When we booked our trip to American Samoa, we had one main goal in mind ...
to complete our quest to visit all 63 national parks in the United States.
And yes, we accomplished that goal ... and we have the "official" park brochure and a "special" certificate to prove it!
What we didn't expect was to be completely blown away by all the other treasures that this U.S. territory in the South Pacific has to offer.
From the lush green, jungle-covered mountains rising dramatically from the sea,
... to the turquoise tide pools surrounded by lava rocks,
... the secluded sandy beaches,
... the colorful tropical flowers,
... and the unique wildlife just chillin' out in the tree cover
... or enjoying a tasty coconut treat,
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American Samoa is far more than just a national park destination!
The biggest treasure of American Samoa is its people, Their warmth, hospitality, strong sense of family, and deep-rooted culture left an even stronger impression on us than the stunning scenery alone could. We came to American Samoa for the national park … but we left captivated by the resilience of its people, who radiate joy despite the hardships of living on a remote island.
Let's start with some fun facts about
American Samoa
American Samoa became an unincorporated, unorganized territory of the United States in 1900. Because they want to retain their indigenous land ownership, governance, and culture, the American Samoan people have through the years refused birthright citizenship. Subsequently. they are considered U.S. nationals instead of automatic citizens at birth. They have their own constitution and elected government and can't vote in the U.S. elections. The U.S. dollar is the accepted currency. American Samoa has two official languages: Samoan and English.
As the only U.S. territory the Southern Hemisphere, American Samoa consists of five small volcanic islands and two atolls (a ring-shaped coral reef that surrounds a lagoon) that make up the 77 square miles of land mass. Located about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, it is a five hour flight from Honolulu. About 45,000 people live in American Samoa with the majority residing on the largest island of Tutuila where the capital of Pago Pago is located.
Another "capital" opportunity!
The Samoan culture continues to strongly influence life on the islands. About 90% of the population is Pacific Islander, and they continue to follow a culture rooted in fa'asamoa (the Samoan way). This way of living emphasizes community over individualism. The small villages that line the island's coast are owned by the family clans and run by a traditional chief system. Their laws emphasize community, respect and service to others. The land and houses are passed on to members of the village family. The Samoan people are deeply religious, and there will often be an elaborate church in the center of the village.
The chief's village home will traditionally have an open-aired pavilion close by where community gatherings are held.
The National Park of American Samoa is the only U.S. national park located south of the equator and the only national park where the land is not owned by the U.S. government but rather leased from local Samoan villages. The national park not only helps protect the land and sea on three of the five islands, Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta'u, but they also work to protect the customs, beliefs, and traditions the of American Samoan culture.
First order of business ...
Check off National Park #63
There are three flights from Hawaii to American Samoa each week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Since many businesses are closed on the weekend, we decided to arrive on Monday evening and leave on Friday night. As ones who don't plan too far ahead, our national park visit was limited to the main island of Tutuila. Reservations for transportation and lodging on the smaller islands of Ofu and Ta'u have to be made months in advance as services are very limited on those remote islands.
There are a few hotels and a number of Airbnbs on Tutuila, so we booked an Airbnb near the airport and rented a car the next morning. First stop ... the national park visitor's center, located in Pago Pago.
The park receptionist, Rose, enthusiastically welcomed us and presented us with our certificates when she heard that we had saved the "best park" for last. She filled us in on all the "must see" sites on the island, and even reproduced a beautiful color-coded map for us.
We arrived just in time to hear park rangers, Mel and T's presentation on why the coconut palm is considered the "tree of life" in the Samoan culture.
From its leaves ... woven mats.
From its strong fibers ... rope.
From its wood ... shelter.
From its shell ... drinking cups.
From its liquid ... hydration.
From its pulp ... nutrition.
From there we drove across the Afono pass to the northern part of the island where Rose promised that we would find a number of trails leading to some breathtaking views.
The Lower Sauma Trail led us through one of the paleo-tropical rainforests and down some steep terrain ...
to picture-perfect views of the island and the brilliant blue waters that surround it.
Driving a little further down the road, we came to the village of Vatia that lies on the border of the national park. Because the road leading to the trailhead looked a bit "rough", we got permission to park at the village school. There I had the privilege of talking with one of the teachers, who was happy to tell me a little about the educational system in her country. Even after a busy day with 14 active pre-K children, Lina was still happy to share stories of her beloved country and culture.
Leaving the village, we hiked the relatively flat Pola Island View Trail that passed by the beaches filled with coral and shells. One could tell that this park doesn't receive a lot of visitors when I found this beautiful "souvenir" ...
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only in the form of a photograph.
With our Visitor Center stop, ranger talk, and two hikes in the national park complete, there was one other National Park of American Samoa "experience" that we wanted to accomplish ... Be able to see the only mammal native to the island, the "flying fox" fruit bat. This mega-bat has a head that looks like a fox and a wing span of up to three feet long. Unlike the bats that we are used to seeing up north, these fruit bats are often more active during the day since their diet mainly consists of nectar, pollen, flowers, and fruit.
Fortunately for us, these magnificent creatures are easy to spot just about anywhere on the island ... once we figured out their favorite leafy hangouts.
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The American Samoan "Bonus" ...
soaking up the scenery and culture!
