National Park of the American Samoa: Tropical Paradise

Have you heard of National Park of the American Samoa? Most people have not and most people are missing out on this hidden gem in the South Pacific.

What is so special about this park? The tropical mountains, the beaches, the ocean, and most importantly, the people and the culture.

Our Visit to National Park of the American Samoa

Tropical Paradise Without the Tourists

Do you dream of visiting a tropical paradise, with pristine water, beautiful beaches, snorkeling right from the beach, lush tropical forest, friendly locals but without tourists? You should visit American Samoa.

Life in American Samoa is decidedly at a slower pace, yet efficient. You won’t find big hotels or high rises here. The many beaches are generally without people, especially tourists.

The weather is consistently warm, with temperature in the 80s year round. There is a breeze most of the time, making it pleasant to be outdoors, especially in the shade since the sun is strong.

Because there are few tourists, you won’t find the typical tourist trap gift shops. The only chain restaurants we saw were McDonalds and Carl’s Junior.

The lush tropical islands and the people at American Samoa are authentic. That authenticity is what makes American Samoa special.

What’s in the National Park of American Samoa?

The National Park is located across four islands:

Tutuila: Encompasses the mountain range in the north central part of the island. The visitor center is located on this island. This is where the vast majority of the visitors go.

• Ofu: One of the most beautiful and secluded beach and coral reef in the world.
• Ta’u: Encompasses the southern coast with one of the tallest sea cliffs at over 3000 feet.
• Olosega: Next to Ta’u, add to the National Park in 2002

Visiting the National Park of American Samoa is really visiting the entire territory of American Samoa. The entire territory is gorgeous! The National Park protects the northern slope of the Maugaloa range on the central part of Tutuila, the southern shore of Ofu, including the incredible beach, Lata mountain on southern Ta’u and a couple of villages in Olosega.

Visitor Center and 63 Parks

Like most Americans, we arrived via the twice weekly flights from Honolulu, landing in the dark in Tutuila. The locals were out in force to greet the plane.

The next day, we went to the NPS visitor center to get oriented, get our park stamp, and celebrate the completion of our quest to visit all the National Parks in the US.

YES! We did it. National Park of the American Samoa was our final park on our journey. Upon learning of our accomplishment, the park service presented us with an official certificate! That was a wonderful surprise!

The visitor center is located on the second floor of a small commercial building, but it had very nice exhibits on the various aspects of the park. The lady that greeted us was super helpful, pointing out the many places we can visit on the whole island.

We met a John, a fellow traveler, also on the quest to visit all the National Parks. We decided to visit the park together.

Vatia and Pola Island

We drove past Vatia, a small town on the north shore of Tutuila, to the end of the road. There were stunning views of the ocean and the Vaiava Straight that separated Tutuila from Pola Island.

At the end of the road, we picked up the short Pola Island trail. It led us to the rocky shoreline at the tip of Tutuila Island and a direct view of Pola Island. The waves were strong as it splashed onto the rocky shore. We lingered for a while soaking in the beauty.

Several friends (stray dogs) came along with us. They were calm and followed us about half way. I guess they decided to turn back after realizing we did not have any food.

On the return, we stopped at the small parking area that was the trailhead for the Lower Sauma Ridge trail, which led to the rocky shore. We did not hike this trail because it rained that morning and we heard this trail is very slippery after it rained.

Flying Foxes

We ate lunch from a small shack on a bench with a gorgeous view of Pago Pago Bay at Aua, with locals enjoying their lunch break. A few of our friends (stray dogs) showed up, waiting for us to drop some food. We didn’t think chicken bones would be good for the dogs, but just as we tried to dispose the chicken bones in the trash, one of the locals took the bones and gave it to the dogs. The dogs look like they enjoyed the treat.

We heard there was a tree nearby where the Flying Foxes (otherwise known as Fruit Bats) hang out. After searching for a while, we finally found it after a local pointed it out to us. They were just “hanging out”

Samoan Fruit Bats are one of the largest bats, with a wing span of up to 3 feet. It’s also one of the few bats that has good vision and is active in the daytime.

