Getting to Tinian by Ferry

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." -- Jawaharal Nehru


Traveling to Tinian by Ferry (or to Saipan from Tinian) is an alternative to flying on Freedom Air. The ferry ride is 50-minutes long. You can sit at the top deck (called the "VIP seats") or the lower deck area (the main area). The ride is smooth on most days depending on the condition of the currents, and some have seen dolphins along the way!

Listed are the current schedules as of October 4, 2007.

A practical itinerary if you are traveling from Saipan for a weekend on Tinian would be to leave Saipan on Friday at 5 p.m. Stay for the weekend and leave after brunch on Sunday at 1 p.m. For example, bring the family and your bikes on the ferry and take advantage of Tinian's long and winding roads! Or come for a relaxing time at the Dynasty -- you can easily find fun for the whole family! Or check out the local restaurants and drinking holes! Whatever you decide to do on Tinian, it will leave a memorable impression.

The schedule may change, and it is advisable to call Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino to confirm the arrival and departure times.
Tel.: +1 (670) 328-2233

Island Weather

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby. -- Langston Hughes

It has been raining a lot these past few months. We are just getting out of the rainy season, which, in the Northern Mariana Islands, occurs during the months of July to November. The dry season is observed during the months of December to June.

The Northern Marianas is mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most equable (even temperature) climate in the world! The temperature all year round is a steady 86 or 87 degrees Fahrenheit, with gusty tradewinds that quickly cool the sweat from your skin from all the humidity.

What's my favorite thing about the climate here? Though it rains (that pelting kind of rain, the kind that falls in big decided DROPS, not demure showers), they last for five minutes, and sometimes, the sun is blazing as the rain is falling. That, and that the sun rises and sets at the same time all year round (no daylight savings here), makes these isles an enchanting place.

In these islands is your endless summer.

Check out TODAY'S WEATHER FORECAST from the CNMI Emergency Management Office (EMO)

CLICK HERE! for Tide Predictions for Tinian

CLICK HERE! for watches, warnings, or advisories from the National Weather Service

Running Trails

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs. -- Jesse Owens

The running path from Kammer Beach toward Taga Beach and Tachogna Beach.
Part of the running path back toward Kammer Beach.

Star Bakery, where you can find Chamorro cake and other local baked goods

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” -- Jim Davis, "Garfield"


The Star Bakery is located inside the Star Plaza on Broadway.


The bakery offers moist, delicious Chamorro cake, a local favorite. The cake is spongy and is great with morning coffee or during merienda.


You can order various kinds of pies for special occassions, or simply come in to the bakery to see what they've made that day.


Chamorro cookies and rosketti are also available.

Contact the Star Bakery
Tel. +1 (670) 433-0433

Fine Baked Goods at the Island Store

“Oh, God above, if heaven has a taste it must be an egg with butter and salt, and after the egg is there anything in the world lovlier than fresh warm bread and a mug of sweet golden tea?” -- Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes (1996)


Want great bread? Get it at the Island Store!


Located in a nondescript corner of the lobby of the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, between the elegant Chinese Restaurant and the bustling Broadway Restaurant, the tiny Island Store is a giant contender when it comes to the quality of breads and baked goods that it offers guests and locals.

Background: Coconut bread; Foreground: Pandan Bread. Also available: Garlic bread, French bread, red bean bread, walnut-raisin bread, and whole wheat bread.

Pandan bread is green in color and simply delicious. The ingredients for this bread include leaves from the pandan plant and coconut milk. There is a delicious fragrance and a distinctly unique flavor to this bread. I hope you'll try it out if you haven't already!


These buttery doughnuts are $1 each (price subject to change); they're so big, so round and simply delicious!

Breads and doughnuts are baked fresh every day and are available beginning at 8 or 8:30 a.m. Ask for Executive Chef Gladwin Stevenson for special orders.

Contact the Island Store!
Tel.: +1 (670) 328-2233 (Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino main line)
E-mail: tinian.dynasty@PTICOM.com

Island Flora

Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off...


... and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow. --Douglas Pagels

I enjoy the flora around the island. It's like finding hidden jewels. I found this heliconia one morning. It appeared to me like a rare gem in the thick of green velvet. It sits in a frame in my house and I can enjoy it all the time!

Ancient Chamorros

It's not a matter of painting life, it's a matter of giving life to painting. -- Pierre Bonnard

The local public library, located in the heart of San Jose Village, is not only a book repository but a gallery for handsome local paintings by such local artists as Rem Diaz. Rem, who lives on Tinian, created these magnificent pieces. They depict ancient Chamorro history and culture.

Artist's rendition of how latte stones were used by the ancient Chamorros.

There is a distinctly Tinian feel to the public library; it is a place that is neither anonymous like most libraries, but rather rich in what makes Tinian unique: the House of Taga, which contain the largest known latte stones and purportedly built for Chief Taga, the 17th century ancestor of today's modern Chamorro people, is located on this island.

House of Taga with one standing latte stone, carved wood relief style.

Get a feel for the Chamorro culture and history in general here.

Contact the Tinian Public Library!
RICHARD CREECY, LIBRARIAN
Tel.: +1 (670) 433-0504
E-mail: tplibrary.richard@gmail.com

Check out the CNMI Library located on Saipan!