Step inside a living fa'asamoa (the Samoan Way) — entering a traditional fale (open-sided house), receiving a kava ceremony welcome, learning mat-weaving from village elders, and sitting down to an umu earth-oven feast. Culture this authentic is extraordinarily rare.
What to expect
Your guide introduces you to the matai (chief) of a traditional village outside Pago Pago, where you're welcomed with the ava (kava) ceremony — the formal Samoan rite of welcome and respect. Village women demonstrate fine mat (ie toga) weaving, one of Samoa's most prized artisan skills, and you're invited to try. The centrepiece is lunch from an umu — taro, breadfruit, palusami (coconut cream in taro leaves), and fresh fish — eaten communally in an open fale to the sound of birdsong and children playing.
Good to know
Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) as a sign of respect — a light pareo/lava-lava will be provided if needed. Tours last approx. 3.5 hours. Pre-booking is essential to ensure village preparation; last-minute walk-ups cannot be accommodated.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Pago Pago — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Pago Pago
- Mount 'Alava Ridge Hike & Panoramic Harbour Views
- National Park of American Samoa: Private Guided Rainforest & Reef Walk
- North Shore Coastal Hike: Blowholes, Tidal Pools & Pole Fishing
- Aunu'u Island Kayak & Snorkel: A Hidden Samoan Idyll
- Two Dollar Beach & Fagatogo Market: Tutuila's Best in One Morning