American Samoa Tourism

Flag of American Samoa

American Samoa is located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the United States and is an unincorporated territory. It is situated on the chain of Samoan islands, southeast of Samoa. American Samoa is a quiet, peaceful, Polynesian tropical island nation that offers a lot for tourists, including scenic bays, mountain ridges, beaches and reefs, idyllic villages and harbors. The island has a native culture that goes back two millenniums.

Pago Pago

Pago Pago is one of the most well-known tourist attractions on American Samoa, on the primary island of Tutuila. It is situated on a harbor (Pago Pago Harbor) nestled within forested mountains, and was the locale for a popular short story (by Somerset Maugham) called "Rain." It has a vibrant marketplace and serene village atmosphere.

Manu'a Islands

Manu'a Islands is a notable point of interest in American Samoa. It is located approximately 62 miles east of the island of Tutuila. It is a remote and serene Pacific area that is comprised of three different islands, which are Olosega, Ofu and Ta'u. Some of the things that tourists might see on the Manu'a Islands include expired volcanic cones, cliffs covering colonies of sea birds, lagoons with an abundance of coral and untouched beaches.

Traditional Arts

American Samoa also offers many traditional arts and activities for tourists to partake in. All over the islands, tourists will be able to see wood carving (known as siapo) on bowls, and traditional Samoan tattooing, which is called pe'a (for males) and malu (for females). These arts are available in open markets all over American Samoa. The Sasa is a form of traditional group dancing (and involves clapping, slapping and leg and arm movements), as is the taualuga.

Mount Alava

Mount Alava is a popular and picturesque tourist attraction in American Samoa. Mount Alava offers scenic harbor views. The harbor is a crater (steep-sided) of a volcano that has been in existence since ancient times.

National Park of American Samoa

The National Park of American Samoa, which was established in 1988, is located on the island of Tutuila. It is a tropical rainforest that is situated just over the mountains away from Pago Pago and offers activities such as diving, hiking and swimming. Other features of the park include coral reef, a quiet village called Vatia, waterfalls and many tropical birds and animals.

References

• American Samoa Tourism
• National Park of American Samoa
• Samoan Tourism Authority