How To Get To American Samoa

American Samoa doesn't see a lot of visitors, and most of those are visiting for the solar day from cruise ships. But this little U.S. territory is eminently worth a visit for its traditional culture, natural beauty and incredible hiking. Here'due south what nosotros wish we'd known when nosotros were planning our trip to American Samoa.

There are 5 islands in American Samoa: Tutuila, Aunu'u, Ta'u, Ofu and Olosega. Almost travelers to American Samoa volition begin their journey on Tutuila: it's abode to the international airdrome and capital metropolis as well as the bulk of the population. But if you've come all the way hither, don't allow your visit end with Tutuila! It's easy to get to Aunu'u every bit a day trip from Tutuila; getting to Ta'u, Ofu and Olosega (collectively called Manu'a) requires a bit more planning, but is completely doable and incredibly worthwhile.

The National Park consists of land on Tutuila, Ofu and Ta'u, but maintains trails in areas outside the park, too. The National Park of American Samoa is unique in that the land is leased to the NPS by the families who own it, rather than being owned by the federal government. It's a organization that respects the traditional familial country buying of Samoans—the courage of Samoan culture—and it ways that the NPS works on conservation very closely with local villages. Locals still use park land for fishing, harvesting and other activities they've traditionally done there, and the NPS looks to village chiefs for permission and cooperation with park activities.

Getting There:

Currently, Hawaiian Airlines operates two flights per week to Pago Pago. These are the only flights that come here from the U.S. It'due south rare to find a sale on this fare, merely Hawaiian does occasionally offer deals through Expedia, so watch there for sales. If you're planning this trip a while in advance, it might be worth looking into Hawaiian'south Mastercard offering: yous can go a large signup bonus and utilize those points on your Pago flight.

If you don't want to fly directly from the U.Southward., you lot can go to Pago from both Western Samoa and Tonga with Talofa Airlines. We took a circuitous route to American Samoa, first visiting the Philippines, Commonwealth of australia, New Zealand and Western Samoa (nosotros visited all these places over the course of a two-month-long trip, not all at one time.) We booked each of those flights i-way and the full of all of them ended up beingness cheaper than a single flight from the mainland to Pago. If you lot accept the time and would like to do some additional travel while you're on the other side of the world (which nosotros'd highly recommend!), play around with options in Google Flights and on Skyscanner to find the best deals on a series of 1-way flights that will eventually land y'all in Pago.

Getting to Aunu'u:

Aunu'u makes a great day trip from the eastern stop of Tutuila. Get yourself to the dock at Au'asi and wait there for the boat; information technology'll cost you $2 each way. Before you set off on Aunu'u, make sure to inquire the driver how tardily the boat will be running; you don't desire to miss the concluding i.

Getting to Manu'a:

There are two ways to become to the Manu'a islands: by boat or by airplane. The gunkhole is a large ferry that carries passengers and cargo roughly once a week. The schedule is unpredictable and changes and then often that it's not worth trying to work the dates out as well far in advance; if you're assault taking the ferry, make certain you lot take a large enough window of time in American Samoa to accommodate its schedule. Depending on the weather, this can be an extremely rough ride and it's likely your fellow passengers will be puking their guts out around you (turns out Samoans are known for being decumbent to seasickness; who knew??) If you have a flexible schedule, a strong stomach and a very tight budget, the ferry might exist a good fit for you. It costs $35 one way and takes nigh 5 hours. If your final destination is Ofu, you might luck out and have the boat stop there outset; otherwise, you'll exist stuck going all the way to Ta'u and so riding back to Ofu.

If you want a less nauseous, easier-to-plan option for getting to Manu'a, you'll desire to take the plane. Samoa Airways currently runs four flights per calendar week from Pago Pago to Ta'u (at time of writing, they're on Monday, Tuesday, Midweek and Fri), and one flight per calendar week to Ofu (at time of writing, it's on Thursday.) Both are about $160 and can be booked inside a calendar month of your travel date. If you want to visit Ofu simply tin't make the in one case-a-week flights, it'southward easy to take the plane into and/or out of Ta'u and accept a boat to Ofu. This will involve flight into one side of Ta'u, catching a ride to the wharf on the other side of the island (~$20), then taking the gunkhole over to Ofu ($150 for 2-3 passengers). Because you have to pay for the boat, this route will toll you more, simply it's a practiced fashion to fit a visit to Ofu into a tighter schedule.

