Language

Chamorro and Carolinian stand alongside English as the official Northern Mariana Islands languages, but some people in the tourism industry also speak Korean or Japanese.

Currency

The US dollar is the official and only widely accepted currency on the Northern Mariana Islands. Foreign currency exchanges and international banks are commonplace in Saipan, but even the smaller islands of Rota and Tinian have their own bank branches with ATMs. Travelers’ checks and major credit cards are commonly accepted at most hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourism-related industries.

Time

The Northern Mariana Islands share the same Chamorro Time Zone as Guam and the Australian state of Queensland, 10 hours ahead of GMT (GMT +10).

Electricity

The Northern Marianas Islands use the same 110-120V electricity settings as the United States and Canada. Type B and A plug sockets are both commonly used. However, all visitors should still bring plug adaptors and transformers in order to be sure they can still use their electrical appliances.

Communications

The Northern Marianas Islands dialing code is +670, followed by a seven-digit local telephone number. DOCOMO Pacific Guam is the main cell phone provider. Although Northern Marianas Islands internet access is often plagued by slow speeds and high fees, visitors can nonetheless surf the net for free at the DFS Galleria Saipan and Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.

Duty-free

The two main Northern Mariana Islands duty-free shops are located at DFS Galleria Saipan and Saipan International Airport. The DFS Galleria Saipan shop is the larger of the two establishments. Visitors can import a reasonable quality of perfume without incurring customs duty. The same is true for up to 3.8 liters of Japanese sake and wine as well as up to 2.3 liters of other alcoholic beverages. The duty-free limit for loose tobacco or cigars is 454 grams, while 600 is the maximum number of cigarettes which can be imported duty free. Narcotics, unlicensed firearms, and some foods cannot be imported into the Northern Mariana Islands.

Tourist Office

Marianas Visitors Authority, Saipan: +670-664-3200 or http://www.mymarianas.com/

Consulates in Northern Marianas Islands

Japanese Consulate, Saipan: +670-323-7201 Palauan Consulate, Saipan: +670-235-6804 Consulate General of the Philippines, Saipan: +670-234-1848 Vanuatu Consulate, Saipan: +670-234-6547

Emergency

Emergency services: 911