Things to Do in American Samoa (2026)

American Samoa · AS

Tauga Ridge

Tauga Ridge is one of the dramatic ridgelines that define the eastern coast of Tutuila, American Samoa's main island. Sitting just inland from the small village of Aumi, this ridge is part of the volcanic spine that plunges straight into the Pacific, creating the kind of jagged green scenery that makes the drive along Route 001 feel like a journey through a postcard. You will not find a sign or a visitor centre marking Tauga Ridge by name, but you will feel its presence every time the road hugs the coastline and the hills rear up above you in a wall of jungle and basalt. What makes this corner of eastern Tutuila worth pulling over for is the sheer concentration of natural beauty packed into a few kilometres of road. Tauga Ridge sits between the villages of Aumi and Ālega, where the coast opens into quiet bays, ancient rock formations rise from the shore, and the forested slopes above you belong to a landscape shaped by volcanic eruptions and centuries of tropical rain.

American Samoa · AS

Leone

Leone is a historic coastal village on Tutuila Island's southwest shore in American Samoa — once the island's ancient capital and the landing point of the first Christian missionary to reach these waters. Today it is a quiet, walkable settlement where century-old churches, volcanic tide pools, and a renowned tradition of siapo (tapa cloth) artistry give visitors a genuine sense of Samoan village life. The village name means "no famine" in Samoan, earned during a time when Leone's abundance of food saved neighboring communities — a generosity that still echoes in its nickname, "Mother of Love."

Mountain peak

American Samoa · AS

Matafao

Matafao Peak is the highest point on Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa, rising to 653 metres (2,142 feet) above the western rim of Pago Pago Harbor. The Samoan name translates as "Spear Head," and on clear days the summit rewards the climb with a 360-degree view over the harbor, the green ridges of the island and, so legend has it, all the way to Mount Fao on distant Upolu. It is one of the country's most striking landmarks: a lone mass of hard volcanic rock that outlasted the softer landscape around it. The peak and the slopes above it are a designated National Natural Landmark, protected not just for the panorama but for the rare plants and ecological history packed into its montane scrub. For experienced, well-prepared hikers willing to push through a steep and often cloud-wrapped ascent, Matafao offers the best high point on Tutuila and a memorable day out in the South Pacific.

Finding your next place…

A little more
of American Samoa.

Tauga Ridge

Leone

Matafao

Finding your next place…

A little more
of American Samoa.

Tauga Ridge

Leone

Matafao