Oceania
Steep rainforest, deep harbours and a national park on the reef.
This US territory is the eastern half of the Samoan archipelago, and fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, is still very much in charge. Tutuila wraps around the dramatic drowned-volcano harbour of Pago Pago, while the National Park of American Samoa protects rainforest, coral reef and fruit bat colonies across Tutuila, Ofu and Ta'ū. Ofu's white-sand beach and clear lagoon are among the loveliest in the Pacific.
Visitor numbers are tiny, so expect family-run guesthouses, village homestays and very little that feels packaged. Colourful aiga buses rattle along Tutuila's coast road, and Sundays are quiet days for church and a shared umu feast. The drier months from May to October are the most comfortable; the wet season from December to March brings heavy rain and the risk of cyclones.
June, July, August, September.