Overview

American Samoa is a group of islands located in the South Pacific, which is midway between the Hawaiian Islands and New Zealand. It is an unincorporated territory of the United States, which means that the citizens of the islands are nationals, but not the citizens of the United States of America. The capital city of this territory is Pago Pago. There are six main regions in American Samoa: Tutuila, Ta'u, Rose Island, Olosega, Ofu, and Swains Island. Though the American Samoa islands were not discovered by European explorers until the 18^th century, historians believe that this group of islands was inhabited since 1,000 B.C. American Samoa has been ruled by many different rules over the course of its history. Many instances of imperial rule have lead to the current independent territory status of American Samoa.

Missionaries were often visitors to the islands which lead to the spread of Christianity. After World War II, the United States attempted to incorporate American Samoa under the Organic Act 4500, but it was defeated in the Congress. Until today, the act has not been passed and American Samoa is considered to be 'unorganized' by the United States government. Residents can live and work in the United States without a green card or special papers and can also join the U.S. military.

Activities & Attractions

Most of the popular tourist attractions are located in the capital Pago Pago. For a permanent commemoration of your time in American Samoa, Tisa's Barefoot Bar during the annual Tattoo Fest is the place to go. Jean P. Haydon Museum holds artifacts of early the Samoan life. If you are interested in hiking or walking, Mount Alava offers trails as well as picturesque views. Pago Pago Harbor presents calming scenery to relax the weary travelers. In Tutuila, you can visit Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which houses everything from turtles to sharks and coral reefs, and Matafao Peak, which is the highest peak on the island, and was formed by volcanic rock.

Lodging

Accommodations in American Samoa are few, but they are generally clean and well staffed. Pago Airport Inn charges $110 USD per night. Sadie's by the Sea charges $149 USD per night. Sadie Thompson Inn charges $133 USD per night. Tradewinds Hotel charges $135 USD per night. These hotels can be found on the web.

Transportation

If you want to travel between the islands, the most popular choice is the Inter Island Airways fleet. These planes can take you from one side of the islands to the other in less than an hour, though the short runways and inclement weather conditions can result in the cancellation of flights at the last minute.

Busses are another popular mode of transport, along with taxis and car rentals. You can drive with a foreign driver's license on the islands of American Samoa. Taxis are the preferred way to get around, as prices are less than $1 USD to travel around the coasts of the islands and into the harbor area.