Tumon Bay in Guam is like nowhere else in Micronesia
How to Camp in Guam
Guam, a territory of the United States, is a world apart from the other islands in Micronesia. With tall skyscraper resorts, waterparks and shopping malls, you’ll likely find it hard to visit Guam on a shoestring.
We visited Guam as part of a long backpacking trip through the Pacific, so we needed it to be as affordable as possible. After a bit of searching, we discovered you could camp in Guam. Read on to find out how.
Where to camp in Guam
There are only two parks where you can camp in Guam: Nimitz Beach Park and Ipan Beach Park. Both of these parks are out of the main city centre and are, in reality, just normal public parks.
This means the facilities are quite different to your average campsite; there are fixed gazebos, walking paths and benches. However, at Nimitz Beach Park, the one we chose, the toilets were locked, and the water tap was off. As such, this isn’t a camping experience where you’ll find yourself hanging around.
Nimitz Beach Park is right by the ocean
We rented a car from Taico Rent-A-Car to get to the parks and explore the island, which was quite affordable. We would hang out in town during the day, then drive to the park just before we planned to sleep, park in the lot, and set up our tent under a gazebo. We then woke up at sunrise, as the first walkers showed up for their morning stroll, packed up, and left.
Nimitz Beach Park is one of two parks where you can camp in Guam
The fixed gazebos at Nimitz Beach Park are a good place to camp in Guam
How to buy a permit to camp in Guam
The only place to buy a permit to camp in Guam is at the Department of Parks & Recreation, which is only open during business hours on weekdays.
Our flight arrived on a Thursday night, so we had to camp without a permit one night and then go to Parks and Rec the next day. Once you buy a permit, you can camp in either of the two parks mentioned above. Guam camping permits cost USD 30 and covered both of us.
Nimitz Beach Park parking lot
Tip: Having a rental car is essential, as the two parks where you can camp in Guam are well out of the city.
Where to find more information
Very little information is available online about how to camp in Guam. We called the Guam Parks & Recreation Department to learn more about the process before we arrived. This call was the most informative resource, and it reassured us that we were doing things correctly.
We highly recommend camping if you’re passing through and would like to visit Guam on a shoestring. You need your own equipment to camp in Guam, but it is well worth it given the cost of staying in a resort.
Bear in mind, however, that camping in Guam isn’t for those wanting a leisurely camping experience next to the ocean. Be prepared for the lack of toilets and running water; it is worth considering all the pros and cons, as Guam, quite frankly, is not set up for camping. It’s all about saving those dollars.
If you’d like to read more about our time in Guam, click HERE.
Visited: September 2024