Credit Cards: Credit cards are accepted by the majority of hotels, all car rental agencies, most restaurants, shopping outlets, dive shops and other day tour activity companies. Cards accepted include American Express, Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, and in a very few places, Diners Club.

Currency: U.S. Dollars. Note: Currency exchange is available at the front desks of most major hotels and banks. American Express Travel Tools – Currency Converter

Tipping: It is customary to leave 10-15% gratuity to servers in restaurants, depending on the quality of service you receive. Some hotel-restaurants include a gratuity fee in your bill, so it is not necessary to leave an additional tip. It is also common that large parties (10 or more people) are automatically charged a service fee. In this case, it is not necessary to leave an additional gratuity unless you feel like your server(s) deserve more.

Driving & Pedestrian Safety: Because crushed coral has been used in the construction of some road surfaces, driving when the roads are even slightly wet can be very hazardous as highways can become as slippery as ice. The maximum posted speed limit is 45 mph with slower speeds regulated by law within school zones (15 mph) and congested areas (35 mph). All vehicle traffic is required to operate on the right side of the road. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is very efficient and well equipped. Speed laws are strictly enforced and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can result in severe penalties, including jail.

  Pedestrians are urged to follow all posted signs for cross streets, such as stop lights, crossing-signals, and cross-walks designated to indicate to vehicle traffic to yield to people crossing the streets. It is dangerous and illegal to cross the street at undesignated locations.

Medical Facilities: Main public hospital with 24-hour services is the Commonwealth Health Center. Additional private clinics are also available – click here to see a listing.

Natural Disasters: Except for earthquakes, Tsunami and volcanism - which have not recently affected Saipan, Tinian and Rota - tropical storms, fires, floods and droughts can happen at any time within a particular season of the year. By far the most frequent threat is from typhoons. Under the guidance of the Governor’s orders and the CNMI Emergency Management Office, all agencies of the CNMI government have contingency plans to implement during a disaster and are particularly adept at mitigating loss of life during these storms. The Emergency Management Office operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio (WXM86 Saipan) is monitored continuously. Storm and typhoon information is received from the U.S. Navy Oceanographic Command Detachment on Guam.

Business Hours: Stores are normally open from 10:00 to 22:00 and supermarkets open 08:00 to 23:00. Restaurants hours vary according to meal times and location. Check with your hotel for in-hotel dining hours. Other restaurants typically serve lunch from 11:00 to 14:00, then dinner from 18:00 to 22:00. Banks are open Monday through Friday and closed on Saturday and Sunday. Opening hours of Monday through Thursday is from 09:00 to 15:00 and 09:00 to 18:00 on Fridays. Generally, most banks will keep “Friday hours” when the following day is a holiday, regardless of the day of the week.

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +10 Click here to see what time it is now!

Useful Numbers: Country Code – 011; Local Area Code – 670; Emergency Services – 911

News:
Television -       Visitor Information – KTVC 3
Weather Channel – KMCV 2
Local News – KMCV 7
Newspapers – Saipan Tribune, Marianas Variety, Marianas Business Journal
Magazines – Hafa Adai (Japanese), Marianas Beach Press (Japanese), Beach Road