Searching for the WWII Trail, National Park of American Samoa

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
4/26/2026	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	114.7

Parking: 

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Map:

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Directions:

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Today we went on a drive to the east side of the island to explore. We stopped at Fata Ma Futi, a beach lookout for a rock island.

We stopped to visit a plane crash memorial & a defunct aerial tramway. There's also a nice pavilion there looking down onto the harbor. We wanted to do hike to a WWII site, but it was very confusing. The trail map showed it going right behind a water tank, but the water tank was on private property. There was a no trespassing sign. We had read that some trails require permission to access because they are partly on private property. There was no one to ask here though. We talked to the NPS later - they said that this was not the correct way to access the trail, even though there is a sign there and a trail map there. She said that even if we did access it there, the trail where we looked was very overgrown, and not worth hiking. She told us it's better to start this trail at the end next to the laundromat. We were also very hot, so we weren't that excited about actually doing the trail. We decided to skip it. It was 91 degrees out and very humid.

Driving on the road here, we see many trucks going by with people riding in the back. Sometimes they are all standing up. Sometimes they are sitting down in lawn chairs in the back. We drove to the end of the eastern side of the island. 

We got hungry and stopped at a bakery. It was a Sunday, so we were surprised it was open. It sounds like most places are closed on Sundays because it's a religious day. You aren't supposed to snorkel or swim on Sundays either. Anyways, the woman working at the bakery was very sweet. They didn't have vegetarian food except for cinnamon buns, so that's what I ate for lunch. Phyllis had chicken, I think. We did see a lot of people coming in for large orders of food - I believe these were to take to their village for eating after church. The woman working at the bakery seemed excited to have us as customers. She was kind to us and asked to take our photo.

We stopped by Tisa's Barefoot Bar again and this time they were open. It's owned by Tisa and her husband Candy Man also works there. Tisa is a local, and Candy Man, who served us, is originally from New Zealand. It's a very relaxed & chill place. I'm not sure if they serve food only once a week? But he offered us pina coladas, which were refreshing and delicious. Mine with no alcohol since I was driving. They do let you snorkel from behind the bar (even on a Sunday), but someone who had just come in said that the current was strong, and you really need flippers to snorkel. That's what everyone here has told us. They don't recommend snorkeling without flippers.

Looking down at the harber

Despite this sign showing one end of the trail being here right at the water tank,
you can't access it from here.

I wonder if all of these shipping containers are for tuna.

The sign shows the WWII Trail is right behind the tank. 
But we were told this is not the right place to access it.
There's a No Trespassing sign.

We stopped at a beach. While Dian and Phyllis walked around looking for shells,
I hid in the shade and sketched.

We saw these covered shelters frequently.
I was never sure if they are considered public property or not.
Sometimes we'd see people hanging out in them, sometimes what looked like events in them.
Some had netting at the base - maybe to keep stray dogs out.

There is a sign as you enter each village

These are the bells they ring to start prayer in the evening.
You see them frequently.
I read that they are often made of old scuba tanks.

Vaasa's Restaurant
They had outdoor seating looking out onto the ocean or indoor seating with air conditioning.
We chose air conditioning.
I got a cinnamon bun while Phyllis ate her chicken.

We got into Tisa's Barefoot Bar.
We had pina coladas (mine without alcohol since I was the driver).