Merizo

Merizo, or Malesso', sits at Guam's southern end on a sheltered lagoon, with a bell tower of 1914 or 1919, built in the old Spanish manner of stone and mortar, standing separately from its church, and a convent building of 1856 - the oldest continuously occupied building on the island - nearby. The pier here is where boats leave for Cocos Island across the lagoon. The village keeps a strong Chamorro character and its fiesta and the Malesso' fishing tradition are still central to it. The village name in Chamorro is Malesso', and both forms are used. A tsunami struck the settlement in the nineteenth century and the village was rebuilt on its present ground.

History

During the first Spanish missionary efforts on Guam, Malesso' was a centre of resistance encouraged by Choco, a Chinese resident of the village; its parish was the second the Spanish founded on the island, and many Chamorros from the Mariana Islands were moved here under Spanish rule. The village name was officially changed from Merizo to Malesso' on 18 August 2021 (Wikipedia, Malesso, Guam).

The main sights

• The bell tower - the free-standing campanile built by the priest Cristobal de Canals.
• The convent - the period building beside the church.
• The pier - the departure point for Cocos Island.
• The lagoon - the sheltered water in front of the village.

When to go

December to June is the drier season. The village fiesta falls in the middle of the year. Typhoon season runs July to November.

Good to know

The village is small with limited facilities. The bell tower is exterior only. Boats to Cocos run on a schedule and stop in the afternoon.

Nearby

Cocos Island is offshore, and Umatac is northwest.

Key facts