I will start my story at Fort Santa Agueda since the first two places included in the Island Tour has been detailed in my previous post of Hagatna and Two Lovers Point.
But while I was drafting this post and when I looked into the whole story of my experience in the tour, I see a trend of the places that we had visited while driving around the island. The title of this post is a hint of what I meant on it. Most of the places we visited has historical significance and a viewpoint.
Fort Santa Agueda is still located in Hagatna, but I did not include this in Hagatna post as I wanted to include it as island tour activity. I made emphasis on Hagatna in my previous post, please see here. After we finished the visit of Latte Stone Park and Japanese Caves Latte Park, our guide drove us to Fort Santa Agueda. We took Hwy 33 and we turned right to Hwy 7. From Hwy 7, we turned right again at Fort Ct where we parked our vehicle again. Fort Santa Agueda is included in Hagatna Heritage Walk but I wasn’t able to see this during my first visit in the city because of its location requires me to walk towards the Apugan Hill.
Fort Santa Agueda Raised Viewing Platform which is the only remains of the fort
When we reached the fort, it has great lookout to enjoy the scenery of Hagatna including Agana Bay, clifflines with Oka Point and Urunao Point including Tumon Bay and of course the far Philippines Sea.
Cannons at the fort
For Santa Agueda is the only surviving Spanish fort in Hagatna and it served different purposes as the time passes by even though it was fully used as it was built few years (1800) before the Galleon Trade has been stopped (1815). When it was first built, it was used as fortification site to protect governor’s palace and Fort San Rafael. It was mentioned that it was useless when the Galleon Trade was off due to scarcity of supplies which means it doesn’t serve its purpose. During American administration, the fort became signaling station for ships. During Japanese invasion, the fort has been strategic to them and became guns emplacement.
Because the fort sits at the top of Apugan Hill, the fort is famous to visitors of Hagatna as it offers great scenery of western coast of the island.
With Hagatna
With Hagatna and Agana Bay
With Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica
After leaving Fort Santa Agueda, we took Hwy 7 and ended at Hwy 6. While we were waiting on green light while at the crossing, since I was seating at the front of the car, I had a good look from a distance of Ricardo J. Bordallo Complex where the Governor’s office and Latte of Freedom are located. We crossed Marine Corps Drv towards the said complex. We drove inside it but we never went out of the car, I only had a glimpse of the surroundings from the vehicle.
Ricardo J. Bordallo Complex
Asan Beach Park
We enjoyed the coastal view inside the car while our guide were driving along Marine Corps Drv. And then in few minutes from Ricardo J. Bordallo Complex we turned right and parked at Asan Beach Park. Here, I learned a great feat of one of the heroes of my country – Apolinario Mabini. At the park, I learned the place where Mabini has been staying in Guam while he was in exile. I felt proud because one of whom I recognized as hero back home have their statue standing outside the country, an important piece of reminder of my country’s history.
Mabini Statue and some information of himself to be admired
Another historical importance of Asan Beach Park based on historical records that it is the landing of the American soldier for the Second Battle in Guam in 1944 to take over again the island from Japanese where the latter took it last 1941 from US.
Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
We were back in the road again, and we were in a road longer than our previous road drive. We went to the pier but seems our guide can’t find what she is looking for. Therefore we went straight to Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, Our Lady of Solitude. The said fort was the last and fourth fortification for galleons between Acapulco, Mexico and Manila, Philippines which has been out of use since 1815.
Magellan’s Landing
While we were enjoying the scenery at Fort Soledad, our guide also pointed out the location of Magellan’s Landing site when he arrived at Guam.
Magellan’s Landing
Umatac Bay
While looking for the historical facts about Umatac Bay, I learned how important the bay is and how it was related to my country as well. The bay became supply station for ships or replenishment stop that cross Pacific Ocean during the Galleon Trade period which happened from 1565-1815. I also learned that one shipment from Cavite (the province that I currently live) in Philippines returned from Acapulco as significance of the end of the Galleon Trade in 1815.
Umatac Bay with Magellan’s Landing and San Dionisio Church
Umatac Bay from Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad
Fort Santo Angel, Fouha Rock, Facpi Island and Facpi Point
Umatac Bay
Asan Bay Overlook at Nimitz Hill
After spending time at Fort Nuestra Senora de la Soledad which located in the south, we drove back north. This time, we visited Asan Bay Overlook at Nimitz Hill. The hill offers the view of War in the Pacific Historical National Park which includes the hill itself down to Asan Bay. The historical artifacts that surrounds the park is to remember how Guam has been recovered back by US from Japanese in 1944. As I mentioned in Asan Bay in the first part of this post, the bay has been the landing of US soldier to defend back Guam from the hands of Japanese. At the hill, there are photos that portrays how Japanese tried to drive American soldiers to the sea but they failed.
Below are version of plane view of the what I had seen while I was Asan Bay Overlook.
Orote Peninsula
Orote Peninsula with Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor with Sasa Bay
Asan Beach Park
Fisheye Marine Park and Asan Beach Park
Tepungan Beach Park and Fisheye Marine Park
Tepungan Beach Park, Fisheye Marine Park and Asan Beach Park
After leaving Asan Bay Overlook, we has a brief stop as our guide told us about the one of the tunnels that Japanese used when they stayed in the island.
Fonte Plateau
Libugon Vista Point
Our last stop for the island tour is Libugon Vista Point where we had a bird’s-eye view of Tumon Bay, Tamuning, island’s international airport and Barrigada which means we can’t get enough of the lookouts that Guam has to offer.
Tumon Bay Area, Guam International Airport and Barrigada Heights
Tumon Bay
US Navy Hospital
After the tour, I rested in few hours and decided to walked in the beach as my next adventure in the island. Until then.
