American Samoa is probably one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Not even probably…definitely. I may be biased since I was privileged to live there for a year and take in the full cultural experience and witness tropical beauty on a daily basis…..buuut you’d be crazy to agree that it’s not gorgeous, right??

Here you can see Pola Island, a great natural nesting area for sea birds. It lies across Vatia Bay, where the snorkeling was always on point with something exciting to see. We had friends who always saw rays, while I always seemed to miss them, darn! It’s hit or miss with the snorkeling….you never know what you’ll encounter, BUT you’ll never be disappointed in these coral reefs; I saw the prettiest lavender conch shell diving about 20 feet down in this bay, and it’s a sight I won’t soon forget.

As for the hike through Tuafauna Trail…pure adventure 🙂 My husband and I had one of our last kid-free dates in American Samoa hiking this trail together. It started with a wider trail going through some banana trees and then narrowed and became more zig-zaggy. Some parts were steeper and even required ropes and ladders to navigate. Eventually it led out to the other side of the bay where you could see the backside of Pola Island. If we had had more time, we would have continued our adventure toward the island, but with the heat and the sun…we decided to turn back (and I believe I was also newly pregnant right around this time and didn’t want to overdo it!).

This was a hike to remember and while not the most kid-friendly, it was perfect for active couples or friends AND satisfied our adventurous streak…just how we like it 🙂