Saipan

The northernmost and largest of the Marianas, Saipan will awe and inspire lovers of wildlife, white beaches, luxury spas, and anyone else who can't resist the magic of a warm Pacific sun over impossibly blue water.

Go birdwatching at Isleta Maigo Fahang (Bird Island), a one-of-a-kind land feature perched atop a coral reef. Take a short ferry west to sink your toes in the pearl-white beaches of Managaha Island. Become the envy of your fellow divers and experience The Grotto, an underwater marvel voted the number-two diving site in the world by Dive Magazine. If you're not a diver, take a sea-walking tour and experience what you've been missing.

Immerse yourself effortlessly in the local scene at the Thursday-night market. Plunge just as easily into a day of pampered bliss at one of Saipan's numerous spas. And when that magical sun goes down, be dazzled by another kind of magic show as a master illusionist thrills audiences young and old.

Like much of Micronesia, Saipan shares in the legacy of World War II's often harrowing but important history. At Suicide Cliffs, experience the quiet among dramatic heights and monuments honoring the civilians and Japanese soldiers who fled during the Battle of Saipan toward the war's end.