Travel

Friday, November 29, 2013

Introduction

One of the prime reasons to visit American Samoa is to see Tutuila, one of the South Pacific's most dramatically beautiful islands, and you'll get an eyeful of gorgeous scenery on the 11km (6 3/4-mile) ride from the airport at Tafuna into the legendary port of Pago Pago. But first you will see the effects of American dollars, for the area around the airport is a bustling suburb with shopping centers and a modern multiscreen cinema. The road is crowded with cars and buses and patrolled by policemen in big American-style cruisers. It's little wonder, therefore, that many visitors view American Samoa as crowded, littered, run-down, and ruined by commercialism.

Yet the physical beauty of this island competes favorably with the splendor of Moorea and Bora Bora in French Polynesia. Once the road clears the shopping area at Nu'uuli, it twists and turns along the rocky coastline. At places it rounds the cliffs of headlands dropping into the sea; at others it curves along beaches in small bays backed by valleys. All the way, the surf pounds on the reef. When you make the last turn at Blount's Point, you'll behold green walls dropping precipitously into Pago Pago Harbor.

Try to ignore the mountain of rusting shipping containers and the two smelly tuna canneries on the shore of the harbor.

Despite the obvious inroads of Western ways and American loot, the local residents still cling to fa'a Samoa, the ancient Samoan way of life. While many young American Samoans wear Western clothes and speak only English, often with a pronounced Hawaiian or Californian accent, in the villages the older folk still converse in Samoan and abide by the old ways.

This also is the scene of the first American national park below the equator. Although it has yet to be developed, you can hike its trails and explore some of American Samoa's phenomenal beauty close up.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

The American Samoa Office of Tourism, P.O. Box 1147, Pago Pago, AS 96799 (tel. 699-9411; fax 699-9414; www.amsamoatourism.com), has offices inconveniently located in Tafuna, near the airport. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. The brochure of the National Park of American Samoa contains the best map of the territory .

The Delegate from American Samoa to the U.S. Congress (Eni Faleomavaega) also dispenses some tourist information. His address is: U.S. House of Representatives, 2422 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515 (tel. 202/225-8577; www.house.gov/faleomavaega/index.shtml).

Entry Requirements

Except for Samoans, New Zealanders, and a few others, entry permits are not required for stays of up to 30 days. American citizens and nationals need valid passports or certified birth certificates (forget the birth certificate, you will need your passport to go home). Everyone else needs a valid passport and a ticket for onward passage. Women more than 6 months pregnant are not allowed entry.

Immunizations are not required.

When to Go

Climate -- "It did not pour, it flowed," wrote W. Somerset Maugham in his 1921 short story "Rain," the famous tale of prostitute Sadie Thompson, who seduces a puritanical missionary while stranded in American Samoa. This description, however, applies mainly to Pago Pago, which, because of its location behind appropriately named Rainmaker Mountain, gets an average of over 500cm (197 in.) of rain a year. The rest of American Samoa enjoys a typically tropical climate, with lots of very intense sunshine even during the wet season from December to April. Average daily high temperatures range from 83°F (28°C) in the drier, somewhat cooler months of June through September to 86°F (30°C) from December to April, when midday can be hot and sticky. Evenings are usually in the 70s (20s Celsius) all year round.

Holidays & Events -- The biggest celebration is on April 17, when American Samoa Flag Day commemorates the raising of the Stars and Stripes over Tutuila in 1900. The second Sunday in October is observed as White Sunday; children attend church dressed in white and are later honored at family feasts.

Public holidays are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Mon in Jan), President's Day (third Mon in Feb), Good Friday, American Samoa Flag Day (Apr 17), Memorial Day (last Mon in May), the Fourth of July, Labor Day (first Mon in Sept), Columbus Day (second Mon in Oct), Veteran's Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (fourth Thurs of Nov), and Christmas Day.

Money

United States currency is used in American Samoa. Samoan tala are not accepted, nor can they be exchanged here.

How to Get Local Currency -- The Bank of Hawaii and the ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank, both in Fagatogo, are open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm. Both have ATMs at their main offices, and ANZ has one in Pago Plaza, the shopping center at the head of the harbor.

