Guam in May | The Story Behind Memorial Day and the Malojloj Fiesta

Guam's May Holiday: Memorial Day

May's only official holiday on Guam is Memorial Day, always the last Monday of the month — May 25, 2026. It's a federal holiday observed across the entire United States, but on Guam it carries a weight the mainland version doesn't quite have.

Its roots go back to the Civil War. In 1868, Union veterans' leader John A. Logan designated May 30 as "Decoration Day," a day to lay flowers on soldiers' graves. After World War I, the observance expanded to honor the fallen of every American war and was renamed Memorial Day. A law that took effect in 1971 fixed it permanently to the last Monday in May as a federal holiday.

Guam has its own wartime memory that gives this day added meaning. On December 8, 1941 — barely an hour after Pearl Harbor — Japanese forces invaded Guam. Roughly three years of occupation followed, during which 1,170 Chamorro civilians died. On July 21, 1944, 55,000 American troops landed at Asan and Agat to retake the island, securing it by August 10 at a cost of roughly 1,880 American lives.

In most years, War in the Pacific National Historical Park marks Memorial Day at Asan Beach with a display of U.S. and Guam flags honoring people who died on Guam during World War II. NPS materials describe a display of over 3,050 flags in total: 1,880 U.S. flags for the soldiers, sailors, and Marines killed in action, and 1,170 Guam flags for the CHamoru residents who died during the Japanese occupation and the Battle of Guam.

A note on 2026: the usual flag display will not be installed this year, since Asan Beach sustained significant damage from Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April 2026 and recovery work is still underway. In its place, a memorial event with a luminaria (candlelight) display is planned for the Asan Bay Overlook at 6:30 p.m. on May 23. Details vary year to year, so check the current NPS announcement before you visit.

Here's a distinction worth keeping straight. Guam also observes Liberation Day on July 21 — its own holiday marking that very 1944 landing. With a parade and weeks of carnival festivities, it's one of the island's biggest celebrations, and its spirit is one of celebrating liberation. Memorial Day, by contrast, is a solemn, nationwide day of mourning for the fallen of every American war, not just the Battle of Guam. Both trace back to the same 1944 memory, but one celebrates and the other mourns — two very different holidays that are easy to conflate if you're new to the island.

Government offices and banks close on Memorial Day. Shopping centers and tourist-facing businesses, including rental car counters, generally stay open, but it's worth confirming hours for any specific place you're counting on.

San Isidro Fiesta, a Farming Village Celebration in Malojloj

Beyond the holiday, May on Guam is also worth knowing for the San Isidro Fiesta, held in Malojloj, a community within the southern village of Inalåhan. In 2026 it falls on May 16, starting at 4:30 p.m. at San Isidro Catholic Church (Malojloj Highway, Inalåhan, Guam 96917).

The village's patron, Isidore the Laborer, was a farmworker born around 1070 near Madrid, Spain, and canonized in 1622 as the patron saint of farmers (his actual feast day is May 15). True to that legacy, the Malojloj fiesta is known as Guam's most agricultural celebration. After the procession carrying the saint's statue, local farmers bring tractors, trucks, and even water buffalo decorated with flowers to be blessed — a sight you won't see at any other village fiesta on the island.

Malojloj: "the Other Village Inside Inalåhan"

Malojloj belongs to Inalåhan, one of the historic villages Spain formally established in 1680, built around St. Joseph Church. During Spanish rule, residents from the northern Mariana Islands (known as Gåni) were relocated to Inalåhan and Merizo as part of a consolidation effort, and one section of Inalåhan is still called "As Gani" today.

Malojloj itself is much younger, having started as a farming community only in the 1950s. Over the following decades it grew its own San Isidro Church and even took on the village mayor's office, effectively becoming Inalåhan's administrative center. A nearly 350-year-old coastal village and a farming community that grew up inland over the last 70 years, sharing one village identity — that contrast is part of what makes the area interesting.

Exact timing and details can vary by year, so check the Guam Visitors Bureau's official site before you go.

May Weather and Driving Tips

Guam's year splits broadly into a dry season from January through May and a wet season from July through November, with June and December as transition months. That makes May not the start of the shift to the wet season, but the last month of the dry one — typically sunny, with some of the longest daylight hours of the year. It's not entirely rain-free, though: expect rain on roughly 20 days in a typical May, with monthly totals just under 100mm. Daytime highs run around 29°C, occasionally reaching 33–34°C on the hottest days, with humidity generally in the 80s.

May is generally quieter than the higher-activity August–November period for tropical cyclones near Guam, but storms can affect the island year-round. As the wetter season approaches, be prepared for sudden heavy showers and changing road conditions.

A few things to keep in mind while driving a rental car this month:

• Traffic can get heavier than usual around the Veterans Cemetery in Piti and the Asan area on Memorial Day itself, as people head there for commemorations
• Sunny skies mean strong sun — bring sunglasses, sun protection, and stay hydrated
• Malojloj and the rest of the south are a fair distance away, so check your fuel level before heading out
• Tropical-cyclone activity is historically lower than in late summer and fall, but rain still falls on a good number of days — stay alert for sudden showers regardless

Planning to Visit Guam in May? Compare Rental Car Rates Early

The Memorial Day long weekend and the weekend of the San Isidro Fiesta both tend to bring more traffic heading south. If you're planning a full day exploring the Veterans Cemetery, Asan Beach, and Malojloj, it's worth choosing a comfortable, fuel-efficient vehicle with some room to spare. Make the most of the last sunny stretch of the dry season — compare rates and book with some breathing room.

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