Pago Pago Travel Guide, American Samoa

Pago Pago Travel Guide – The Unincorporated American Territory

This Pago Pago travel guide will give you all the basic tourist information necessary when visiting the capital of American Samoa. American Samoa is located in the South Pacific Ocean and is an archipelago consisting of 200 sq kilometers of land, west of the Cook Islands and north of Tonga. Its total population is about 60.000 inhabitants and the official languages are English and Samoan. The state is officially an American territory with Barrack Obama as president, but it has a certain independence as it is unincorporated into the rest of the United States. This has legal and cultural consequences, but the citizens of American Samoa are also allowed to travel freely into the US. The archipelago has a few islands, out of which Ofu is considered to have the loveliest beaches and Tutuila is the main one, also home to the capital Pago Pago. This is actually a village with some 11.500 inhabitants, part of an ”urban agglomeration” that incorporates other villages that manage the legislative and administrative functions of state.

Pago Pago Travel Guide – Tourism and Tradition

The name Pago Pago came to be associated with the entire harbor area of the American Samoa and it is the main entry point for tourists who come to the American Samoa, as well as one of the best destinations. Although some 30% of the population is unemployed, the locals gain from tourism, entertainment and tuna canning, the most important activity on the island. A third of the population of Tutuila works in tuna canneries and they also handle the food and restaurant business: on the island you will find plenty of places to eat, from fast food type joints to more sophisticated restaurants with local Polynesian, Japanese or Chinese dishes. The atmosphere in pago pago can therefore be described as semi-urban, as the locals are well adapted to the influx of tourists but also maintain their customs and beliefs.

Pago Pago Travel Guide – Respecting the Locals

All Pago Pago travel guides will tell you about the breathtaking sceneries that are sure to blow you away, the most common view being that of steep dramatic cliffs that end into wonderfully golden untouched beaches. However, there are certain elements you must observe in order not to disturb the locals, who will show perfect collaboration if you show the least interest in their culture. Most of them speak English and they all understand, so communication is not an issue. You should ask for permission if you want to swim in the ocean or take photos and always be polite. It is not indicated to eat or drink while walking through a village, and if you happen to pass by during the hour of prayer it is recommendable to take a few minutes and stop your activities.