The temperature in Guam is fairly constant throughout the year. It is generally warm and humid moderated by northeast trade winds. The best time to visit is January through April, which, even though it gets some rain, is called the dry season. The worst time to visit is July through October. Not only is it the rainy season, but there's also a tremendous influx of tourists (primarily from Japan). While typhoons can strike at any time, the least likely months are December, January and February.

Guam Chamber of Commerce

173 Aspinall Avenue, Suite 101, Ada Plaza Center, Hagatna 96910; Tel.: + 1 (671) 472 6311 / 8001

Federate States of Micronesia Consulate

P.O. Box 10630 Tamuning 9691; Tel.: 1 (671) 646 9154 / 5 / 6

Consulate of Japan Suite

604, Guam ITC Building, 590 South Marine Drive, Tamuning Guam 96913; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 1290 / 5220

Korean Consulate

PO Box 12489, Tamuning, GU 96931; Tel.: +1 (671) 472 6488

Philippine Consulate Suite

6th Floor GITC Building Tamuning, PO Box 9880, Tamuning, GU 96931; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 4620 / 646 4630

Palau Consulate

540 Marine Drive #615 ITC Bldg, Tamuning 96911 PO Box 9457; Tel.: +1 (671) 646-9231/2

Business centers generally provide a range of services that include secretarial, translation/interpretation, and office services, including computer rentals, audio/visual equipment rentals, cellular phone rentals, copy and printing services, and temporary office space and staff. Most large hotels (some of which may be listed here) also have business centers that offer many of the same services that independent centers provide.

110 W. Soledad Avenue, Suite 112, Hagatna; Tel.: +1 (671) 472 2528

Most large hotels (some of which may be listed here) have conference centers. For more informations call the Tourism Office of Guam :401 Pale San Vitores Road Tamuning 96913; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 5278 / 9.

Guam Dai-Ichi Hotel Closed, reopening in september 2005.

801 Pale San Vitores Road Tumon 96913; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 5881 / 9

Guam Hotel Okura

185 Gun Beach Road Tumon 96913; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 6811

Guam Marriott Resort

627B Pale San Vitores Rd. Tumon 96913; Tel.: +1 (671) 649 7827 / 6936

Hilton Guam Resort and Spa

P.O. Box 11199 Tamuning 96931; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 1835

Chitco

Tel.: +1 (671) 649 0221

Motiva (Japanese Language)

Tel.: +1 (671) 734 1688

DHL

DHL

Fedex

Guam Courier Express

JJ International Services

TNT Express Worldwide

UPS

Tamuning; Tel.: +1 (671) 646 2415

Tel.: +1 (671) 649 2917

GCIC Building, Hagatna; Tel : +1 (671) 472 5761 / Pacific Place, Tumon ; +1 (671) 647 0104

Tumon; Tel.: +1 (671) 647 5761

GCIC Building, Pacific Place, Fountain Plaza ; Tel.: +1 (671) 472 5761

No passport or visa is required of U.S. citizens coming from the U.S. All others must conform to U.S. passport and visa requirements : passports valid for at least six months after arrival are required for all. In general, travellers visiting the U.S. are required visas. However, under the Visa Waiver Program, citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa. Citizens of Canada and Mexico do not need a visa but must carry proof of citizenship and identity. Beginning October 26, 2004, all travellers, including children of any age, who want to travel visa-free to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must have a Machine-readable passport. Duty-free allowances are 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kilograms of tobacco, 1 liter of alcohol, and gifts worth up to $100. Meat products, seeds, plants, fruits, and hazardous goods are prohibited.

The area code for Guam is 671 and the Telex code is 721. It is necessary to dial the area code and the number in making local calls in Guam. There is no toll charge for any of the three local area codes from within the Guam calling area.

Emergency police, fire, and ambulance :

911

For local calls, dial the seven-digit telephone number. For long-distance calls within the U.S., dial 1, then the three-digit area code then the seven-digit number. For long-distance calls outside Guam, first dial 011 and the country code. Four special prefixes, "800", "888", "877", and "900", are not area codes but indicators of special services. "800", "888", and "877" are toll-free calls. The "900" numbers charge you for the call and are often expensive. For collect calls or operator-assisted calls, dial "0" instead of "1". For local directory assistance, dial 411. For long-distance information, dial 1, and then the appropriate area code followed by 555-1212. The most common public phone is the coin-operated type. Telephone-card phones are becoming increasingly common.