The national park treasures on Tutuila, the main island, can easily be explored in a day or two. If you’re better at advance planning than we are, you could add another two or three days by booking flights and lodging on the islands of Ofu and/or Ta‘ū. But for me, a trip isn’t complete without getting a taste of the local culture along with the natural beauty. So, rather than simply checking National Park #63 off our list, we were happy to be able to see what life was like beyond the park boundaries. Our rental car gave us the freedom to explore the rest of Tutuila ... and that’s where we began to discover that the real treasure of American Samoa isn’t just found in its mountains, beaches, and turquoise waters, but in its people, traditions, and way of life.
Driving around Tutuila is about as “chill” as the island itself. The roads are good, everyone drives on the “right” side of the road, the speed limit tops out at a leisurely 25 MPH, and the drivers are some of the most courteous we’ve encountered. In other words, there was no need to rush ... which suited us just fine! With our Airbnb conveniently located in the middle of the island, we spent one day meandering toward the eastern end and the next day heading west.
After ascending up some steep, narrow twisty mountain roads,
we made it to Fagamalo, the western village "at the end of the road".
And what a great way to experience American Samoa! With nowhere to be and plenty to see, we could slow down, soak in the spectacular scenery, peek into village life, and get a firsthand taste of the Samoan culture. Those drives around Tutuila reminded us that American Samoa’s treasures extend far beyond the boundaries of its national park ... they’re woven into the island itself and, most of all, into the people who call it home.
Some of our memorable "discoveries" ...
The unique and colorful churches in each village. Although we weren't there on a Sunday, we were told that these places of worship come alive with community gatherings and music on the weekends.
The decorative flare of the American Samoan people ... even the local McDonald's gleamed with colorful floral displays.
Being greeted by Charlie the Tuna as we drove through "cannery row" in Pago Pago Harbor. StarKist Tuna is the largest private employer on the island accounting for 80% of the economic revenue for American Samoa. Around 100,000 tons of tuna is processed at this factory annually from fish that is wild-caught in the waters surrounding the island. That's a lot of tuna fish sandwiches!
Touring the local grocery store. There is no better way to learn about the culture than to see what food is available for locals to buy. Being a remote island, a majority of the food was shelf-stable ... tuna, processed foods, and not surprisingly, SPAM. Locally grown fruits and vegetables like mangos, papaya, taro, bananas, breadfruit, and pineapple could be found in the produce section as well as at the many roadside fruit stands.
Only in the tropics can you buy your sweetie a purple floral lei
along with your fruits and vegetables.
There was also an abundance of imported snack foods with the majority of them coming from "nearby" Australia. Yes, if Tim Tam's chocolate mint or shortbread cookies were readily available in the continental U.S., sadly, they would put the Girl Scouts out of business ... Yum!
It is always interesting to see the local fashion. The traditional lavalava, a rectangular piece of fabric tied around the waist, is worn formally and casually by both women and men and was a standard part of the American Samoan school uniform for both boys and girls.
For women, the brightly colored mu‘umu‘us and beautiful floral head wreaths add a vibrant touch, reflecting the beauty, warmth, and traditions of Samoan culture.
A stop at the Jean P Hayden Museum provided more insight to the history and culture of this Polynesian people. The newest display highlighted the accomplishments of notable American Samoan women. The one pictured above honored the work and legacy of Tisa Fa'amuli, an environmentalist, who is a local icon on the island.
Her beachside bar and cafe should be on everyone's American Samoa "must visit" list, and I was grateful that it was on ours ... twice!
The first time we stopped by just on a whim as it was "5:00 somewhere", and I had read that Tisa's pina coladas were the gold standard for the island. Tisa and her granddaughter, Yanny warmly greeted us and whipped us up some amazing tropical delights while we took a walk along their beach.
Alega Beach is a protected marine area that belongs to Tisa's village "family". Her love for the area was evident as she and her granddaughter had just finished picking up the ocean debris that appears on the sand at low tide. They shared stories of how they work in unity with nature to operate a business while preserving the beauty of the area. In addition to the bar and restaurant area, there is a "fale" (a traditional open-sided room) where tourists can stay overnight and experience the rustic beauty of sleeping by the sea.
It might be a little too rustic
for this "glamping" lady.
Yanny recently returned to her homeland after living for a few years in Texas. She hopes to carry on her grandmother's legacy of love. Once a week they prepare a traditional Samoan Umu Feast, but as usual, advance reservations are required, so that didn't pan out. But we were able to return the afternoon before our flight left to enjoy a light lunch of delicious prawns, banana chips and avocado ... all locally sourced.
A walk along the beach while checking out the hungry coconut crabs trying to "grow out" of their shells and observing some baby sharks frolicking in the bay was the perfect way to end our American Samoa adventure.
Our flight back to Hawaii was our first "red eye" experience, so we had time for one last fruit smoothie and coconut shrimp dinner while looking for our favorite "flying foxes" soaring over the harbor. Thanks to the kindness of our Airbnb host, we were able to head back to our room for a shower and a late checkout before catching the 11:30 pm flight back to Hawaii.
We arrived in American Samoa with our sights set on National Park #63, but we left with so much more than just another check mark on our travel bucket list. The breathtaking scenery certainly lived up to ... and exceeded our expectations. But it was the warmth of the people, the richness of the Samoan culture, and the unhurried island way of life that truly captured our hearts. American Samoa reminded us once again that sometimes the best travel experiences are the ones you didn’t know you were looking for. We came for the national park … but having the chance to soak up the American Samoa scenery and culture made this adventure one we’ll never forget.
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