Tutuila Outside of the National Park

The 7.1 mile Mount Alava trail is generally considered to be the best trail in the park, but we were not able to hike it because it was closed for maintenance. It runs along a ridge on Mount Alava and provides fantastic views, especially of Pago Pago harbor. We were disappointed we missed it.

We did not visit the parts of the National Park at Ta’u, Ofu or Olosega, but if you have the time and want tropical seclusion, these should be on your list of places to visit.

Much of the beauty of Tutuila was actually outside of the official National Park boundary, so we went exploring the rest of the island.

Western Part of the Island

After a bit of rest at the hotel, we drove to the western tip of the island, Cape Taputapu, and up the western coast a bit. The scenery was stunning, especially at sunset.

Along the way, at each village, we saw children of all ages playing unorganized sports, where the neighborhood kids just get together and play. This was an example of the importance of the village and the extended family here. The children seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Life here centers around the extended family and church. There were many faleo’os at each village, where families and the villagers gather for social activities.

WW II Canon and the Easy Way for a View of Pago Pago Harbor

On the second day, we headed east from Tradewinds along route 001. Our first stop was the old, abandoned tram station and also the trailhead for the Blunts Point trail.

This was the “easy way” to get an aerial view of Pago Pago harbor and to appreciate how protected it is from the vast ocean. It’s really a harbor inside of a bay. There was a pavilion with a fantastic view of the harbor and the bay with very little walking.

There were WW II era gun batteries at Blunts Point. These were important to protect Pago Pago harbor after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when the American Samoa played an important role for the route between United States and Australia and New Zealand.

The Tram

There was a tram built in 1965 that ran across Pago Pago harbor to the top of Mount Alava, initially to provide transportation for television engineers to service the transmitter at the top of Mount Alava. It became a tourist attraction and provided transportation to the village of Vatia on the north shore of Tutuila. The tram was damaged by a hurricane in 1992 and never fixed.

What a view it must have been from the cab of the tram as it crossed Pago Pago harbor. They used to welcome cruise ships by pouring flowers from the tram as the ship entered the harbor. What a great welcome!

Ocean Center and Museum

After the fantastic view at Blunts Point, we stopped at the fantastic Sunia Ocean Center, the visitor center for the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, and what a surprise! There were exhibits on the Marine Sanctuary, and a large room with a globe in the middle that videos can project onto to tell a story.

The folks at the center were very friendly and put on the show just for us.

I should note here, there is conflict between commercial fishermen and the marine sanctuary, because larger fishing operations can not fish within 50 miles of the islands. The commercial interests think the 50 mile distance is too much and not necessary to protect marine life.

The nearby Hayden museum, however, was a disappointment. It looked like more of a warehouse of relics than a museum. There were very few exhibits. I would skip this museum.

Tula and Eastern Tutuila

After the museums, we headed east, all the way to the eastern edge and the town of Tula. Tula feels like a typical village in Tutuila, with beautiful seashore, a beach, faleo’o (outdoor huts for family and community gathering), houses and multiple churches.

We wanted to get lunch at Tisa’s Barefoot Bar and Grill, which is on a beautiful patch of sand and a well known place to hang out, especially for the few tourists. A man with an Australian accent said they were closed for lunch because they were preparing for a big dinner event. Oh well, I guess we couldn’t experience the famous vibe and the delicious food.

Turtle and Shark

We started our third day in the south central part of Tutuila, visiting the Turtle and Shark near Vaitogi. There was a blow hole with a legend. The blow hole was interesting to observe, much more interesting than the blow hole at Acadia National Park and certainly less crowded.

There was no one in sight except a few stray dogs who seemed friendly.

We drove around this part of the island to take in the beautiful Leala Shoreline National Nature Landmark, just soaking in the sights.

Explore the Rest of the Island

Next, we drove over a mountain pass to Fagasa and the picturesque Fagasa Bay on the north shore of the island. We were nearby a daycare and could hear the children inside. As we lingered and took photos, a couple of people waved and called out hello from inside the daycare. What friendly locals!

It was quiet. We spent about 20 minutes there just soaking up the scenery and took photos. During that whole time, one local truck drove by but no one else. A different pace of life!

