Going South: Southern villages face challenges

BY PAULY SUBA
Journal Staff

Southern Guam’s scenic coastlines and historical landmarks should be enough for the more adventurous and curious visitors to venture south. Especially with renewed interest in cultural heritage, and the rise of rental cars as tourists explore beyond Tumon.

Recent data from the Guam Visitors Bureau’s May 2025 exit survey showed that visitors from Korea and Japan continue to rate Guam highly, with 94% of Korean travelers saying they plan to return. 

While Tumon remains a tourism hub, southern mayors and business told the Journal that more must be done to promote the authentic warmth and hospitality that define Guam’s hospitality.

Owner of the Old Spanish Bridge Market in Hågat, Joey Charfauros said, “I’m the guy that gives lollipops to the kids when the tourists come to our store.” The store has been in his family since 1969 and is conveniently nestled beside the iconic Talaifak bridge. The store offers visitors a quick stop for refreshments and local charm.

“When they come in, I greet (tourists) with a Håfa Adai! I don’t just say it; I sing it too! I do the whole spiel because I really want our island to reflect well.” Charfauros, who has worked in marketing with the Marianas Visitors Authority in the Northern Mariana Islands, said his store regularly shows up in GVB’s exit surveys. 

Still, Charfauros said revenues have dropped drastically since COVID. “I used to average over $35,000 in gross receipts tax. Now I’m down to $17,000,” he said, noting that fewer visitors are stopping by. “All my money goes to pay my cashiers. I don’t keep anything for myself.” He said it was important that his employees pay their bills. Charfauros juggles a full-time job while owning the store.  

Not far away from the Malesso’ Pier and the bell tower known as Kampanayun Malesso’ in CHamoru is Tomoge Beach Store.

The owner, Pat Cruz, has a more reserved outlook on tourism. She said Korean tourists are more frugal. “They don’t spend. If it’s three girls traveling together, they share one bottle of water,” she said.

Cruz recalled the peak years when Russian tourists traveled to Guam. She said, “Russian tourists would each spend about $20. The Russians were big spenders.”

She voiced concerns over fairness in the tourism economy. “Some of the jet ski owners outside of Cocos have a deal with the tour guides. I know they get a commission.” 

She has noticed a specific company that she is grateful for. “Every now and then, I see a van with a logo that says Kelly’s Tours. They bring me customers.” 

Cruz said she often feels like the south gets neglected too often. “I don’t know if our local leaders think we’re primitive down here, but it wouldn’t hurt for them to come down and say hello and support businesses in the south too. At least buy a candy bar or a soda when you’re passing through,” she said.

Around the coast in Inalåhan, Kristine Kim operates the Inarajan Market with her husband, Yong. They offer lunch plates that they prepare themselves alongside snacks and groceries. 

The market is situated directly across the Saluglula pool, often referred to as the Inarajan Natural Pool.

Kim said she sees mostly locals now. “I’d say 70% are local and maybe 30% are visitors, including military.” 

Still, she said Guam has some advantages. “Koreans like to visit Guam because it’s a taste of America and you don’t have to travel too far. Visitors want to explore; they prefer Guam over places like Bangkok because it’s easier to drive here.” 

However, Kim thinks visitors are deciding not to travel to Guam because the cost of food, travel, and hotel stays are more expensive in Guam than in Asia. She said most of her customers are from the nearby schools and public health clinic. As far as tourists are concerned, they aren’t stopping as often, at least not since pre-COVID. 

That concern is echoed by Mayor Anthony Chargualaf of Inalåhan who has spearheaded beautification efforts in the village with new signs, a war memorial, and cleanup campaigns. “I witnessed firsthand what COVID did to tourism. We built attractions like the new Gadao’s statue and the Bear Rock silhouette,” Chargualaf said. 

“The new tourists want to explore; they’re not here for fancy hotels.” “We don’t want to just be a drive-thru village. We’ve built war memorials, spruced up the natural pools, and added scenic markers to bring people in,” he said. But upkeep costs money, and he says mayors are often left without enough support. “We’re on the frontlines of tourism, and yet we have to pick and choose what to fix. We could do more if we had dedicated funds to beautify our village.”

In Humåtak, Mayor Johnny “Bata” Quinata said his village draws plenty of hikers and tourists, particularly at Cetti Bay and Sella Bay. 

At Fort Nuestra de la Soledad, he has an agreement with residents that are unemployed where they can sell goods. “It gives my residents a sense of pride and in return it adds value to historic sites like Fort Soledad.” 

Quinata said his village gets a lot of visitors wanting to take in the rich history that Humåtak has to offer. “A lot of our CHamoru history is along the road, from the bays to the mountains, to the village.” 

Mayor Vicente S. Taitague of Talo'fo'fo said his village also offers attractions like the Talo’fo’fo waterfalls, the golf course, and Jeff’s Pirates Cove, but has seen little in terms of new development. Taitague said he has a decent number of farmers that sell their produce at markets around the island. 

Taitague is also looking forward to the upcoming sports fields, supported by the Guam Football Association. 

