Visiting American Samoa National Park
Having already been to 57 National Parks on our quest to visit all, it's past time to make the long trek to American Samoa for our park # 58. So today, after a few days on Kauai, we head to the Honolulu airport for our six-hour flight to Pago Pago on the largest island of Tutuila.
At check-in and baggage claim we can't help but notice that we are in the minority. Happy, friendly Samoans fill the plane. It appears many have made a "Costco type run" to Honolulu or the mainland - I have never seen so much luggage in my life!
We shuttle to the Tradewinds Hotel, an American style hotel in Pago Pago. Our first morning we experience a severe case of "island time" as we try to coordinate our room, rental car & sights - we'll adjust.
After all is settled, we drive east on Route 001 along the coastline stopping first at the Goat Island Cafe in Pago Pago for a nice waterfront lunch. We continue east along the Pacific Ocean to the end of the road after missing the National Park Visitor Center in Pago Pago.
Goat Island Cafe, Pago Pago, American Samoa
The shoreline and vegetation are gorgeous! But we drive through small villages with many dilapidated homes - small and large. There are numerous elaborate Christian churches of differing denominations. It's hard to imagine a population of 45,000 fills all these churches.
On the way back we finally find the small National Park Visitor Center in Pago Pago and learn about Samoan culture, an important aspect of this National Park trip, along with hikes and good snorkeling.
American Samoa History, Climate and Culture
Ancient volcanic craters rising above sea level in the middle of the Pacific Ocean form the spectacular islands of American Samoa and the independent country of Samoa.
The Samoan islands were originally inhabited 3,000 years ago by the Lapita people thought to be from Southeast Asia. They brought their language, crops and animals with them as they crossed the Pacific.
Europeans initially explored the Samoan Islands in 1800 after which English Missionaries arrived in the 1830's. A treaty was signed, in 1899, for a US Naval Station in the Pago Pago harbor. The eastern islands, American Samoa, became a US Territory in 1904 while the western islands, Samoa, passed control from Germany to New Zealand in 1914 and became independent in 1962.
The largest of the American Samoan Islands is Tutuila Island at 55 square miles, about the size of our beloved Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands – not big!
As a US Territory Samoans cannot vote for President and they have two non-voting delegates in Congress. The Territory is governed by an elected governor and two legislative houses.
The climate is best described as tropical. High temperatures are in the mid-high 80’s year around with 15-20 days of rain each month. Hurricanes, locally called cyclones, are rare but historically have wreaked havoc. Hurricane season is from December through April.
Earthquakes and tsunamis have also caused destruction, the latest being in 2009 when a large tsunami severely damaged the south side of Tutuila, including the Pago Pago Harbor.
Christian Church in American Samoa
Samoans have large extended families who often in live separate houses on one land area. A fale tele, or open-air pavilion is frequently in front of their simple homes for family gatherings and ceremonies. Family graves are often in front of the family land as well. Traditional Samoan food plays a big part of their daily lives.
They appear to be quite happy, friendly and welcoming people but they are not affluent by US standards. Samoa is said to be the home of the Polynesian culture.
97% of the population are devout Christians, thus all the churches. Sundays and evenings are sacred times and visitors are asked to respect this time.
Employment in American Samoa is a third by the Samoan Government, a third by the Sunkist Tuna plant in Pago Pago and a third is “other” including subsistence fishing and farming.
Cash is the primary payment method, and the island speed limit is 25mph. Dogs, wild and owned, run free - most are not threatening.
American Samoa Transportation
As of this writing the only way to get to American Samoa from the US is twice a week (Monday and Thursday) on Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu to Pago Pago.
If one doesn't go to the two outer islands, we suggest taking the Thurs flight and returning on the Monday flight, giving you four full days on the island since the departure is at 11:20pm.
Like many things in American Samoa, getting to Ofu and Ta’u Islands, for another portion of the park, is a challenge. One must check in with Samoan Air once you land to see if they are flying - be ready to book your flight in person with cash!
You will fly into Ofu and have some of the best snorkeling in the world they say. You will stay at the rustic Vaoto Lodge. At the end of your stay, you must find your way to the harbor and ask a fisherman, for a fee, to take you to Ta’u Island. Samoan Air will pick you up there, but you will need to confirm that!
Local bus in American Samoa
Unfortunately, by the time we figured this all out it was too late for us to go out over the Thanksgiving holiday. Hopefully, this will help others plan their trip.
On Tutaila there are frequent little local buses, but we found renting a car to be the best way to get around and get into the park. Rental agencies will even deliver the car to your hotel.
Lodging in American Samoa
Lodging is limited. There are no “resorts” like mainlanders are accustomed to but there are a few American style hotels. After looking at them, we found Tradewinds to be the best. They have modest, comfortable rooms, a small pool, a dining room, a bar and even lattes. Breakfast is included. We are surprised to see an overabundance of Christmas decorations as we arrive on November 20th!