The last place we explored was A’uloaufou, a plateau on the western part of the island. I was hoping to see ocean on both sides of the island but found a flat ridge with fairly gentle slopes instead, so the ocean was not visible from the plateau.

We basically drove on all the roads on Tutuila, from one end to the other and over mountain passes. It was fun to just explore the island and soak up the scenery and the culture.

Time to say Goodbye

Our flight back to Hawaii was after 11 pm. The check-in area was open air and by 9 pm, there were lots of people waiting for the arrival of the flight, just like when we first arrived 3 days ago. I think it’s a major event twice a week when the flight from Hawaii arrives.

There was no check-in on the app. Everything was “old fashioned” and in person, but it was very efficient. We had to go through immigration and got a stamp in my passport. There was agriculture inspection. Some people had canned tuna from the cannery in their luggage.

Fun Facts about American Samoa

• American Samoa is ~2600 miles south of Hawaii
• The biggest island is Tutuila, where most of the people live. It is 20 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point.
• The population as of the 2020 census is 49,710. 83% pure Samoan, 89% Pacific Islander (including Samoan), 6% Asian. More recent estimates of the population is around 45,000 but I think the difference has more to do with the method of counting than a big change in population
• American Samoa is 98% Christian. There are many churches in every village.
• American Samoa is a self-governing territory of the US
• American Samoa is the only US territory where people born there are US Nationals, not US Citizens.
• American Samoa joined the United States in 1900, as part of the Tripartite convention that partitioned German Samoa (now the independent nation of Samoa) and American Samoa
• American Samoa is just east of the International Date Line. It is the last place in the US to celebrate the new year
• The nation of Samoa, only 77 miles west, has the same exact time but one day earlier. A flight that leaves Samoa at 10:00 AM on January 1st lands at 10:30 AM in American Samoa on December 31st. You can celebrate new years twice!
• Pago Pago is the name of the harbor and a village, but it’s also the address for the entire island of Tutuila and the airport, even though the airport is in the village of Tafuna
• There are more NFL players from Samoa (and American Samoa) per capita than any other state or territory. An American Samoan is 56 times more likely to be in the NFL than non-American Samoans
• American Samoa has the highest rate of military enlistment of any state or territory. Pago Pago recruiting station ranked first in recruitment.
• Lynden Johnson is the only American President to have visited American Samoa.
• Astronauts from multiple Apollo missions landed in the ocean a few hundred miles from American Samoa and was taken to Pago Pago airport before heading to Hawaii.
• The speed limit on the island is 25 MPH. It’s 20 MPH in some villages. There are no traffic lights or 4 lane roads. Everyone drives slow and are extremely courteous. People stop to let other cars merge or turn.

Fun Facts about National Park of the American Samoa

• National Park of American Samoa is located on 4 islands (Tutuila, Ta’u, Ofu, Olosega) in the US territory of American Samoa.
• The park visitor center is in Tutuila, on the second floor above some stores. It has a very nice exhibit.
• The park on Tutuila is in the north-central part of the island.
• In most years, this national park is one of the least visited National Parks in the US.
• Ofu is known to have the most beautiful and secluded beach in the world
• Ta’u has dramatic sea cliff of over 3000 feet.
• The park was established in 1988 to preserve the flying fox (also known as fruit bat), one of the largest bats in the world with a 3 foot wingspan, the tropical forest, and the historical Samoan culture.

The park’s purpose is to preserve and protect the tropical rainforest, coral reefs, archeological and cultural resources of American Samoa, to maintain the habitat of flying foxes, preserve the ecological balance of the Samoan tropical forest, and, consistent with the preservation of these resources, to provide for the enjoyment of the unique resources of the Samoan tropical forest by visitors from around the world.

NPS

• This is one of the rare National Parks that was not a National Park Service location before it became a National Park.
• The National Park Service does not own the land the park sits on. Most land in American Samoa is communal owned by the extended family and controlled by the village chiefs. NPS obtained a 50 year lease a few years after the establishment of the park.

Impressions of National Park of the American Samoa:

When you visit this park, you are really visiting the territory of American Samoa. When you arrive, it’s like going back in time by several decades. This is a positive statement.

