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Tutuila
Pola Island Stop first at the visitor center in Pago Pago. A scenic
road leads from Pago Pago to the north coast. Allow a few
hours for this drive, including stops. You may wish to stay in
overnight in the villages next to the park, but prior arrangements
should be made.. Please observe local customs (see Fa'asamoa).
Along the road there are panoramic views, especially from Afono
Pass. The Amalau Valley is a good place to watch above the trees
for flying foxes. There is
a foot trail out towards Pola Island from the village of Vatia.
Mount Alava lies to the north of Pago Pago Harbor. A hiking
trail along the maintenance road leads to the 1610 foot summit;
the trailhead is located at Fagasa Pass, a short drive west of
Pago Pago. The hike is 6 miles round trip; allow 3 hours for your
hike up and 2 hours for your return to the pass.
The volcanic island of Tutuila is the largest of the seven islands
that comprise American Samoa. Pago Pago Harbor, a collapsed volcanic
caldera is one of the largest natural harbors in the South Pacific.
It cuts deeply into the south-central coast almost dividing the
island in two. From east to west, a steep mountainous spine runs
the 20-mile length of the island, punctuated in places by notable
summits including Matafao Peak, Tutuila's tallest mountain at
2,142 feet; North Pioa Mountain, popularly known as Rainmaker
Mountain, 1,718; and Mount 'Alava, the steep ridgeline looming
to the north of Pago Pago Harbor, marking the south boundary of
the park area. About one mile southeast of Tutuila's eastern tip
is the volcanic island of Aunu'u the smallest of the inhabited
islands; it can be reached by boat and explored by foot in a day.
After you visit the National Park, visits to the east and west
ends of the island will reveal more island and ocean scenery and
insights into Samoan culture.
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