PIC Saipan expands English education, adventure tours in resort overhaul

PIC Saipan, the island's flagship leisure resort, is reinventing itself — moving beyond accommodation and water activities to become an "experiential integrated resort" that combines education and adventure tours. The resort is also rolling out packages that bundle relaxation with local activities.

PIC Saipan is operated by Micronesia Resort Inc. (MRI), the overseas hotel and resort arm of Eland Park, and functions as an all-inclusive resort where guests can enjoy accommodation, dining, a water park and sports activities under one roof. Located about 10 minutes by car from Saipan International Airport, the resort sits on a 58,000-square-meter site featuring a water park zone, beach zone and sports zone. Korean travelers account for roughly 80 percent of all guests, reflecting the resort's enduring popularity among domestic visitors.

Ahead of the late-summer holiday season and the Chuseok holiday, PIC Saipan is offering a "Signature All-Inclusive" package through March 31 next year. A standout feature is the "Saipan Bucket List Tour Voucher," which lets guests choose from the island's major tourism and activity options according to their own preferences — on top of room, meals and unlimited water park access.

Core package benefits include one night's accommodation, all-inclusive meals (three meals a day), unlimited use of the water park and pools, and the bucket list tour voucher. Guests who book through the official website receive additional perks: airport pickup and drop-off service, one free night when booking four nights, a kids' welcome gift and two complimentary Buiva beverages.

The "Bucket List Tour" included in the package is built around the concept of "experiencing an entire island" and comprises more than 15 programs. The resort has broadened its offerings by pairing premium tours run directly by an in-house travel agency with adventure tours designed to uncover new sides of Saipan. Alongside established favorites — Managaha Island, the Grotto and the northern island tour — the lineup now includes adventure tours and an ocean-view golf round, reflecting recent shifts in guest preferences.

The most notable addition is a set of adventure tours created through a partnership with Saipan Adventure, a local travel agency with 30 years of experience. The newly added "East Bay Private Snorkeling" course, which has been drawing growing attention, offers the closest possible encounter with wild sea turtles in the South Pacific. Other new offerings include "Bird Island Trail Hiking," a trek to untouched scenic spots; the "Dragon Tail Infinity Pool"; "Forbidden Island Snorkeling" at the island known as off-limits territory; and a jungle tour.

PIC Saipan is also targeting the "edu-vacation" market. The resort introduced "Academic Fun Schooling, USA" — a US schooling program linked to local private schools, the first of its kind on the island — in September 2022 and has steadily expanded it since. Regular classes are open to children from age 3, while ESL classes start at age 6; families can choose from five local accredited private schools, including Yukon International School, Mount Carmel School and Saipan International School. For children aged 4 to 11, the resort's entertainment team "Clubmate" — whose members hold professional English-teaching credentials — runs the "Kids English Academic" program.

The long-running "Gold Pass" system remains one of PIC Saipan's core competitive advantages. It covers three meals a day plus unlimited beer, wine and beverages, along with full access to Saipan's largest water park, non-motorized water sports including sailing, above-ground sports equipment rentals and free use of the kids' club.

"We plan to continue developing and expanding local experiential content so that guests can enjoy the diverse charms of Saipan according to their own schedules and preferences," a PIC Saipan official said.