Fifteen minutes by ferry from Tutuila is the tiny, quiet island of Aunu'u. Easily explorable in a day (but don't go on Sunday; you won't be welcome), the island is an easily accessible respite from the traffic chaos of Pago Pago. Pala Lake is a beautiful expanse of fiery red quicksand; extraordinary from the edge, deadly in the middle. On the far side of the island from the ferry harbour is Ma'ama'a Cove, a cauldron of surf, spray and rocks. It's a wild, entertaining natural display, and a perfect place to eat a packed lunch.

Created in 1988 in one of Ronald Reagan's last presidential actions, the National Park spreads across three islands. The section on Tutuila is the easiest to get to, and provides protection for areas of coral reef as well as mixed species old-world rainforests. The secluded Amalau Valley is home to many forest bird species and the Samoas' two rare species of fruit bat. The charming and friendly village of Vatia, on the edge of one of the park's coral-fringed bays, has basic accomodation and boat and fishing tours. Just offshore of the village is The Pola, a tiny uninhabited island with magnificent sheer cliffs and a huge seabird population.

Ofu is the most dramatic and beautiful of the Manu'a Islands. It's the easiest to visit, and the one most often seen by outsiders. Ofu's crown jewel is its south-coast beach - the 2.5mi (4km) stretch of white sand is one of the most beautiful in the South Pacific. Bring your snorkelling equipment: the waters here are part of the national park, and there's some excellent viewing of 300 species of fish and 150 of coral. In 1987, archaeologists found an uprecedented array of prehistoric Samoan artefacts behind the beach at the To'aga Site.

Much written about and much maligned, Pago Pago is an alluring mix of the seedy and the dramatically beautiful. On a bad day, the tuna canneries are the only local feature you will be aware of, unless you get hit by an empty Coke can hurled from a passing pick-up truck. Look around and you're likely to see a polluted harbour, lots of litter and - perhaps worst of all - the mess that is the infamous Rainmaker Hotel. Although reports have been OK recently, it'll take a few more generations before this government-run complex lives down its long-held reputation as the worst hotel in the South Pacific. Usually though, the town (or, more correctly, towns) offers visitors a reasonably pleasant, light-industrial, small-town experience. The picturesque harbour is surrounded by high, almost wicked-looking mountains that plunge straight into the sea.Mt Alava towers over Pago Pago Harbor, where you can make the walk to the summit for great views of the island along a 5km (3mi) trail. The Jean P Haydon Museum houses numerous artefacts of early Samoa, and a fascinating native pharmacopoeia. On Saturday, a farmers' market is held near the bus station.