The Southernmost National Park

Coral reefs, cloud forests, tropical flowers, crystal-clear ocean waters, and exotic wildlife: Throughout all of America’s public lands, there is nowhere quite like the South Pacific paradise known as the National Park of American Samoa.

This spectacular landscape — and seascape — includes sections of three volcanic islands and is located roughly 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii, between Fiji and Tahiti. This unique place is not only the southernmost U.S. national park, it is the only such park in the southern hemisphere. It is the only U.S. national park with an Indo-Pacific coral reef ecosystem.

The site spans over 8,000 acres with lush rainforests above ground and pristine waters surrounding the islands that provide habitat for a diverse array of tropical wildlife, including fruit bats, whales, rare birds, more than 230 types of coral, and nearly a thousand different fish species. It’s an ideal place to swim, snorkel, hike and relax on secluded beaches.

A trip to this park is also an opportunity to learn more about the Samoan culture — but visitors are asked to do so responsibly. Approximately 70,000 people live in villages throughout the archipelago, keeping their traditions as the oldest civilization in Polynesia alive. Their way of life is steeped in the “Samoan Way,” or Fa’a Samoa, where traditional values and respect for the land are woven into everyday life. Travelers are encouraged to dress modestly, be mindful of private spaces, observe meal etiquette, honor local quiet times and remember that Sundays are sacred.

Established in 1988, this park is unlike other U.S. national parks in that the land in American Samoa is not federally owned. Instead, it is leased from local families, in keeping with the territory’s traditional land ownership by aiga, or family groups, led by a matai, or chief.

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This relatively new park has few visitor services — adventurous travelers should plan ahead, carefully heed safety warnings and cultural customs, and consider hiring guides in advance to explore the area’s trails and beaches.

As beautiful as this park is, it faces threats from climate change — rising sea levels, extreme temperatures and coral bleaching.

National Park of American Samoa can be visited year-round, but the dry season — from May to October — is generally considered the best time to visit due to calmer seas and less rainfall. There are no entrance fees.

This is an update to a previously published story.