A tiny American pinpoint in the midst of Micronesia, Guam attempts to fuse the unbridled patriotism of stars and stripes with an earthy, tribal connection to the tropics. Unfortunately, US influence has unfairly tipped the balance, and Guam is often placed (rather unfairly) in the category of Hawaii-writ-small. Granted there are plazas lifted straight from California lining the streets of Hagatna, the capital; and Tumon is pretty much a Disneyland of five-star hotels and pina colada cocktail bars. But there’s no doubting the quality of the beaches these resorts maintain and tout, peppered with windward palms on Agana Bay and family-friendly in the extreme at sandy Matapang. What’s more, Chamorros folk and their age-old traditions are never too far away for the determined traveler. In fact, in a focussed effort to promote the island’s local culture, Guam tour guides organise excursions the Chamorro Village, where the enthralling craft markets sells the region’s famed red rice (infused with the colours of the achote seed) along with tribal trinkets and the like. The southern region also has historical cultural villages, along with many a walking route into the jungle, crossing waterfalls and sobering memorials to the Pacific theatre of war alike.