Best Time to Visit American Samoa

Pago Pago is the only city, but the island matters

Our site covers Pago Pago, the main harbour town on Tutuila, so that's what the timing below is based on. The island is small. If you head to the quiet east end or to Ofu in the Manu'a islands (a short flight away), you'll get similar weather, with small local differences in rain.

Dry season: July and August

These are the best months. The trade winds keep the air fresher, and rain is less likely to wreck your plans. That helps if you want to hike the trail to Lower Sauma Ridge, snorkel at Ofu's long beach, or walk through the rainforest in the National Park of American Samoa.

Pago Pago sits in a deep, steep-sided harbour, and it's one of the wettest places under the US flag. Even in the dry months you'll get showers. They just don't stay as long.

Wet season: December to March

January is the wettest month, at 274 mm. Expect heavy downpours, muddy trails and some grey, sticky days. April is the hottest month at 28°C, but the real difference through the year is humidity, not temperature. It's warm all year.

Wet season is also cyclone season. Storms are not common, but they can close flights and roads. Travel insurance is worth having if you visit then. If you don't mind rain and want quiet beaches, it's cheaper and emptier.

Holidays and crowds

American Samoa doesn't get big tourist crowds, so "high season" is mostly about visitors from the US mainland and families coming home. Flights fill up around Christmas and New Year.

Flag Day, in April, is the island's biggest celebration. It marks the first raising of the US flag in 1900. You'll see parades, singing, long boat races and lots of food. Book your stay early if you want to be there. Sunday is also a quiet day, with many shops closed and church services across the island, so plan around it.