There are several cellular service providers in Guam, including: Verizon Wireless, AAA Cellular, Guamcell Communications, AT&T GCSI, TNI, Asia Pacific Telecom, and EC communications. Mobile phone numbers follow the regular telephone number convention, with the seven-digit telephone number followed by the area code. If you choose to bring your cellular phone into Guam, check with your home cellular service provider to establish compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. Rent a locally compatible cellular phone before you arrive to obtain reasonable rates and reliable service.

Foreign currency must be exchanged to U.S. dollars. Money can be exchanged at banks, airport and various foreign-exchange services.

Most restaurants, shops, and hotels will take travelers' checks and major credit cards. Travellers can also withdraw cash from ATMs. The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which equals 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny (1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents), the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar (50 cents). Silver $1 coins and "golden" dollar coins also exist. Paper bills come in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.

• Restaurants 10 to 15 percent (if a service charge isn't already been added to the bill), none at fast-food restaurants.
• Taxis and Hotels 10 percent of fare.

Guam is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +10. When it is noon Sunday, it is: 4:00 p.m., Saturday in Honolulu; 10:00 a.m., Sunday in Hong Kong; 6:00 p.m. Saturday, San Francisco; and 11:00 a.m. Sunday in Tokyo.

There is no VAT in Guam. Gross Receipts Tax: 4 percent, Real Property Tax: 35 percent, Tobacco Tax: 10 percent, Hotel Occupancy Tax: 10 percent, Corporate Income Tax: 30 percent, Use Tax: 4 percent.

120V/ 60 cycle.

• BUS: A reasonable bus service is available on a limited number of routes.
• TAXI: Fare are metered. For more informations call: All Reliable Taxi Service Tel.: +1 (671) 647 2575; All Star Taxi Tel.: +1 (671) 649 3914; City Taxy Tel.: +1 (671) 646 1155; Class A Taxi Tel.: +1 (671) 687 1213
• CAR HIRE: Available from most major companies.

• Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
• Yellow Fever and Malaria: Not notified.
• Other Health Risks: Not notified.

For more information, contact the Center for Disease Control at 800-342-2437.

Restaurants of chain hotels in Hagatna are decent. Roy's Restaurant & Lounge at the Guam Hilton offers a mix of Asian and European in a teak and batik décor; Niji's at the Hyatt Regency serves fresh sushi and grilled fish; VIP House Chinese Restaurant in the Astoria Holiday Plaza offers a huge array of Chinese specialties. Le Tasi Bistro's paradisiacal view of the ocean and inspiring Provençal accent by French Chef Bertrand Haurillon is one of the finest restaurants in the island. For authentic local food, Josephine's Chamorro Kitchen (Tamuning) offers a tasty menu including marinated fish and shrimp Kelaguen in a charming palm frond décor. Mary's Vietnamese Restaurant is an excellent family-run eatery which prises fresh ingredients including home grown herbs. Specialities include exotic soups, fresh lumpia in rice wrappers and fried tilapia with ginger sauce.

Locally produced goods include batiks, art and ceramics of which a good selection can be found in Hagatna's Chamorro Village. Guam is a duty-free port, offering items such as perfumes, cameras and electronic equipment, which can be bought at Galeria & Tumon Sands Plaza, Micronesia Mall or Guam Premium Outlets.

The city of Hagatna is small enough to explore on foot in an afternoon with its historic buildings like the 18th century Casa Gobierno, the Governor's Palace and a revolving statue of Pope John Paul II. Inarajan, perched on Guam's scenic southeast coast, still possesses Chamorro flavours. Guam's main attraction is its surrounding sea. Scubadiving is very good thanks to an excellent underwater visibility and plenty of fishes and reefs. Surfing is also popular and the best spot is Talofofo Bay Beach Park. For the less sporty, the Atlantis submarine takes tourists to Guam's best reefs. On dry land, golf, with seven courses, is the premier pastime. There's good swimming at Gun Beach, Tarzan Falls, Salugula Pool and Talofofo Falls. Trekkers can try to go up on Mt Jumullong Manglo or Humuyung Manglu to enjoy the best view of the island.