2 groups plan zipline in Marpi; 2 others eye cable cars
If investors would have their way, Saipan would have ziplines and cable cars in no time. Department of Public Lands Secretary Pete A. Tenorio confirmed with Saipan Tribune yesterday that two separate business groups are each asking for public lands for a zipline in Marpi, while two other investor groups want to develop cable cars in two different spots.
“That’s a lot of rides,” Tenorio said in an interview, after presenting before the Rotary Club of Saipan the challenges that DPL faces.
Tenorio, a former lieutenant governor and former resident representative to Washington, D.C., said two investor groups have already submitted proposals to lease public lands for a zipline in the Marpi area, specifically from Suicide Cliff all the way down to the Kan Pacific site.
He said if the ziplines materialize, Saipan could also market itself as an adventure destination.
Tenorio said DPL will meet with the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, Historic Preservation Office, Marianas Visitors Authority and other agencies about the proposed ziplines and cable cars.
“Then two other companies are interested in developing cable cars. One is in the Marpi area—from the radar station to the Suicide Cliff area. The other one is from Tapochau to the Sugar King Park,” he said.
The planned Tapochau-Sugar King Park cable car had already been reported last year. That was the brainchild of designer Heinz Staffler and architect Herman Cabrera—to build a cable car that takes passengers from Sugar King Park in Garapan to the apex of Mount Tapochau in less than 10 minutes.
A cable car is a transportation system that typically travels up and down a mountain in which cabins are suspended on a continuous moving cable driven by a motor at one end of the route.
This is great news for Saipan. Make sure they keep safety at the forefront and low impact flying. Stay away from steep vertical drops as they are much more dangerous with more Gs and pressure on the line. Zips weren’t made to be roller coasters, they are to sail slowly through beautiful surroundings, and done properly, it will enhance your islands destination for tourism. Try to make them aesthetic and incorporate a walking trail or other activities.
I’ve done ziplining in both Costa Rica and Puerto Rico recently. Ziplining is a wonderful tourist activity, especially when also combined with nature tours, hanging bridges, etc. They don’t need much vertical drop at all in order to get you moving very quickly. Coming down from Suicide cliff would be entirely too much drop. It’s nice to develop a circuit, where you gradually get a little higher (treetop to treetop or a platform or a hill with a platform on it) and then descend. It’s fun to go over water and ravines as well. Hanging bridges usually go over ravines. Canyoning is also tremendous fun. This can all be seen online on Cost Rica’s official tourism websites.