Credit Cards -- American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club are accepted by the hotels, car-rental firms, and airlines. Otherwise, it's best to carry cash to cover your anticipated expenses. No one here accepts Discover.

Getting There

From Samoa -- Polynesian Airlines (tel. 800/644-7659 in the U.S., 22-737 in Apia, or 633-4331 in Pago Pago; www.polynesianairlines.com), Inter Island Airways (tel. 42-580 in Samoa, 699-7100 in American Samoa), and South Pacific Express (tel. 28-901 in Apia, 699-9900 in American Samoa) fly between Faleolo Airport in Samoa and Pago Pago several times a day. I always fly on Polynesian because it is a licensed scheduled carrier while the others are charter airlines. Round-trip fares are about S$310 (US$124/£62) if purchased in Apia, US$155 to US$165 (£78-£83 plus taxes if bought in American Samoa.

For the adventurous, a relatively modern ferry, the Lady Naomi, makes the 8-hour voyage between Pago Pago and Apia at least once a week, usually leaving the main wharf in Apia at 11pm on Wednesday and departing Pago Pago's marine terminal at 4pm on Thursday for the return voyage. Tickets should be bought at least a day ahead. One-way fares from Pago Pago to Apia are US$60 (£30) for a seat, US$75 (£38) for a cabin. The Lady Naomi is operated by the Samoa Shipping Corporation, whose ticket office is on Beach Road, opposite the main wharf in Apia (tel. 20-935; www.samoashipping.com). The American Samoa agent is Polynesia Shipping Services (tel. 633-1211). Because the trade winds prevail from the southeast, the trip going west with the wind toward Apia is usually smoother.

From Other Countries -- The only international carrier serving American Samoa is Hawaiian Airlines, which flies from several U.S. West Coast cities to Pago Pago, with a change of planes at Honolulu. Otherwise, you can fly to Faleolo Airport in Samoa on Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, or Polynesian Blue, and then connect to Pago Pago.

Arriving & Departing -- Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) is near the village of Tafuna, about 11km (6 3/4 miles) west of Pago Pago. Taxi fare is about US$15 (£7.50) from the airport to Pago Pago harbor. The "Tafuna" local buses stop at the airport terminal on their way into Pago Pago. Bus fare is US75¢ (38p).

Departure taxes are included in the ticket price.

Seeing American Samoa as a Day Trip from Apia -- You can see American Samoa as a 1-day side trip from independent Samoa. The easiest way is to buy a package from Oceania Travel & Tours, at the Kitano Tusitala Hotel in Apia (tel. 24-443; fax 22-255). The US$350 (£175) per-person fee includes round-trip airfare, a guided tour of Tutuila island, and lunch. Oceania's American Samoa office is above the main post office in Pago Pago (tel. 633-1172).

To do it yourself, reserve a rental car in Pago Pago at least a day in advance (there is too much to see to rely on the bus system or even a taxi). Then fly early in the morning from Faleolo airport to Pago Pago. Go to the airline's office and reconfirm your afternoon return flight, then pick up your car. Drive into Pago Pago and take a stroll. Drive to the eastern end of the island, then backtrack to Pago Pago and have lunch. If you have time, drive out to the western end. Catch the last flight back to Apia.

Getting Around

Inter Island Airways (tel. 42-580 in Samoa, 699-7100 in American Samoa; www.interislandair.com), the local carrier, flies to the Manu'a Islands, but don't count on it. The territory always has trouble keeping a domestic airline flying.

By Rental Car -- The only international car-rental firm in American Samoa is Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or 699-2746; www.avis.com), which rents air-conditioned models for US$70 to US$110 (£35-£55) per day, including unlimited mileage, plus an optional US$13 (£6.50) for insurance. Less reliable local firms include Sir Amos (tel. 699-4554), Friendly (tel. 699-7186), and Dollar Rental Car (tel. 633-7716; dollarrentalcar@yahoo.com). The latter is not affiliated with the international rental company of the same name.

Driving Rules -- Your valid home driver's license will be honored in American Samoa. Driving is on the right-hand side of the road, and traffic signs are the same as those used in the United States. The speed limit is 15 mph in the built-up areas and 25 mph on the open road.

