For the Gadling series “World Heritage Site new “Tentative List”: Places to Love” we are covering the 14 sites that have been submitted for possible inclusion as an official World Heritage Site in the United States. The sites will not be posted in order of importance or in the order they appear on the list.
Number 11
Name of Site: Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Location: American Samoa, deep in the South Pacific, east of Australia
Reason for importance in a nutshell: With the world’s coral reefs shrinking at an astonishing rate, it’s no question that Fagatele Bay Sanctuary needs to be and broadcast and preserved. This small sanctuary is host to a wealth of marine wildlife, from humpback whales to butterfly fish to sea turtles.
Grant’s Take: American Samoa is one of those places that many have heard of a few times but that few have actually been to. It’s probably because the South Pacific is just so darned difficult to get to. It’s not like you can jump in the family station wagon, pack a cooler of sandwiches and root beer and be there by dinnertime — even after flying the many hours to get to into the Pacific you usually have to take some sort of small connecting aircraft to make the multi-hop to your island.
And it’s probably why most people haven’t heard of the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary. But if you’ve seen any of the specials on the Great Barrier Reef on the Discovery or Travel Channel in the last five years, you know how endangered the world’s coral reefs are. Fagatele is no different. Climate change and over harvesting will affect this tiny preserve as well, and it’s important that we as humans see, learn about and preserve this sort of natural wonder. Add it to your itinerary if you’re ever in the neighborhood.