National Park of American Samoa

National Park of American Samoa

Location: American Samoa, United States
Features: Hiking, snorkeling 

About the National Park of American Samoa

This is a national park in the United States territory of American Samoa, distributed across three islands:

• Tutuila
• Ofu
• Ta‘ū

The park preserves and protects hundreds of plants species, coral reefs, tropical rainforests, fruit bats, and the Samoan culture. Popular activities include hiking and snorkeling. Of the park’s 13,500 acres, 9,000 acres is land and 4,500 acres is coral reefs and ocean.  The National Park of American Samoa is the only National Park Service site south of the Equator.

Top 3 Adventure Hacks

1.Planning to visit.

Contact first the park headquarters or visit their website before planning to visit The National Park of American Samoan. The islands are 14 degrees south of the Equator, giving them a hot and rainy climate year-round. The heat and rain abate slightly from June through September.

Because it’s rainy and you’re surrounded by water, it’s easy to get dehydrated due to the heat.

It’s a good idea to bring a hydration pack.

2. One Park, 3 islands

The park resides on three islands – Ta‘ū, Ofu and Tutuila, which is home to the capital city, Pago Pago. Ta’u is said to be the most traditional of all islands in American Samoa. Ofu is home to pristine sandy beaches and coral-rich shorelines. Tutuila is where this park’s Headquarters are, where you can get the low-down on how to approach a variety of trails in the area. It also offers the best taste of modern American Samoa.

3. Ofu Beach

Ofu Beach has been called one of the top ten most beautiful in the world! Because of its remote location on an unpopulated island, coral ecosystems thrive inside of a glittering ocean. The coral reef at Ofu Beach is especially unique because it does not suffer from coral. It is also a magnificent place to snorkel.