Northern Mariana Islands: Holidays, Events, Climate
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date, but are based on the location of Easter. Easter takes place on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, which ends on Holy Saturday, is 46 days before Holy Saturday. The date for Pentecost is then 50 days after Easter. Corpus Christi is celebrated on the second Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
January 8 | National Day, Commonwealth Day |
3rd Monday in February | Presidents’ Day |
March 24 | Alliance day |
March April | Good Friday, Easter Sunday |
Last Monday in May | Remembrance day |
July 4 | USA Independence Day |
1st Monday in September | Labor Day |
2nd Monday in October | Columbus Day |
November 4 | Citizens Day |
November 11 | Veterans day |
Last Thursday in November | Thanksgiving |
December 8 | Constitution Day |
25 December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Northern Mariana Islands Holidays
Village or island festivals
Date | Holiday |
2nd Saturday in March | Sinapolo on the island of Rota |
end of April | San Vicente on Saipan Isla |
Last week of April | San Jose, patron saint of the island, festival on Tinian |
Mid-June | San Antonio on Saipan Isla |
Mid-July | In Chalan Kanoa on Saipan Isla |
mid August | In San Roque on Saipan Isla |
the beginning of October | In Tanapag on Saipan Isla |
2nd Sunday in October | Feast of San Fancisco de Borja, patron saint of Rota Island. The most important festival of the Northern Mariana Islands takes place on the island of Rota. There is singing and dancing. A religious procession is held and food from the local chomorros can be sampled. |
Regular sporting events
Date | Holiday |
end of January | Half marathon on Saipan Islands |
in the middle of February | Windsurfing competition and catamaran regatta on Micro Beach; Saipan |
end of March | Bike race on Tinian |
middle of May | Tagaman triathlon in the town of the same name |
mid August | Windsurfing competition and marlin fishing at Micro Beach |
end of September | Fishing competition on the cliffs of Tinian Isla |
Tip
Tips are expected on Saipan Island and in tourist establishments.
Northern Mariana Islands: climate
The climate in the Northern Mariana Islands is tropical and temperate due to the northeast trade wind.
As can be seen in the table, the average temperatures are very even throughout the year.
However, the islands are located within the typhoon belt, with the typhoon season running from August to December.
The best time to travel to the Northern Mariana Islands
The best travel time is from March to September. The climate is then not so hot and humid and you avoid the danger of being exposed to a tafiun.
Climate table
Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean maximum temperatures in (°C) | Mean minimum temperatures in (°C) |
January | 1-3 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
February | 1-3 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
March | 0-2 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
April | 0 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
May | 1-3 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
June | 0 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
July | 0-2 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
August | 0 | 29-31 | 22-24 |
September | 0 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
October | 1-3 | 29-31 | 22-24 |
November | 5-7 | 28-30 | 22-24 |
December | 7-9 | 28-30 | 23-25 |
Northern Mariana Islands: Legend
It is reported that Tago, king of the Chomorro, jumped over from neighboring Guam and established his kingdom on Rota. He condemned the population to work in his quarry to carve the foundation stones of his royal houses from the limestone.
Northern Mariana Islands: Places of Interest
UNESCO World Heritage Site
There are currently no UNESO world cultural or natural heritage sites on the Northern Mariana Islands. At the moment there are no proposals for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List for the Northern Mariana Islands.
archeology
There are often spots with latte stones on the islands. However, these remains of the Chomorro culture have suffered immense destruction through the establishment of military bases and through fighting.
Latte stones
The stones are remnants of the Chomorro culture. It is believed that the stones are the foundation piles of men’s houses. The latte stones stand in the landscape like mushrooms, they are made of either coral or limestone and can be up to 6 m high.
There are also latte stones on Guam, which belongs to the Marianas in terms of culture and geology.
As in the rest of the Pacific, the Chomorro culture knew no metal and therefore only had stone tools at its disposal. It is believed that the limestone blanks were heated with fire and then worked on with basalt stone tools.
There were three types of houses: apartment houses, small cook houses, and meeting houses. The largest house was built in the center of the village.
Taga House on Tinian Island in San Jose
The house was approximately 6.4 mx 19.6 m.
The latte stones, mushroom-shaped foundation stones 1.5 m in diameter and 4.5 m high, of the house of Taga, who was king of the Chomorro. The location is on the US Register of Historic Places.
Tachognya on Tinian
The place is also called the Blue Site. Today there are still the remains of 10 latte houses.
Taga quarry
This is also called As Nieves quarry: In this quarry there are still nine stone shafts and seven beeheads. It is approx. 37 mx 55 m in size.
Latte stones in Songsong on Rota
Latte stones in Mochong on the north Rota coast.
Historical sights
North Field
North Field on Tinian Island. Here the Americans took off the Enola aircraft on August 6, 1945, which carried the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. The bomb was named “Little Boy”. Three days later, on August 9, 1945, they launched the “Fat Man” bomb, which they dropped on Nagasaki.
You can still see the atomic bomb storage pits.
Memorials
Sucide Cliff and Banzai Cliff
Sucide Cliff and Banzai Cliff on Saipan Islands. Many Japanese civilians, including entire families, fell to their deaths off the two cliffs for fear of the Americans.
Natural beauties
Rota Island
This island was largely spared from the Americanization of the rest of the islands.
Tropical Zoo
Tropical Zoo east of Songsong on Rota. Here you can see giant coconut crabs, fruit bats and iguanans.
Activities
Diving and Snorkeling
There are a number of good diving and snorkeling spots on the islands. Particularly noteworthy is “the Grotto” on Saipan. Due to the fighting in World War II, you can discover numerous shipwrecks in addition to the interesting marine fauna and flora. B. on Tinian the Dump Coke, which was a garbage dump for military equipment of the 2nd World War.
The visibility in the water around Rota is on average 30 m. Caves, wrecks and tunnels await the diver here.
Teteto Beach on Rota is good for snorkeling.
Windsurfing, sailing, kayaking
Saipan, especially Mico Beach, is great for windsurfing. You can also go kayaking and sailing. There are various rental companies for the necessary equipment.
Hike
There are a number of hiking trails on the islands.