How Long to Stay:

We stayed in American Samoa for 8 days and really wished nosotros'd had longer. Your trip will depend, of form, on how much time you lot have available, but if you lot're on the fence, may we attempt to persuade you to stay at least two weeks if at all possible? Hither's why: American Samoa is on the other side of the earth. It'southward an expensive flying that'll make your carbon footprint awfully big, and there's a good risk you'll only make it there once in your life. If y'all can really make information technology count past going all-in in terms of time and in-depth exploration, we remember it'll be 100% worth it.

There's a lot to do in American Samoa and a lot of culture to take in. If you're visiting the Manu'a islands on your trip (and you REALLY REALLY should), the easiest (and cheapest) mode to do that is by flying in and out of Ofu. That flight only happens once a week, then you'll spend that full calendar week in Ofu. It's quite hard to book the flight to Ofu more than a calendar month in advance, since the airline (Samoa Airways) doesn't generally schedule flights very far in advance. So if, when booking your international flight, you give yourself two weeks or more than in-country, you'll easily be able to fit a trip to Ofu within that window of time.

Connectivity:

If y'all demand to stay connected to home, go a SIM bill of fare from Bluesky when you arrive in Pago. We had good service in most places in Tutuila, all over Aunu'u, and in the more populated spots in Manu'a. Cyberspace admission is easy to find in Pago's hotels and Vaoto Order on Ofu likewise has WiFi. You lot won't get the speeds you notice on the mainland, of class, but it should work for most purposes.

Where to Stay on Tutuila:

There are plenty of accommodation options on Tutuila. Two popular choices are the Tradewinds Hotel (bland, simply clean and nice) and Sadie's Past the Body of water (which nosotros heard several unfavorable reports of from fellow travelers, simply may withal exist worth looking into). Tisa's Barefoot Bar runs eco-fales on Eastern Tutuila and the beach in that location is beautiful, so it would be a skillful selection for a laid-back stay if it'southward in your budget. At that place are also several AirBnB options. If we'd had the fourth dimension on Tutuila, we'd have loved to do a homestay. The NPS maintains a list of families who will open their homes to you; contact the Pago company's heart for upward-to-appointment info. You'll contact the family yourself, then be enlightened of the time change and be patient with the language bulwark! (We contacted several homestay families before we decided to cut our time on Tutuila so we could visit Ofu. While most people in American Samoa speak English well, we sometimes had problem communicating clearly over the phone.) For a fuller report on the homestay program from people who really experienced information technology, check out this post from the Switchback Kids.

Where to Stay in Manu'a:

There are two main accommodation options in Ofu/Olosega: Vaoto Lodge and Asaga Inn. Vaoto is right next to the airstrip, so if you're flying in and out of Ofu, information technology'south extremely convenient. It's also right next to the NPS Visitor's Center and a short walk from the national park expanse itself. Asaga Inn is correct next to the bridge that connects Ofu to Olosega; it'due south closer to Olosega village. Both have stunning views and are close to mind-extraordinary beaches.

On Ta'u, your options are more express. The NPS can aid you arrange a homestay with a Samoan family unit on the island; the ranger in Ofu should also know if in that location are whatever other options for accommodation. At fourth dimension of writing, a small, family-run hotel is set to open on Ta'u, but it's hard to become booking information online. Contacting the NPS volition probably exist your best bet for arranging something here.

Camping:

It is possible to camp in American Samoa, though yous'll have to go permission from whoever's land you're landing on. In some places, the NPS rangers can give you an thought of where to campsite and who to contact for permission; in other places, you'll have to ask around the village for the chief and get permission directly from him. Samoans are very helpful and generous; this doesn't mean they'll necessarily grant you permission to stay on their land, but y'all'll at least exist able to find someone who tin can aid you figure out if it's possible. Brand sure you have a fill-in selection in case your camping plans fall through, and put all your Go out No Trace skills to the test. Be respectful of your hosts, pack everything out with you, and live lightly. Camping is not a mainstream activity in American Samoa—you lot might exist the kickoff feel someone has with a strange camper, so don't mess it up for anybody who comes after you. Y'all won't accept any facilities, and there are very few public toilets on the islands, so be aware. Don't try to stealth camp; Samoans have land rights very seriously and if y'all're caught, information technology could mean trouble. And don't even remember about sleeping exterior without a reliable musquito net!

