The Mount 'Alava trail is the best hike on Tutuila. The trailhead is at Fagasa Pass on the north side of the island — a short drive from Pago Pago — and the path follows a maintenance road most of the way to the 491-metre summit. The round trip covers roughly 10 kilometres; allow three hours up and two hours down.
From the summit, Pago Pago Harbor opens below to the south and the north coast drops away to the Pacific on the other side. On a clear day you can see across to the Manu'a Islands. The ridge walk along the top gives views in both directions simultaneously. Bring water and start early — the tropical sun on open ridgeline is relentless by mid-morning.