A collection of the best US territory travel stories featured in The Statesider: American Samoa | Guam | Minor Outlying Islands | Northern Mariana Islands | Puerto Rico | U.S. Virgin Islands
American Samoa Travel Stories
Gibberglish: Marika Malaea remembers a trip to American Samoa to meet her birth family. It is nothing like she expects, and still, everything. Read this Statesider Original
American Samoa: In January, the US Mint will start issuing a new American Samoa quarter — featuring fruit bats. Samoa News
Produce Department: Yeah, that’s a banana in his pocket, and he’s happy to see you. Meet the banana collector of Alega. Christian Letourneau, Atlas Obscura
Guam Travel Stories
Local Lingo: A group of indigenous CHamorus (Chamorros) are trying to bring their language back from the brink, after it was discouraged and even outright banned by the American government and military for decades. Anita Hofschneider, The Guardian.
The Best Barbecue in the USA is on Guam: According to Doug, who knows his barbecue. Why’s it so good? The secret’s in the way it combines elements of the island’s Chamorro, Japanese, and American cultural history. Here’s a primer from Stars & Stripes
27 Years in the Jungle: On the south end of Guam is a tourist attraction unlike any other in the USA: the cave where Japanese “holdout” soldier Shoichi Yokoi made his home while hiding in the jungle from the end of World War II until 1972. Caitlin Foster, Business Insider
Minor Outlying Islands Travel Stories
Following the Albatross Home: Kim Rogers recalls a visit to Midway, and shares how her life was, and continues to be, shaped by the spirit of this remarkable bird. 
️ Read this Statesider original ️
Midway: With the new Midway movie, it’s worth understanding Midway’s colonial history and its place in America’s Pacific empire. Paul Kreitman, New Statesman
Bowling on Midway: Part of the joy of producing this newsletter is what we learn as we track down stories for each issue. What didn’t we know about Midway? Lots of things. Like: It has a bowling alley. You can bowl in it, if you can a. get there, and b. coax the caretaker to open it for you. Statesider field trip, anyone? Dave Conlin, NOAA
Twists & Terns: Take a walk among the seabirds and historic buildings on Midway Atoll with a newly arrived conservation manager. José Herrera, Island Conservation
Northern Mariana Islands Travel Stories
A Monument to a Mystery: A proposal to erect a statue of Amelia Earhart on Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands has rekindled an old debate. Kimberly Bautista, Marianas Variety
Puerto Rico Travel Stories
Mallorcas on the Move: Puerto Rico’s legendary breakfast buns came from Spain to the Caribbean and didn’t stop there. Illyana Maisonet, Saveur
Tiki Bars: But without the Colonialism. The movement to give the tiki bar a reboot, with all the flavor but (finally!) stripped of the problematic trappings. Alicia Kennedy, Eater
Puerto Rico Noms: Where to eat in San Juan, according to Puerto Rican chef Ana Ortiz. Alyssa Fitzgerald, Travel+Leisure
Misterio Borincano: What happened to the pre-European indigenous inhabitants of Puerto Rico? They didn’t entirely disappear. Ed Yong, The Atlantic
Glowing Bays: As Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bays recover from hurricane Maria, “nature is trying to teach us how to survive.” It’s also giving us a hell of a light show. Allison Eck, Nova
Meat-Lover’s Special: A trip down Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway. Pat Evans, The Manual
US Virgin Islands Travel Stories
An Aquanaut’s Garden: There’s plenty of good hiking and snorkeling around Great Lameshur Bay in St. John (US Virgin Islands), but in 1969 and 1970 it was also home to Tektite, an underwater habitat where teams of aquanauts stayed for up to 59 days. Because science. Also, Cold War. Dr. Frank A. Blazich Jr., Seabee Magazine