American Samoa also has “homestays” that welcome tourists into private homes. The best one we found is Tisa’s Barefoot Bar Homestay right on the beach. They also serve traditional Samoan food on Wednesday evenings – sign up early and enjoy the day there! Another intriguing homestay is Le Falepule which boats panoramic views.
American Samoa National Park
Located 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, American Samoa is one of most remote National Parks and therefore least visited. Visits per year are in the thousands versus millions for many mainland parks.
In 1993 Samoan Chiefs agreed to sign a 50-year lease for the National Park Service to protect and manage an area of rain forest, beach and coral reef on three islands. However, even today, tourism and visitation to the National Park is not a focus in American Samoa.
On Tutuila, the main island, there is about 2,500 acres of mixed species paleotropical rainforest that protects hundreds of plant species and fruit bats on the north central part of the island. The park includes the steep ridgeline above the Pago Pago harbor, Mt Alava at 1,600 feet and part of the north coastline. Tutuila also includes a Marine Sanctuary and several National Natural Landmarks.
American Samoa National Park
National Park land on Ofu lies on the southeast coast while the southeast half of Ta’u is National Park land.
A visit to the small visitor center in Pago Pago harbor is a must for information to get around American Samoa National Park!
Hiking in American Samoa National Park
Several short walks and a couple of hikes are explained at the visitor center. The 7-mile Mt Alava hike looks like the one to do. So, we turn up Route 005 from Pago Pago Harbor for the short steep drive to the top of Fagasa Pass. Here we park the rental car and begin walking up an old service road through a magical tropical forest. Colorful hibiscus, ginger and birds of paradise are blooming along the trail – amazing! The trail follows the ridgeline and is the border of the National Park off to our left. There are a few viewpoints along the way. However, the trail is primarily up and down the whole way up and back in the rainforest. While not a particularly hot day it's humid so we appreciate any breeze, and we enjoy the shade!
Blooming Ginger on Mt Alava Trail, American Samoa National Park
After the hike we continue downhill on Route 005 to the stunning but modest villages of Fagasa and Fagatele on the shores of Fagasa Bay.
Afterwards we drive along the east and north borders of the park on Route 006 out to gorgeous Vatia Village on Vatia Bay. It feels like these northern villages are more pristine because they were out of the Tsunami’s path in 2009. We stop for a short historic walk, a favorite of the Visitor Center staff, down through early civilization remains out to a viewpoint of the northeastern coast.
Snorkeling American Samoa National Park
Fagatele Bay Marine Sanctuary is our first snorkeling destination after talking with the Visitor Center staff despite the complicated instructions to get there!
We take Route 001 northwest to the small village of Futiga and then head directly north to the land fill. Once through the landfill we were instructed to stop at the chain across the road by a small home. Here four friendly Samoan boys run out to greet us, as we expect. They don’t speak English but it’s clear they want $10 per person versus the $5 per person we were told. We settle on $15 for the two of us after which they take the chain down and escort us down a primitive road until it’s time to park and then walk the rest of the way to a secluded beach. But before we get there we repel on some ropes, and they burn a bee’s nest!
Beach access to Fagatele Bay Marine Sanctuary, American Samoa
The beach is as scenic as it gets – white sand, turquoise water, and a rich green palette of vegetation bordering it all! Unfortunately, it’s low tide so snorkeling isn’t what we hoped. Had we planned better it would have been epic! But just being at this amazing spot is worth the trip.
The Visitor Center told us that another good place to snorkel is right along Route 001 on the west side of Pago Pago Harbor at Fatu and Flowerpot Rocks during high tide. (Pictured in featured photo.) There are parallel spots on the side of the road and big rock steps to easily get in. However, the current is flowing from right to left so it’s hard to swim right. I “go with the flow” and immediately see a green turtle. There are many colorful tropical fish, but I am most impressed with the massive coral. The abundant blue tipped coral and the flowerlike orange encrusting coral are fascinating!
I get out of the Pacific down the beach and walk back to the car. Tom does the “run” since we are down one set of snorkel gear and then he encourages me to do it again. So much fun!
We are also told that the marina at Aunu’u Island off the southeast end of Tutuila is an abundant spot to snorkel. It requires driving to the other end of the island and then taking an unscheduled community boat ride over to the island while ensuring that they come back after the mid-afternoon break. So, while intriguing we skip it.
Tisa’s is another good spot to snorkel before or after one of their infamous meals and the outer islands have more unspoiled snorkeling if logistics can be worked out.
Surprisingly, we enjoy an American Thanksgiving dinner at our hotel before catching the weekly Thursday “red eye” back to Honolulu. Park #58, for us, is now our most remote and unique. Visiting American Samoa National Park is as much about the Samoan history and culture as it is about the park – just not easy to navigate!
Click here to see what inspires our goal of visiting all 63 National Parks and to check our progress.
You might also like Virgin Islands National Park, St John and Coral Reef National Monument - the Perfect Week!
And check out the National Park Gallery!
