Ta'u Island

Ta'u lies about a hundred kilometres east of Tutuila, the largest of the Manu'a group and the site where Margaret Mead did the fieldwork for Coming of Age in Samoa, and its southern side falls in cliffs that are among the highest sea cliffs anywhere, dropping close to a thousand metres from the summit ridge to the water. A large part of the island is within the National Park of American Samoa. Villages sit on the flat northern shore.

What you'll find

• The southern cliffs - among the highest sea cliffs in the world, dropping close to a thousand metres.
• The national park land - the protected forest and coast on the island.
• The Mead connection - the fieldwork that produced Coming of Age in Samoa.
• The northern villages - the settlements on the flat ground facing Tutuila.

When to go

May to September is the drier season. Flights are small and frequently cancelled. Sundays are strictly observed.

Things to know

Flights are unreliable and being stranded for days is a real possibility. Accommodation is very limited and must be arranged in advance. Village protocol governs almost everything on the island.

Nearby

Olosega is northwest, and the Saua site is on the eastern shore.