By Bus -- Gaily-painted aiga buses prowl the roads from early morning until sunset every day except Sunday. Basically they run from the villages to the market in Pago Pago and back, picking up anyone who waves along the way. Some buses leave the market and run to Fagasa on the north coast or to the east end of the island; others go from the market to the west. goes from one end of the island to the other, so you'll have to change at the market in order to do a stem-to-stern tour of Tutuila. Most drivers are helpful, so just ask how far they go in each direction. Fares are between US75¢ and US$2 (£38p/£1) per ride.

By Taxi -- There are taxi stands at the airport (tel. 699-1179) and at the Pago Pago market (no phone). of the taxis have meters, so be sure to negotiate the fare before driving off. The fares should be about US$1 (50p) per mile.

In Depth

The seven islands of American Samoa are on the eastern end of the 483km-long (300-mile) Samoa Archipelago. Together they comprise a land area of 200 sq. km (77 sq. miles), almost half of which belong to Tutuila, the slender remains of an ancient volcano. One side of Tutuila's crater apparently blew away, almost cutting the island in two. This created the long, bent arm of Pago Pago Harbor, one of the South Pacific's most dramatically scenic spots.

Fewer American Samoans live in their home islands than reside in the United States. The expatriate American Samoans have been replaced at home by their kindred from independent Samoa and by some Tongans, who have swelled the population to about 68,000, up from 30,000 in the 1990s.

Government -- American Samoa is the only U.S. territory south of the equator. American Samoans are "noncitizen nationals" of the United States. Although they carry American passports, have unrestricted entry into the United States, and can serve in the U.S. armed forces, they cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections.

American Samoa has a "delegate" in the U.S. House of Representatives; that is, an elected representative who may not vote in the full House, but can cast a vote on a House committee. Eni Faleomavaega, a Democrat, is the delegate from American Samoa. The country also holds primary elections for U.S. presidential candidates, and sends delegates to the conventions, but does not have any electoral votes.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has jurisdiction over American Samoa, but American Samoans elect their own governor and members of the lower house of the Fono, their bicameral legislature. In accordance with Samoan custom, local chiefs pick members of the territorial senate. The Fono has authority over the budget and local affairs, although both the governor and the U.S. Department of the Interior can veto the laws it passes. American Samoans also elect a nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

The territorial government's annual budget is considerably larger than that of independent Samoa, which has a population some three times larger. Washington provides about half the government's revenue. Some 80% of the taxes raised locally go to pay more than 5,000 government employees, about 42% of the local workforce. They earn more per hour than any South Pacific country other than French Polynesia.

Economy -- Together the local government and the two tuna canneries employ about 80% of the local workforce. The canneries account for some 80% of the territory's private sector product. About 70% of their 4,700 workers are from nearby Samoa (they earn at least three times what they can make at home). The aging canneries have survived for more than 50 years because of tax credits and duty-free access to the United States. Tourism is a minuscule part of the economy. Most visitors arrive on large cruise ships putting into Pago Pago for a day.

American Samoa Yesterday: History 101

As friendly as American Samoans are today, their ancestors did anything but warmly welcome a French expedition under Jean La Pérouse, which came ashore in 1787 on the north coast of Tutuila. Samoan warriors promptly attacked, killing 12 members of the landing party, which in turn killed 39 Samoans. The site of the battle is known as Massacre Bay. La Pérouse survived that incident, but he and his entire expedition later disappeared in what is now the Solomon Islands.

In 1872, the U.S. Navy negotiated a treaty with the chiefs of Tutuila to permit it to use Pago Pago as a coaling station. The agreement helped keep the Germans out of Eastern Samoa, as present-day American Samoa was then known.

In 1900 the chiefs on Tutuila ceded control of their island to the United States, and the paramount chief of the Manu'a Group of islands east of Tutuila did likewise in 1905. Finally ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1929, those treaties are the legal foundation for the U.S. presence in American Samoa.

Part of the U.S. -- From 1900 until 1951, U.S. authority in Samoa rested with the U.S. Navy, which maintained the refueling station at Pago Pago and for the most part let the local chiefs conduct their own affairs. Tutuila became a base for U.S. servicemen during World War II, but things quickly returned to normal after 1945.