Planning Resource:

Fifty-fifty if yous're not a national park junkie, a visit to the NPS Visitor's Center in Pago should be your outset stop when planning your activities. The rangers there tin can give you loads of info. on trails and sights, and will be able to offer some cultural insight too. This website likewise has lots of bang-up information. Because American Samoa is not (yet) a super-popular destination, yous will probably have great luck calling the NPS Visitor's Center or Tourism board before your visit to get answers to specific questions; in our feel, these people were more than willing to take some time and aid u.s.a. out.

Getting Around:

Tutuila has a great bus organization that can go you all around the island, though it might take a while to cover large distances. Hitchhiking is common and easy to do on any of the islands; nosotros didn't hitch since there are then many of us, but with one or 2 people, you can probably manage to go where you need to go without trouble. For maximum flexibility, it'south worth renting a automobile then y'all tin clasp as much into your visit as possible, though driving yourself e'er means missing out on the cultural experience of public transportation.

On Ofu, if you stay at Vaoto Lodge, you tin can infringe one of their bicycles. We cycled all effectually the island and it was an incredibly pleasant way to get around. Without a bike, your options hither are limited to walking and hitching.

Where to Swallow on Tutuila:

Pago has a good range of restaurants and plenty of well-stocked grocery stores to keep y'all fed. Traditional Samoan food is delicious and well worth a try. In the smaller villages and on Aunu'u, your food options will be more than express. Small stores stock lots of candy foods and few fresh options. If you want to swallow healthy, your best bet is to stock up on produce, healthy snacks and sandwich fixings from one of the bigger groceries effectually Pago before you lot head to other parts of the island.

Where to Eat in Manu'a:

At that place are no restaurants in Ofu/Olosega and only four pocket-sized stores spread over the two islands. All the stores have eggs and milk, plus a range of processed food (ramen is a staple.) Fresh produce is hard to come by, unless y'all're getting it from the fruit trees on the island. Unless you desire to subsist on ramen and Pringles, bring some food with y'all from Pago, or plan on having meals at your accommodation. Nosotros bought breakfast and dinner each day from Vaoto Lodge; they accommodated our vegetarianism deliciously and gave u.s.a. some of the best food we had in all of Samoa (which is proverb a lot—we had some excellent food in that location.) Y'all tin work out meals with your accommodations before yous get, but definitely do think through this—getting food on the islands can be very tricky and you really don't desire to be stuck eating stale Marshmallow Mateys your whole stay.

What to Exercise on Tutuila:

Hiking:

American Samoa is one of the best places in the Due south Pacific for hiking, since the NPS has the resources to maintain trails in an area where things get overgrown super speedily. There are several trails effectually Tutuila that'll give yous a gustation of both the jungle and the coast. Around the village of Vatia, the Tuafauna Trail leads through pelting forest before dropping you off on a rocky beach with gorgeous views of Pola Island and information technology's body of water arches. The Lower Sauma Ridge Trail will take you downwards to an overlook of the northeast coast of Tutuila and the archeological site of a star mound (be careful on this trail, as it'll be very slippery if it'south been raining earlier your hike!) The Mt. Alava Trail is more than challenging and offers panoramic views of the isle (or and then nosotros hear! It was closed when nosotros visited, so we weren't able to check information technology out for ourselves.) On the western end of Tutuila, another trail volition atomic number 82 you to the secluded beach of Cape Taputapu and long views over the bounding main. On Aunu'u, y'all can follow the 4WD rail effectually the island to run into isolated sea arches, surf-pounded coves, a lake in the island's volcanic crater, a lake of quicksand and taro marshes.

Beaches:

Aunu'u'due south beach is lovely and a great manner to absurd down after you've spent some time exploring the island on human foot. The water is clear plenty to run across the reef and some of its inhabitants even without a snorkel mask, but if you desire to snorkel, this is a bully place to do it. Alega Embankment is regarded as Tutuila'due south best, and Two Dollar Embankment (which volition cost you lot 5 dollars to access) is also lovely. Just exterior Vatia, the rocky beach at the cease of Tuafauna Trail is a chip rough for pond, simply a not bad place to watch the surf and heed to the shore's stones clicking and clattering as the waves recede—it's completely lovely. On the west side of the island, you tin be the last person on Earth to encounter the sunset at Cape Taputapu's beach.

Paddling:

Y'all can rent a kayak from Sadie's or from a few other outfitters in Pago. A paddle effectually the harbor is a great way to take in the gorgeous views around the city.

Civilisation:

To get a sense of taste of Samoan civilisation, stay with a family through the NPS's homestay program! While we weren't able to do a homestay here, nosotros did stay at family unit-run fales while we were in Western Samoa and were able to accept the experience of being brought into a Samoan home to participate in some of their traditions.

