Tula and Cape Matatula
The easternmost point of Tutuila, with an atmospheric monitoring station on the headland.
Updated 3 September 2026
Tula is the last village on Tutuila's eastern coast road, and beyond it Cape Matatula closes the island, a headland where an atmospheric baseline observatory has measured the composition of the air since 1974, chosen because the trade wind arrives here having crossed thousands of kilometres of open ocean with nothing to contaminate it. The record from this station is one of the key long-term datasets on the global atmosphere.
The landscape
- The observatory - the atmospheric station measuring clean ocean air since 1974.
- The easternmost point - the cape closing the eastern end of Tutuila.
- The trade wind - the air arriving after thousands of kilometres of open ocean.
- Tula village - the last settlement on the coast road.
When to go
May to September is the drier season. The coast road is open year round. Sundays are strictly observed in the village.
Good to know
The observatory is a working scientific station and is not open to visitors. There is little to see beyond the headland and the view. Facilities are none.
Nearby
Onenoa Beach is northwest, and Pago Pago is far west.
What to pack for Tula and Cape Matatula
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Broken-in walking shoes or boots - Grip and ankle support matter more than looks; never hike in brand-new boots. Find on Amazon
- Spare batteries + cards - Cold and long shoots drain power; never run out at the good light. Find on Amazon
- Layers + a waterproof shell - Mountain weather turns fast; a packable rain jacket saves the day. Find on Amazon
- A compact tripod - Essential for night skies, aurora, waterfalls and low light. Find on Amazon
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