Tinian Island Marianas San Jose
Frequently Asked Questions
By tender. Ships, mostly expedition vessels, anchor off the harbour built by US Navy Seabees during the Second World War. There is no large cruise pier.
Only partly. San Jose, the island's single village, and the House of Taga are a few minutes' walk from the landing. North Field and the wartime sites, however, lie at the north end of the island and require a vehicle.
A vehicle tour to North Field and the atomic bomb pits takes up most of the day, with a stop at the House of Taga and, if time allows, a swim at Taga Beach near the village.
They are the two loading pits from which the atomic bombs of August 1945 were hoisted, including the one carried by the Enola Gay. They are open to visitors, sheltered under glass canopies and surrounded by interpretive panels, amid cracked concrete slowly reclaimed by vegetation.
It was briefly one of the largest airbases in the world: four runways of nearly 2,600 metres, kilometres of taxiways and hardstands built for hundreds of B-29 bombers. Jungle has since swallowed much of it.
It is the island's most imposing Chamorro remnant: a row of massive stone pillars, the latte, that once supported the dwelling of a legendary chief. Only one pillar still stands; the others lie in the grass. The site is a few minutes' walk from the landing.
Yes. Taga Beach, right beside the Chamorro pillars, offers white sand and water so clear it earned the island the phrase Tinian Blue. The cove is sheltered and snorkellers find coral gardens a short distance from shore.
The US dollar. English and Chamorro are both spoken. The island has barely 3,000 residents and services are limited, so bring cash.
Yes, with one important caveat: the wartime sites, especially the bomb pits and the 1944 invasion beaches, carry a weight worth preparing children for. The beach and snorkelling balance the day well.
Yes. The waters around the harbour hide aircraft and equipment wrecks that divers explore in remarkable visibility. The island's history surfaces as readily under the coral as it does among the vines.