In Yoña, Mayor Brian “BJ” Terlaje has big plans. “We consider ourselves the gateway to the south. You see the strength of our culture here,” he said, announcing the village’s first annual Cultural Water Festival this August at Taga’chang beach. “We want to showcase who we are. I always say, the best place to go is the back kitchen of a local.”

Taga’chang’s remote beauty comes with its challenges. “Because it’s away from the public eye, it’s vulnerable to illegal dumping and suspicious activity,” Terlaje said. “Our plan is to create more activity down there to discourage that.”

Across the south, mayors report vehicle break-ins at scenic lookouts, tagging and vandalism at historic sites, and illegal dumping in remote spots.

Graffiti has become a major problem in the south as well as the rest of the island. It’s especially noticeable at historical landmarks like Fort Nuestra de la Soledad in Humåtak. The fort was built in 1810 during Spanish rule over Guam and holds significant historical value. 

Chargaulaf said, “We really need to change the mindset of our residents. Perhaps we need to look at our laws and increase fines. Especially when it comes to graffiti and illegal dumping.”  

Quinata said he no longer allows anyone to enter the historical Humåtak bridges in his village to prevent vandalism. “I really can’t afford to keep it open; it’s a safety liability too.” 

Quinata said police presence is limited. “We’ve had some cars broken into at Sella Bay,” he said. “Not every weekend, but enough to be concerned.”

He credited a U.S. Army unit from Alaska for helping repaint signs and clean the Humåtak Memorial Park. “They helped restore pride here,” he said. 

Still, Quinata said his staff are left to paint over graffiti and clean up most of the trash themselves. “People dump beds, aircons, even truckloads of garbage,” he said. 

Quinata is confident that the culprits are not from his village. He said, “The people of Humåtak have village pride. The ones dumping and vandalizing are outsiders.”

Quinata wants stronger partnerships with law enforcement and more visible patrols. “I’m trying to build a satellite office here,” he said. “If we had a police post — even shared — that could deter crime.”

Talo’fo’fo’s Mayor Taitague shared the same sentiment. “We need to get our police station built. That should help us with some of the drug activity in the village.”

Pat Cruz, owner of Tomoge Beach Store in Malesso’ would also like to see more police presence coming around. She said, “It takes them three hours to get down here. I used to call and ask, ‘Can your (officers) at least stop in and say’ Hi?’ So far, they don’t.”

Cruz also remembers when GVB created maps and brochures that include shops, restaurants, and landmarks. She said she would like to see southern businesses included. 

“McDonald’s gets listed, but not us,” she said. “We’ve been open since 2012, and I still have to remind people we’re here.” She said she joked with a friend about the theme of this year’s Liberation Day Parade, Fanohge CHamoru. “I’ve been standing since 2012. Look, I even named my store Tomoge.,” she said.

In response to southern business owner concerns about being left off tourist maps and lacking marketing visibility, GVB vice president Gerald S.A. Perez acknowledged the bureau is still rebuilding capacity in the wake of the pandemic.

“Well, before COVID, we had all these resources. The aftermath of COVID is that it atrophied a lot of the capacity and a lot of the resources we had,” Perez said. We’re trying to re-energize the resources again. So, that speaks to the literature, that speaks to maps, that speaks to many other issues. We’re slowly getting back up and recovering.”  

He said the bureau is still focused on restoring Tumon, the island’s primary tourism district, but not at the expense of village development.

“Even though we’re focused on Tumon Bay because it is the center stage of our industry, we need to fix it. At the same time, we’re not neglecting the villages,” Perez said. “As a matter of fact, some of the initiatives in the recovery plan include pushing visitors to the villages so they can see the real Guam. Because Tumon Bay is not real Guam. The rest of the island is real Guam.”

He said southern villages are a growing part of GVB’s tourism push, especially as more visitors, especially from the Korean market opt to explore the island with a rental car.

“We’re doing our best to try to push out visitors to places like Inalåhan and Humåtak and other (villages). By doing that, we would be benefiting the small businesses in the area if they see more people,” he said.

Perez encouraged business owners to contact GVB directly. “If businesses can provide us with their information, we’ll figure out a way to communicate that in the market,” he said. “Not necessarily advertise, but we can promote their businesses.”

Mayor Chargualaf of Inalåhan has other ideas how to promote Guam. He said, “We’re the only village with a full cultural site at Gef Pågo, but it’s been dormant. We’re trying to bring it back,” he said. “If GVB gave direct beautification funds to mayors, we could clean up, paint, and maintain these places properly.”

Despite challenges, the mayors remain optimistic. They say the south has what today’s travelers are seeking: open green spaces, a living CHamoru culture, and hospitality that can’t be manufactured. 

Mayor Terlaje of Yoña believes the south has untapped potential. “Tourists don’t just want to shop. They want to see the raw beauty of our island. They want to eat where the locals eat and visit places with meaning,” he said. “Visitors want to see where our ancestors sailed and where we honor our mañaina [parents].”

“We don’t need to spend a lot of marketing dollars,” Chargualaf said. “We need to invest in making our places beautiful. The tourists will come, and when they see Guam at its full potential, they’ll bring others with them.” mbj

— Skyler Obispo contributed to this story.