Romantic walk awaits at South Pacific beach

Ofu Island at night. Photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS.

Ofu Beach trail
offers 2.5 miles
of paradise

A South Pacific romance along a tropical, white-sand beach awaits day hikers on American Samoa National Park’s Ofu Island.

Located in the only American national park south of the equator, the Ofu Island Beachwalk Trail stretches about 2.5 miles one-way between Va‘ota and the Asaga Strait. As a beachwalk, there’s no marked trail.

Perfect sand for bare feet
Many days you’ll have the beach all to yourself. Ofu is but one of three islands where the national park sits and hardly the main one; in addition, American Samoa is the least visited of all national parks.

Unless living on Ofu, reaching the beach requires flying to Pago Pago International Airport on Tutuila Island; flights leave from Honolulu, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. A connecting flight then can be taken to Ofu; the airport runway doubles as the road that heads east to Ofu Beach.

The beach is a long, curve of palm-fringed white sand that feels soft and warm on the feet. To the northwest stand high, verdant cliffs with Tumu Mountain standing 1621 feet above you; at beach’s east end, Sunu‘itao Peak rises 765 feet.

Southeast of the beach is the brilliant blue Pacific Ocean with a coral reef. Nearly 300 fish species and 150 kinds of coral have been found in the reef. When in season, whales breach off shore.

Nighttime on the beach
As walking up the beach, to the east the green mountains of Olosega Island form a wonderful, distant wall that will give you and your loved one the feeling of being in your own self-contained paradise. Bring a picnic of fresh bananas, mangoes, and papaya – all grown on the islands.

Both sunrise and sunset bathe the ocean and beach in gold. After dusk, enjoy the clear, star-filled skies. Being south of the equator, you’ll see an entirely new set of constellations, with the Southern Cross easy to pick out. Falling stars sometimes can be spotted as well.

Ofa Beach is not the best place for children to visit, though those who can appreciate a more laid back, tranquil setting and possess a roll-with-it attitude will enjoy the park and this walk.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Trails to see American Samoa NP’s wonders

Beachwalk on white sands of Ofu Island. Photo courtesy of American
Samoa NPS.

Among the best ways to see American Samoa National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – coral reefs, white sand beaches, rainforests, and volcanic mountains.

Coral reefs
Seeing the colorful and exotic coral reefs up close requires scuba diving, but day hikers can obtain a unique and impressive view of them from above via the Tuma Mountain Trail. The 5.5-mile round trip heads to an outcropping that offers a vista featuring the coral lagoons as well as three islands.

White sand beaches
Among the most romantic of locations in the park, beachwalking is allowed on the white sands of Ofu Island between Va‘ota and the Asaga Strait. The beach stretches about 2.5 miles one-way.

Rainforests
Thanks to being located in the South Pacific, a tropical rainforest blankets the land portions of the national park. The Tuafanua Trail heads 2.2-miles round trip through a lush forest to a hidden coastline.

Volcanic mountains
American Samoa formed in the ocean millions of ago thanks to volcanic activity. The Mount ‘Alava Adventure Trail, a 5.6-mile loop, heads up steps with ropes (for balance) to the summit of one basalt peak, Mount ‘Alava. This trail is challenging, and any children hiking with you should be teens who are in shape.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Ofu Island Beachwalk hugs South Pacific

A South Pacific romance along a tropical, white-sand beach awaits day hikers on American Samoa National Park’s Ofu Island. The Ofu Island Beachwalk Trail stretches about 2.5 miles one-way. As a beachwalk, there’s no marked trail.

The beach is a long, curve of palm-fringed white sand that feels soft and warm on the feet (photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS):

American Samoa in the only American national park south of the equator (map courtesy American Samoa NPS):

The American Somoas are 2600 miles from Hawaii and 4800 miles from California (map courtesy American Samoa NPS):

The beachwalk runs between Fatuana Point and the Asaga Strait (map courtesy American Samoa NPS):

Many days you’ll have the beach all to yourself (photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS):

Local wildlife – a brown booby or fua'o in flight (photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS):

Southeast of the beach is the brilliant blue Pacific Ocean with a coral reef:

The coral reef rests just beneath the water’s surface (photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS):

Nearly 300 fish species and 150 kinds of coral have been found in the reef:

Being south of the equator, you’ll see an entirely new set of constellations, with the Southern Cross easy to pick out (photo courtesy of American Samoa NPS):

Learn about other great national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.