Control of the territory was shifted from the navy to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1951. The department did little in the islands until 1961, when Reader's Digest magazine ran an article about "America's shame in the South Seas." The story took great offense at the lack of roads and adequate schools, medical care, water and sewer service, and housing. The U.S. federal government reacted by paving the roads and building an international airport, water and electrical systems, the then-modern Rainmaker Hotel, and a convention center. A 1.5km-long (1 mile-long) cable was strung across Pago Pago Harbor to build a television transmitter atop 480m (1,575 ft.) Mount Alava, from which education programming was beamed into the schools.

For fear of losing all that federal support, American Samoans were reluctant to tinker with their relationship with Washington during the 1960s and 1970s, when other South Pacific colonies were becoming independent. The United States offered local autonomy, but they refused. They changed minds in the mid-1970s, when an appointed governor was very unpopular, and elected their own governor for the first time in 1977.

Organized Tours

In addition to its day trips from Apia, Oceania Travel & Tours, in the Lumanai'i Building in Fagatogo (tel. 633-1172), has half- and full-day guided tours of Tutuila and Aunu'u islands for about US$40 and US$80 (£20-£40) per person.

Walking Tours

A Stroll Through Pago Pago

Although the actual village of Pago Pago sits at the head of the harbor, everyone considers Pago Pago to be the built-up area on the south shore of the harbor, including Fagatogo, the government and business center. The harbor is also called the Bay Area. Despite development that has come with economic growth of the territory, Pago Pago still has much of the old South Seas atmosphere that captivated W. Somerset Maugham when he wrote "Rain" in the 1920s.

A stroll through the Pago Pago area should take about 2 hours. Begin at Sadie's by the Sea hotel on the east end of the inner harbor, actually in the village of Utulei. Just across the road from the hotel, a set of concrete steps climbs to Government House, the clapboard mansion built in 1903 to house the governor. The mansion is not open to the public, but there is a splendid view from the top of the steps looking across the harbor to flat-top Rainmaker Mountain.

Back on the main road heading toward town, you walk past a mountain of shipping containers standing idle on the main wharf. Beyond the busy port terminal and opposite the post office is the Jean P. Haydon Museum (tel. 633-4347), in an old iron-roofed building that was once the U.S. Navy's commissary. Worth a 30-minute stop, the museum has exhibits on Samoan history, sea life, canoes, kava making, and traditional tools and handicrafts, including a 400-year-old finely woven mat. A few high-quality handicrafts are for sale. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm, except on holidays. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Every Samoan village has a malae, or open field, and the area across from the museum is Fagatogo's. The chiefs of Tutuila met on this malae in 1900 to sign the treaty that established the United States in Samoa. The round modern building across the road beside the harbor is the Fono, American Samoa's legislature; the visitors' galleries are open to the public. The ramshackle stores along the narrow streets on the other side of the malae were Pago Pago's downtown for half a century, although like any other place under the Stars and Stripes, much business is now conducted in suburban shopping centers. On the malae, the American Samoa Archives Office occupies the stone jail built in 1911.

Just beyond the malae on the main road stands the Judicial Building, home of the High Court of American Samoa (everyone calls it the Court House). The big white clapboard building with columns looks as if it should be in South Carolina rather than the South Pacific. Across the road on the waterfront stands Fagatogo Plaza, a shopping center. In contrast to Fagatogo Plaza are the produce and fish markets a few yards farther on. They are usually poorly stocked, and when they do have produce, it most likely comes by ferry from Samoa. The markets also serve as the bus terminal.

Continuing north along the harbor, you soon come to the historic Sadie Thompson Building, where W. Somerset Maugham stayed in the 1920s. Now home to the Sadie Thompson Inn and restaurant, it is the best place in town for lunch before touring the island.

Take a Mocha Break -- The local version of Starbucks is Island Java Cafe (tel. 633-5282), in Fagatogo Plaza shopping center opposite the Judicial Building. In addition to coffee and tea, it serves refreshing fruit smoothies and juices. Open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 8:30am to 2:30pm.

Maps

Customize your trip planning experience by plotting selected points of interest using our interactive map of American Samoa.
Plan your trip around all of American Samoa, or focus in on specific American Samoa neighborhood maps if you prefer.