American Samoa Beckons Senior Adventurers

Senior citizens who enjoy travel, especially to exotic places, will enjoy American Samoa. So “Talofa, Afio Mai, Welcome to Our Home” in Samoan. With unspoiled beaches and warm temperatures year-round, American Samoa is a paradise waiting to be discovered.

Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and New Zealand, the five islands and two coral atolls that make up American Samoa are a collection of rainforests, pristine shorelines and amazing archaeological sites. Senior travelers can visit native villages, dive in with dolphins or marvel at more than 800 species of fish while snorkeling in the national parks.

 The Samoan archipelago has been inhabited for more than three millennia—but Europeans only discovered it in the 18th century. The main island is Tutuila, with the capital Pago Pago. This beautiful city has a magnificent harbor ringed by densely forested mountains. The outer islands are widely considered some of the most beautiful in the South Pacific.

About 64,000 people live in American Samoa. While there is a strong American influence in the islands, American Samoans retain local cultural heritage. It is a wonderful example of a culture and a people that, over the years have developed into a diverse structure; the traditional and the modern.

Seniors, Bring Your Flippers and Sunglasses

Why would seniors want to make the five-hour flight from Hawaii (or the half-hour flight from Samoa)? For one thing, the weather is sublime, with an average year-round temperature of 82 degrees and even warmer water. For another, the islands are remarkably undeveloped—90 per cent of the land remains tropical rainforest. My wife would love that.

The islands are frequently referred to as Samoa, which is the name of a separate island, and independent country, that used to be known as Western Samoa, which lies about 100 km west of American Samoa. Also the whole island group, including Samoa, is often identified as the Samoan Islands. The National Park of American Samoa—on Tutuila, Ofu, Olosega and Ta’ū—both preserves the environment and allows senior visitors ways to experience it.

I found it especially interesting that Samoans are deeply religious—Christian, to be precise and many villages have an evening prayer, during which time you should not be outside. Most businesses close on Sunday. Proper clothing is required everywhere, and the more your swimsuit covers when you’re at the beach, the better.

Wikitravel has entry requirements and other pertinent tourist information. It is warm, humid and rainy year-round, but there is a long, wet summer season from October- May and a slightly cooler and drier season, June – September.

The Territory of American Samoa has a total land area of 76 square miles made up of five volcanic islands. The Samoan culture is Polynesia’s oldest. It is believed that, the first people on the Samoan Islands came by sea from southwest Asia about 3,000 years ago.

Have a super trip to amazingly beautiful American Samoa. jeb