Attend a fiafia show to watch traditional dances and to see some fancy fire spinning. The Tradewinds Hotel hosts a fiafia on Friday nights. An umu (often held on Sunday for lunch) is the Samoan method of cooking in an underground oven. Try taro, breadfruit,palusami (immature taro leaves in coconut cream),oka (raw fish in coconut cream), pork and seafood.

What to Do on Manu'a:

Yous might just spend your unabridged visit to Manu'a thanking your lucky stars to exist in this absolute paradise. This is a swell place to boring down and just enjoy yourself, specially if you're flying in and out of Ofu and take a full week on the island.

Hiking:

The NPS maintains two trails on Ofu/Olosega and one on Ta'u. At the far end of Olosega Village, you'll find the Oge Beach Trail, which leads upwardly the side of Mata'ala Ridge and steeply down to Oge Beach. If yous don't desire to descend all the style to the beach, but getting to the top will requite you wonderful views over the island. Ask the ranger in Ofu to call the hamlet chief for permission before y'all hike this trail.

Ofu's most rewarding hike is up Tumu Mountain. The trail ascends through the jungle on a grassy track; at the very top, information technology opens up to a spectacular view over Ofu. The trail is mostly shaded on the mode upward, but yous'll still demand lots of h2o: Ofu is very humid and this trail will brand you sweat. Become early in the 24-hour interval for libation temperatures and pack a picnic for the pinnacle.

No i is allowed to hike either of these trails on Sunday, so keep that in mind when you're planning things out.

Beaches and Snorkeling:

Ofu Embankment is regarded by loads of travel magazines and bloggers to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and we'd definitely concur with that assessment. The national park protects the stretch of embankment and the reef extending from it; the coral here is one of the healthiest in the world and makes for incredible snorkeling. Enquiry teams from all over the planet come up to Ofu to written report the secrets of the reef here—it'due south wonderfully resistant to rising ocean temperatures and after being wiped out in the 2009 tsunami, rebounded quickly. Wait for high tide to snorkel at Ofu Beach then y'all have enough clearance over the coral and BYO snorkel gear.

Because the reef starts so close to the shoreline, Ofu Beach isn't the all-time spot for a swim. For ameliorate swimming, try the end of the beach near Olosega Isle, where you can leap off the bridge (if the electric current isn't besides brisk) or simply have a splash in the deeper water beneath the span. Some other good choice is the beach in front end of Vaoto Lodge, forth the airstrip. This is too a dandy spot for a snorkel and it'due south deeper, so you don't have to look til the tide is all the way upwards.

To swim at other spots around the island, get permission from the village principal showtime. On Sundays, you can swim in front of Vaoto Lodge or in the park, simply nowhere else.

Stargazing:

If information technology'south a clear night, don't miss laying out under the night sky for a while. These footling islands are the definition of isolated and the clear air makes for some of the best starry nights you'll ever see.

Wildlife:

Coconut crabs are the largest land bug in the earth, and they're abundant on Ofu. We saw small-scale ones in the rocks nearly the airstrip and enormous ones in the jungle on our style up Tumu Mountain.

One of the NPS'south missions is to protect the fruit bat population that calls American Samoa home. These bats, likewise chosen flying foxes, can be upwards to three feet beyond and feed on the fruit copse around the islands. We saw them everywhere nosotros went, but most abundantly on Ofu around the embankment.

The ride from Ta'u to Ofu is wonderfully breathtaking and is a cracking place to see some marine life. We saw loads of flying fish and had dolphins swimming and jumping around our boat. The gunkhole ride between Tutuila and Aunu'u is as well a good place to spot dolphins. The reef all around Ofu has lots of bounding main turtles and reef sharks; if yous do enough snorkeling, yous're likely to run into both. If you're on the islands between mid-August and October, you lot may besides get to witness the humpback whale migration. A ranger nosotros talked to at the visitor's center in Pago saw the whales from atop Tumu Mountain, and the water was so clear that he could see the whole pod in item. Simply his report of information technology had my jaw on the floor.

American Samoa is an incredibly special place, rich in civilization and natural beauty, with friendly people, few visitors, and some of the best snorkeling in the world. If y'all become a chance to visit, don't miss it!

And if y'all've got any extra time, we highly recommend calculation a side trip to Western Samoa also. Information technology'southward a quick and cheap flight abroad, and you won't regret spending more than time in this South Pacific paradise. Come across this mail for some top spots in Western Samoa to inspire y'all!