorros migrated from Southeast Asia approximately 3,500 years ago (ca. 1,500 BC). They came sailing in small canoes, guided by the stars, sun, moon, wind and ocean currents.
About 900 years ago (1100 AD), the Chamorros began using Latte stones as support columns for wooden thatched houses. Latte stones can be found throughout the island today. The ancient settlement of Mochon is one such place. People lived here continuously for 3,000 years. The largest settlements of the ancient Chamorro in the Mariana Islands are Mochon, Gampapa and Alagan Bay, which have survived to this day. You can also walk among the massive Latte Stones of the Ancient Quarry. Here are the largest and best preserved remains of the ancient production of these stones in the Mariana Islands.

Spanish Period (1521 – 1899)
The first Europeans arrived in the Mariana Islands in 1521 with the expedition of Captain Ferdinand Magellan. Over the next 250 years, Spanish galleons periodically stopped at the islands of Guam and Rota. Archaeological excavations made it possible to raise from the bottom the relics of one of these galleons - the Santa Margarita, which sank off the northern coast of Rota during a storm in 1601.

Proa (sailing catamarans):
Magellan's sailors could observe catamarans with triangular sails. The same ships were seen by members of the British expedition that visited Rota in 1705. The ship's log recorded travelers' admiration for these fast and efficient ships.

German Period (1899 – 1914)
In 1899, Spain sold the Mariana Islands, including Rota, to Germany. During the brief era of German rule, the production and export of coconuts (copra) was introduced. The German chapel of Santa Lordes is the only building reminiscent of this period.

Japanese Period (1914 – 1941)
Japan laid claim to the Northern Mariana Islands in 1914 and received a League of Nations mandate to administer them in 1922. By the 1930s, most of Rota's lowland lands were devoted to sugarcane plantations. This branch of agriculture provided rapidly growing exports during this period. characterized by rapid development of infrastructure. Roads and railways were built around the island.

World War II (1941-1945)
World War II began in the Pacific theater in 1941. By 1944, American military forces had advanced across the Pacific Islands to the Marianas Archipelago. Ground battles bypassed Rota, although sporadic bombing occurred over a period of 14 months.

OK7MT is currently active from Tinian Island, IOTA OC - 086 as KH0/OK7MT.
It operates on the HF bands.
QSL via home call, ClubLog OQRS.
Address for QSL direct:
Michal Tomec, Kvetna 1230, 69701 Kyjov, Czech Republic.
DXCC Diploma Listed Country: Mariana Islands KH0.

Tinian Island: a staging area for a nuclear strike

The island of Tinian is so far from land that local residents would have to travel at least 2,800 kilometers in a straight line to reach Eurasia. However, there is a certain romance in this - traveling across a land that is “captivated” by ocean waves. Despite the difficult geographical location, the first settlers settled on a piece of land 4 thousand years ago. These were representatives of the Chamorro Indian people, who left us many megalithic structures. The stone blocks resemble the sculptures of Easter Island.

Japanese Peace Memorial, Tinian Island. Photo by Kummerle.

Attractions

Only 3,136 people live on the island, but this does not mean that the route there is closed to tourists. Adventure lovers will find plenty to do on Tinian. Take Taga Beach, which stretches between two sheer cliffs. To get closer to the water, people have to climb down a metal ladder. History buffs can see a house that belonged to a local chief many centuries ago. According to legend, the massive dwelling stood on 12 columns, but only one vertical stone pile has survived to this day.

Several hiking trails run through the atoll. On one of them, called the “Stone Forest,” there is an unusual geyser, “Blow Hole.” The uniqueness of the natural formation lies in the fact that it is not jets of a hot spring that erupt from it, but only sea water. Over the years, ocean waves have carved a cave into the rocky shore. When it fills, the pressurized liquid gushes out through a narrow hole in the rock.

Chronicle of conquest

The ancient way of life of the islanders was disrupted when in 1669 the Spanish Catholic missionary Diego Luis de Sanvitores landed on the shore of a secluded place. Following the religious leader, European civilizers rushed to the atoll and took control of the territory into their own hands. In 1899, the colonists decided to get rid of the economically useless island and sold it to Germany. In 1914, new owners appeared on the horizon - the Japanese, who captured the atoll. The Asians ruled the territory until 1944, when the American Navy took over.

Tinian Island. Photo by Bruce Johnson.

The beginning of tragic events

Tinian became the starting point for the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. One of three atolls in the Northern Mariana Islands with an area of ​​101.01 m2, located approximately 2320 kilometers south of Tokyo. The flight from the island to the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun took an average of twelve hours for American B-29 military aircraft. This proximity to Japan is one of the reasons why Tinian became a staging area for a nuclear strike.

Tinian was ideal for organizing air raids against unruly samurai. The US Defense Department has always wanted this piece of land in the Pacific Ocean because of its key strategic importance. When the flotilla achieved its goal, the military base was named "Destination O", that is, "Destination O".

Destination

The capture of Tinian was preceded by an invasion of another atoll - Saipan, which was also part of the Northern Mariana Islands. The tragic event occurred on June 15, 1944. Fierce battles with 10 thousand Japanese soldiers and mass suicides of samurai made it clear to American generals: Japan would not give in easily. The invasion of Tinian, which began on June 24 and ended on August 1, was also difficult, with more than 300 Americans and 6,000 Japanese killed in the battle.

Taga Beach, Tinian Island. Photo by Anna Lee.

Marines on the shores of Tinian

Navy construction battalions known as "SeaBees" began work just days after the island was captured. The six runways were completed within two months, and Tinian soon became the largest air base in the world. "North Field" consisted of four airfields and served 269 B-29 aircraft.

Astrophysicist Philip Morrison, who traveled to Tinian to help assemble one of the atomic bombs called "Fat Man", spoke eloquently of the island's transformation:

“Tinian is a miracle. Here, 6,000 miles from San Francisco, the United States military has built the largest airport in the world. The Great Coral Ridge was half leveled to fill the plain and create a site for the construction of six runways. An excellent 10-lane highway that is almost two miles long. There were long rows of large silver planes nearby. There were not a dozen of them, but a whole hundred. From the air, this island looked like a giant aircraft carrier, with bombers on deck..."

Other structures appeared on the atoll: barracks, an administrative building, oil storage facilities, weapons depots, an air-conditioned bomb assembly workshop and pits for loading deadly shells. Thus began preparations for the dropping of bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which happened in 1945.

The island has a sad history, but a very bright future. Former military installations have become mere tourist attractions.