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The South Pacific
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Day-Tripping to American Samoa
While visiting the islands of independent Samoa, many travelers choose to make a side trip to American Samoa, once known as Eastern Samoa. Reaching American Samoa from Samoa isn’t a difficult task. An inexpensive plane ride can take you from Faleolo Airport in Apia, Upolu to Pago Pago, the capital of American Samoa. Flights leave several times daily. If you’d prefer to spend your time on the water and have time to extend your trip to include a few days in American Samoa, you can hop a ferry which departs from Apia about once a week, returning about 36 hours later. The trip takes approximately 8 hours each way.
Sightseeing in American Samoa
The first thing you’ll probably notice about the small archipelago of American Samoa is how much more “westernized” it is than any other small Polynesia island in the South Pacific. For some, this isn’t looked upon with favor but others are happy to greet the modern conveniences of these islands when they arrive in American Samoa from less cosmopolitan destinations.
The five main islands of American Samoa are Tutuila, Ta'u, Ofu, Olosega, Aunu'u, and Nu'utele. Visitors arrive at Tutuila, home to the town of Pago Pago, the most visited destination in this island group.
Though Pago Pago is quite developed, it still exudes an old Polynesia charm that makes it worth a visit. While there, most visitors take time to explore the town on foot, making stops at such places as the Jean P. Haydon Museum, where you’ll find excellent exhibits on Samoan history and culture, or the Sadie Thompson Inn, which was home to author W. Somerset Maugham in the 1920s.
If you have time or you prefer the countryside to the city, exploring the island of Tutuila can be quite enticing. Many travel experts consider Tutuila to be equally as stunning as the Society Islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, and residents still maintain their old Polynesian ways, making for an interesting and educational visit.
The main road around the island takes visitors past stunning beaches, scenic outlooks, and historic sites, including Alao and Tula, the oldest settlements in American Samoa. You can swim in the pools formed by magnificent waterfalls, explore old churches and gravesites, or just sit back and enjoy the view.
The National Park of Samoa, the first American national park south of the equator, was established in 1988. Development of the 3,000 acres of parkland on Tutuila (and the 6,000 on the Manu’a Islands) is ongoing, so it’s always best to stop at the park office before proceeding to see what limitations might be in place or what new attractions have been added. The development of the park has protected this stunning natural environment and thus far provided hiking trails and a few other amenities for visitors.
Several outfitters offer guided tours of The National Park of Samoa.
Ta’u and Ofu Islands, where you’ll find the other sections of the national park, are accessible by boat and provide more hiking opportunities. Interested parties can also go snorkeling on Ofu Island, within the boundaries of the park.