How to Experience the Palolo Season in American Samoa

Palolo worms, their scientific name palola viridis or eunice viridis, are a species of Polychaeta worm from the Eunicida order. They inhabit the crevices and cavities of shallow coral reefs in the central and south Pacific in countries like Fiji, Tonga, Samoa the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and, of course, American Samoa!

Palolo Worm Lifecycle

Adult palolo are about 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 “) long and are either reddish brown if male or bluish green if female. Their bodies have ringlike segments equipped with appendages bearing gills. They have sensory tentacles on their head and a mouth that essentially thrusts from inside their neck that is armed with teeth.

As the breeding season approaches, the back portions of the palolo go through a radical change. While the muscles and many organs degenerate, the reproductive organs increase in size ready to be carried up by limbs that have grown more paddlelike.

Once breeding season arrives, which is during the early morning for two days during the last quarter of the October moon and usually again (and in greater numbers) during the final quarter of the November moon, the palolo backs partway from its burrow and the “tail” section of the worm breaks free and swims to the surface to release sperm or eggs.

Fertilised eggs develop into trochophore larvae, which metamorph into a lengthened body during the juvenile stage, and later develop into adults.

Back at the head end of the palolo worm, it begins to regenerate a new tail end. The lifespan of a palolo worm is unknown but is thought to be about four to eight years.

The rising of the tails of the palolo worm not only attracts predatory fish, but the people of American Samoa celebrate the occasion as a time to catch a rare seafood delicacy.

Equipped with homemade nets, buckets and flashlights, many American Samoans flock to the reefs just before dawn on the waning moon of October and November. Exposure of the palolo tail to the sunlight destroys the tail, so it's important to scoop up the worm before sunrise!

The palolo season is best experienced in the Manu'a Islands. Particularly on Olosega Island, locals go to the old abandoned village of Sili to the shallow reef here, where they can walk out and gather palolo.

How to Experience the Palolo Season in the Manu'a Islands

Well, there's no way around it; it's best to stay in or near the villages of Ofu or Olosega and ask about the palolo season when you're there - M&M Rental is in Olosega Village or you can ask at Vaoto Lodge on Ofu Island who may be able to point you in the right direction.

If you don't manage to join villagers for gathering palolo at the reefs, you are likely to get a chance to taste this delicacy, either raw or cooked. A common cooking method is frying palolo with butter, onions and/or eggs and spreading it on toast.

Can You Experience the Palolo Season in Pago Pago?

In Pago Pago, otherwise known as the main island of Tutuila, it's not so easy to experience as the palolo has disappeared over the years. Villages of Fatumafuti, Fagasa and Vatia used to have villagers searching for palolo and sometimes still do, but not as prolific and harder for visitors to experience this, so best to go to the Manu'a Islands.

Before we jump into our complete guide to the palolo season in American Samoa, you might just find the answer to your question about palolo right here.

Why is palolo so special?

What makes the palolo so special is its unique reproductive behaviour. During the same time of year (October and/or November) and at the final quarter of the moon, the palolo worm breaks in half; the tail section swims to the surface to release eggs and sperm. Meanwhile, the front section of the worm remains below, ready to grow another tail for the next breeding season.

What is palolo in Samoan?

“Palolo” is the Samoan word for the polychaete worm that goes by the scientific names of eunice viridis or palola viridis. In other countries, palolo might be known as balolo, wawo or nyale.

Where is Palolo from?

Palolo can be found in shallow coral reefs across the central and south Pacific in countries such as Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Where is the best place to experience palolo in American Samoa?

The Manu'a Islands, especially Ofu and Olosega, are seen as the best places to experience palolo in American Samoa.

What does palolo taste like?

Palolo has a strong salty seafood taste, reminiscent of oysters, mussels, seaweed and caviar all condensed into a stringy noodle-like form.

Are palolo worms endangered?

Palolo worms are classed as “Data Deficient” by the IUCN. In other words, there is not enough data to know whether palolo are endangered or a threatened species.

How big is a palolo worm?

Adult palolo worms tend to reach a length of 30-40 cm (12-16 “).

What are the benefits of the palolo worm?

Palolo worms have the nutritional benefit of being a protein food high in calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A and riboflavin.