Suicide Cliff

Suicide Cliff is a World War II historic site on the northern coast of Saipan where large numbers of Japanese civilians and soldiers died at the end of the Battle of Saipan in 1944. The site is recognised for its historical importance and is marked with memorials.

The main attraction for visitors is the coastal overlook and memorial area that provides views down the steep limestone cliffs to the sea and interpretive information about the battle. The adjacent Banzai Cliff is often visited on the same trip.

The cliffs were the scene of civilian and military mass deaths during the island battle in June and July 1944; postwar memorials and signage have been placed to commemorate those events. Today the site is accessible by road on the northern part of Saipan and is a stop on local historical tours.

Suicide Cliff sits on Saipan’s northern tip in the Marpi area, with sea views to the north and west and public parking close to the viewing area.

• Memorial: Interpretive signs and memorial plaques mark the site and explain its significance from the Battle of Saipan in 1944.
• Nearby site: Often visited together with nearby Banzai Cliff as part of the northern Saipan wartime historic sites circuit.

What to See #

• Viewpoint and memorial: A roadside overlook with plaques and a designated viewing area that faces out over sheer coastal limestone cliffs and the open ocean; this is the principal place where visitors pause to view the site and remember the events of 1944.