- Located in: American Samoa
- Total area: .. square kilometers
Created in 1988 in one of Ronald
Reagan's last presidential actions, the National Park spreads across three
islands. The section on Tutuila is the easiest to get to, and provides
protection for areas of coral reef as well as mixed species old-world
rainforests. The secluded Amalau Valley is home to many forest bird
species and the Samoas' two rare species of fruit bat.
The charming and friendly village of Vatia,
on the edge of one of the park's coral-fringed bays, has basic
accomodation and boat and fishing tours. Just offshore of the village is The
Pola, a tiny uninhabited island with magnificent sheer cliffs and a
huge seabird population.
The National Park of American Samoa
offers a tropical ecosystem of unspoilt
rainforests, coral
reefs, spectacular waterfalls,
and tropical animals and birds.
The park is part of the United States territory of American Samoa, which
is composed of seven islands in the
southwestern Pacific Ocean, and is spread
across the islands of Tutuila, Ofu, and Tau.
Tutuila is the largest of the Samoa Islands.
It is mostly mountainous whilst the
smaller Ofu is known for its white, sandy beach
and coral reef. Tau is the home of Mount Lata, the highest peak
in American Samoa, which is 966 metres (3,170 feet) high.
The rainforests on
Tutuila and Tau are particularly important now that such areas are being
lost throughout the world. Visitors to the park are able to benefit from
this biodiversity, and activities on offer include hiking and bird
watching.
Unlike other US national parks, this one is not
federally owned. Instead, the US government leases the land-about 3,440
hectares (8,500 acres)-from nine villages that lie within the park. The
villages retain ownership of the land as well as the right to use it for
farming and fishing, but at the same time, the area is preserved as a
national treasure.
Activities Although currently
limited, American Samoa is also a burgeoning region for hiking. The
steep mountains and lack of established trails mean that only
weather-beaten hikers need apply at the moment. The US National Parks
Service is planning to establish tracks in the Tutuila and Ta'u sections
of the huge National Park of American Samoa. One well-worn track offering
great views of Pago Pago and the rugged north-west coast takes you on a
3mi (5km) climb up Mt Alava.
For more
information on the National park of
Samao, go to:
For
more general information
on Samoa, go to: |
