A Taste of Village Life Tour: Pago Pago in American Samoa

Pago Pago, Tutuila, American Samoa

Trip Day Twenty: Thursday, October 11, 2007

West of Pago Pago in the Local Tour Bus

Tourism is not well-developed on the island, and they obviously were using the local busses to provide transportation for our tour.

The bus service is good, with lots of colorful family-owned buses operating back and forth along the south side of Tutuila until dusk on weekdays and until around 4pm on Saturday (no Sunday service). Fares seldom exceed US$1, and the drivers will stop almost anywhere, so flag one down if the bus is headed your way. Standing in the bus is not allowed; therefore, you're guaranteed a comfortable trip. The main bus station is next to the market in Fagatogo. Google "Tutuila transportation" for some entertaining stories about traveler's experiences with local bus and air transportation.

Our young tour guide introduced himself, and we were soon on our way toward the southwestern part of the island. He told us a little about himself. He had lived in San Francisco with his grandmother when he was quite young, but returned to the island when he was about six-years-old. He hopes to return to California to attend college in the Bay Area.

School Administration Complex

The buildings are built in the traditional oval shape.

A Local Park

The parking lot is puddled from the morning showers.

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