Hafa adai,
Today, I’m introducing Emerald Valley, a popular tourist spot that has gained popularity in recent years. It takes about 30 minutes by car from Tumon. Although it’s a bit of a distance, it’s very easy to get there by simply heading south on Route 1, making it a highly recommended spot.
After passing through Tumon, Tamuning, Hagåtña, and Asan, you’ll arrive at a village called Piti. Once you enter Piti and drive along the coastline for a while, you’ll see the smokestack of a power plant on the right. From there, if you take the road extending west, you will reach the commercial port of Apra Harbor. Therefore, the surrounding area is busy with trucks carrying containers all day long.
Emerald Valley, which I’m introducing, is located just off the road leading to Apra Harbor. By the way, the scenery from Route 1 to Emerald Valley is also exceptional! While the sea in Tumon is beautiful, this place offers a different kind of beauty. It’s so picturesque that you’ll want to stop the car and snap a photo.
Now, just beyond this view is Emerald Valley. Take a look! This is Emerald Valley! The water is crystal clear and shines with an emerald green hue.
Although the weather was good that day, there were many clouds, and a light shower was intermittent. At the time of the shoot, a large cloud covered the sun, causing a brief drizzle. If the sun had been shining, the water’s surface would have sparkled even more, and the colors would have been even more beautiful.
This beautiful color is why it’s called Emerald Valley, but despite the name ‘Valley,’ it is not a canyon or a valley. The long, protruding land leading to Apra Harbor was once an island separate from Guam before the war. After the war, it was connected to Guam Island by a road, and the section resembling a waterway where the two meet is what we now call Emerald Valley. Walking a few dozen meters along this beautiful waterway, you’ll find that it leads to the sea.
Since it’s seawater, small tropical fish in the shallow areas of the sea are swimming happily. The water is so clear that you might be tempted to go in, but it’s actually quite deep, even for adults, and there may be sea snakes or sea urchins, so it’s not suitable for swimming.
Looking at it like this, you might wonder why only this place has such a beautiful emerald green color. The color seems to be created by a combination of various factors, including water transparency, depth, the color of the seabed, and the refraction and reflection of sunlight. Naturally, it shows different colors depending on the season, weather, and time. This is the mystery of nature! When you drive through this area, be sure to visit not only on your way there but also on your way back. You may encounter a different kind of beauty compared to what you saw on the way there.
By the way, there is an open space right next to Emerald Valley where you can park.
