Suicide Cliff sits at the northern tip of Saipan, a sheer drop of around 250 metres into the jungle below. In late June and early July 1944, as the American advance reached the island's north end, thousands of Japanese soldiers and civilians gathered here. Many had been told — and believed — that American soldiers would torture or kill them. The choice they made en masse, in full sight of American forces who could do nothing to stop it, was one of the war's most harrowing episodes. Estimates of the death toll at this site and nearby Banzai Cliff combined run from 8,000 to over 22,000.
Today the cliff is accessible by a paved road and has a Japanese war memorial, a Buddhist shrine, and a smaller Korean memorial. The Peace Memorial Park here was funded largely by Japanese donations. The view north over the Philippine Sea is vast and clear on most days. A visit here and at Banzai Cliff, a few kilometres further along the coastal road, takes less than half a day but leaves a lasting impression. Come early to avoid the tour bus crowds.