Best Time to Visit Pago Pago

Wet season and dry season

Pago Pago has two seasons, and temperature barely changes between them. It's warm all year, with highs of 26 to 28°C and nights that hardly cool down. What changes is the rain.

From November to February it's wet. January and February are the worst, with rain on almost every day. Showers can be heavy, and the sky over the harbour often stays grey. From June to September it's drier, with more sun and fewer downpours. Even then, expect a quick shower on about half the days.

Which month for which trip

July and August score best. August is the driest month and the least humid. Both suit hiking, like the trail up Mt. Alava from the Fagatogo side, or the long walk to Rainmaker Mountain's ridges. Cable car rides are gone, so you'll climb on foot. Views are clearer when the cloud lifts.

September has the most sun of the year and is nearly as dry. It's a good pick for snorkelling and for boat trips to the National Park of American Samoa on Tutuila's north coast. Beaches like Alega and Ofu-side coves on the outer islands are calmer then.

May, June and October are middle ground. You'll get a mix of sun and showers, and often lower prices. March and April are fair too, though still damp.

Not a fan of heavy rain? Skip December to February. Roads can flood and the sea gets murky.

Crowds and events

Pago Pago never gets truly crowded. It's a quiet port town, and visitor numbers are small. The busiest stretch is the drier mid-year, when families come to visit relatives. Flights can fill up around Christmas and New Year, even though the weather is poor.

The big event is Flag Day on 17 April, which marks American Samoa's formal ties to the United States. Expect parades, fa'a Samoa (Samoan way of life) performances, canoe races and plenty of food. It falls in a fair, fairly damp month, so bring a rain jacket for the parade.

Teuila Festival belongs to Samoa, not here, so don't plan around it. Instead, ask locally about village events and Sunday church services. Singing is wonderful, and visitors are usually welcome if they dress modestly.

If you want the best mix of dry weather and quiet streets, aim for August or September.