Samoan Rainforest

Because American Samoa lies far out in the South Pacific, its rainforest developed from Old World, or paleotropical, plants and animals, distinct from the rainforests of Hawaii or the Americas. Steep volcanic slopes are draped in dense forest, from coastal woodlands up to cloud-wrapped ridges, home to native trees, ferns, orchids, and birds found nowhere in the mainland United States.

This makes the park a unique window into a South Pacific ecosystem, and protecting it is one of the park's central purposes. The forest is also deeply tied to Samoan culture, providing traditional foods, medicines, and materials, and much of it grows on land owned by local villages.

Cherished residents of the rainforest are the flying foxes, or fruit bats, which soar through the canopy on leathery wings during the day, an unusual sight since most bats are nocturnal. Feeding on fruit and nectar, they pollinate flowers and spread seeds, playing a key role in keeping the forest alive, and watching them glide overhead is a highlight for many visitors.

Trails on Tutuila and the other islands climb into the forest, often steeply, through humid, green, sometimes muddy terrain alive with birdsong. Hikers should bring water, insect repellent, and sturdy shoes, be prepared for heat and humidity, and respect the village land and customs, since much of the park is on land owned by local communities.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The rainforest in the National Park of American Samoa is special because it is the only paleotropical rainforest in the entire U.S. National Park System. Paleotropical means it belongs to the Old World tropics of the Pacific and Asia, so it is made up of plants and animals from a completely different natural world than the rainforests of Hawaii or the Americas. This lush forest cloaks the steep volcanic mountains of the park's islands, home to native trees, tree ferns, orchids, and tropical birds found nowhere else in the United States, as well as flying foxes. It offers a rare and immersive glimpse of a living South Pacific rainforest ecosystem. The forest is also deeply woven into Samoan culture, and much of it grows on land owned by local villages, making its protection both an ecological and a cultural priority.

Flying foxes are large fruit bats, and they are cherished and important animals of the Samoan rainforest. With wingspans that can reach around three feet, they are much bigger than the small insect-eating bats familiar to many people, and unusually, they are often active and visible during the day, gliding gracefully through the forest canopy on leathery wings. Flying foxes feed on fruit and nectar rather than insects, and in doing so they pollinate flowers and spread seeds across the forest, making them vital to keeping the rainforest healthy and regenerating. In the National Park of American Samoa, watching flying foxes soar overhead is a highlight for many visitors. These bats are also culturally significant and, in some places, face threats, so the park's protection of their rainforest habitat helps ensure their survival.

Yes, hiking is one of the best ways to experience the rainforest in the National Park of American Samoa. Trails on Tutuila and the other island units climb up into the forest, offering an immersive experience of the towering trees, ferns, birdsong, and, often, views of the coast and sea from ridgetops. However, hikers should be prepared: the trails can be steep, muddy, and slippery, and the tropical heat and humidity are intense, so bring plenty of water, wear sturdy shoes, and use insect repellent. It is also important to respect the fact that much of the park is on land owned by local Samoan villages, so follow any guidance about access and behave courteously. With good preparation and respect for the land and culture, hiking the rainforest is a memorable way to encounter this rare South Pacific ecosystem.

It is called a paleotropical rainforest because its plants and animals originate from the paleotropics, meaning the Old World tropical regions of the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and nearby areas, as opposed to the neotropics, the New World tropics of Central and South America. American Samoa lies far out in the South Pacific, so its forest developed from these Old World tropical species, making it fundamentally different in its makeup from the rainforests found in the Americas, and even different from Hawaii's forests. This distinction is significant because the National Park of American Samoa is the only place in the entire U.S. National Park System where you can experience a paleotropical rainforest. For visitors and scientists alike, it offers a rare chance to encounter a South Pacific ecosystem, with its own unique trees, birds, bats, and other life, under the protection of the U.S. national parks.