While the infrastructure appears older, it’s clean and efficient. People take pride in their surroundings.

Life in this beautiful tropical island is much slower paced, centers on family and church, and much more relaxed. You know you are in a unique place. There were no chain big box stores. People shopped at tiny grocery stores all over the island and ate at small mom and pop restaurants. Despite the beautiful surroundings, there were very few tourists and only a handful of small hotels.

This charm of American Samoa is not just the scenery, but also the people. They were always friendly and helpful. It was a wonderful place to visit!

Have you visited National Park of the American Samoa?  Leave a comment below on your experience.  Click on the Subscribe link and get an email when new postings are available.  I will not share your email so no worries.

National Park of the American Samoa Rating:

(Note: Ratings are on a bell curve, which means there are as many 5 star ratings as 1 star ratings.  All National Parks are wonderful, which makes this a very strict rating scale)

Element	Rating (out of 5 Stars)
Scenery	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Variety	⭐️⭐️
Accessibility	⭐️
Touring	⭐️⭐️
Hiking	⭐️⭐️
Wildlife	⭐️⭐️
Overall	⭐️⭐️

Top Attractions at National Park of the American Samoa

• Mount Alava Trail
• Pola Island Trail
• Blunts Point Trail
• Drive along Route 001 through all the villages
• Snorkeling at Sadie’s by the Sea, Two Dollar Beach, and Fagatela Bay
• Ofu beach, if you can get there

One Day Visit Plan

• If you are able, hike the 7.1 mile Mount Alava trail first thing in the morning
• Visit the NPS visitor center
• Drive to Vatia and walk the Pola Island trail
• See the flying foxes (fruit bats) in a tree by the side of the road in Aua
• Have lunch and relax on the beach at Tisa’s
• Snorkel at Sadie’s by the sea if you stay there, or at Two Dollar Beach
• Drive to the abandoned tramway behind Fagatogo and hike the Blunts Point trail
• Drive to Turtle and Shark and see the blow holes
• Drive to Cape Taputapu and enjoy the sunset

Practical Info for Visiting National Park of American Samoa

• 3 days is the typical length of stay for people coming from the US, given the flight schedule. This is enough if you only visit Tutuila Island.
• Only flights to American Samoa are from Honolulu (Mondays and Thursdays as of early 2024), Samoa (multiple flights a day), or Tonga (twice a week) so plan accordingly.
• You must have a passport or birth certificate to enter the territory, even if you are a US citizen, unlike other US territories. You will also need onward travel reservation.
• You can also visit by cruise ship seasonally. Most of the cruises are repositioning cruises across the Pacific, which means they are typically cruises of over 20 days.
• If you want to visit Ta’u or Ofu, you should plan on at least a week. Transportation to those islands can be unpredictable. You typically fly to Ta’u and get a ride to the other side of the island before hiring a local fishing boat to cross 8 miles of ocean to get to Ofu. From time to time, there are flights from Pago Pago to Ofu, but they are not often. You can also travel there by boat, but that’s 5 hours over generally rough seas.
• Most places are shut down on Sundays, when life revolves around church and family. The buses are mostly stopped. You can not swim on Sundays except in front of designated hotels.
• Most visitors stay at Tradewinds (the biggest hotel on Tutuila, newer, more business oriented) or Sadie’s by the Sea (Beach front location but older). Other, smaller options are also available.
• While you can get around via the local “bus” that runs along route 001, parts of the park are hard to reach by these buses. A rental car makes visiting a lot easier and more flexible.
• The local “bus” are privately operated and are not on a particular schedule. They run for the village as displayed on the bus to Fagatogo. While there are many bus stops, you can flag down any bus and they will stop for you.

National Park of the American Samoa Facts:

• Size: 13,500 acres, ranked 61st.
• Visitors: 1,887 in 2022, ranked 63rd. 2017 was a record year with 69,468 visitors.
• Peak month in 2022: 438 visitors in November
• Low month in 2022: 0 visitors in April and May. Not credible but that is what the NPS web site says
• Entrance fee: No entrance fee

Date Visited: