National Park of American Samoa

The National Park of American Samoa covers around 2,000 hectares along Tutuila's rugged north coast, protecting some of the last intact tropical rainforest in the American territories. The park is split between Tutuila and the more remote Manu'a Islands, but the Tutuila section is where most visitors go.

The forest is home to two species of flying fox — fruit bats with wingspans reaching a metre — which the Samoan tradition regards as protective guardians of the village. Nineteen species of land snail live here, eleven of them found nowhere else on earth. The Amalau Valley is one of the better spots to watch for flying foxes in the late afternoon. The visitor centre in Fagatogo (near central Pago Pago) is the place to pick up maps and trail information before heading out.

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The park was established in 1988 under an unusual arrangement: rather than the US government owning the land, it leases it from the traditional village communities, who retain customary ownership. This was the only way to establish a national park in a territory where over 90% of land is communally held under fa'a Samoa — the Samoan way.

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