Pristine rainforest and beaches, amazing diving, welcoming locals
Disadvantages:
Not for those who cannot make their own entertainment
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Sitting on a roof-top veranda and gazing out towards the reef where punishing rips and currents swirl, I thought how fortunate I had been to arrive in Samoa on a comfortable airliner instead of by the rickety boats made of palm trees used by the first Polynesian settlers to arrive here. Yet in many ways, the islands that make up Samoa (Independent Samoa) are little changed since those settlers arrived some 2000 years ago as part of a migration of humans across the Pacific from the Philippines and Papua New Guinea to Tahiti and Easter Island. Samoa is still largely covered by pristine, impenetrable rainforest and in the first place I stayed I was lucky enough to be high on a hilltop overlooking the forest on the island of Upolu, one of Samoa's two main islands.
Cloud 9 Eco-lodge is a quiet family home situated amongst coconut groves about 20 minutes taxi drive from Samoa's capital Apia, on a track winding through plantations of banana, breadfruit and taro. Leaving behind the oppressive humidity at sea-level, the air began to cool slightly as I drove higher and arriving at 2.00 a.m. I was greeted by a pack of noisy, if friendly, dogs after which the owners showed me to my room and I settled in to sleep with the cool breeze blowing in across the treetops. Morning revealed one of the most spectacular views I have ever seen from a hotel window, with miles of dense, green forest sweeping down towards the coast and the pale blue sea beyond battering against a distant coral reef. Occasionally, I could see magnificent white birds of a type unknown to me wheeling through the air above the tree tops below me, their forked tails brushing the leaves and most magical of all, soft clouds of steam rising slowly from the forest canopy.
Breakfast gave me my first chance to experience the warmth of Samoan hospitality and the generosity of portion size: huge helpings of banana and papaya, eggs, bacon, bread and boiled taro root (yam) all combined to give me a delicious meal. Vast meals proved to be common throughout my trip to Samoa and helped me to understand why the Samoan people are physically quite formidable. Historically, they have a great tradition of feasting and indeed Sundays are a traditional feast day. However, they will organize feasts at the merest excuse and seem to enjoy nothing better than inviting strangers to their villages and homes to sample traditional Samoan fare, something I was to discover later. After breakfast I spent many happy hours simply sitting on my balcony looking out over the rainforest and down to the coast where the capital city of Apia lay.A day trip in Apia is an easy ride from Cloud 9, although it can only be achieved if you hire your own car (having endorsed your licence in Apia first) or if you get a cab.
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Apia itself is on the small side and can be seen easily enough on foot. I would suggest going to one of the many markets there, especially on Saturday morning when most Samoans seem to do their shopping and trading. Aside from the usual wooden craft souvenirs and postcards, excellent lava-lavas (Samoan sarongs) can be found in a wide variety of colours and patterns and really these are de rigueur for anyone wishing to blend in with the locals. These garments are worn by both men and women, but there is a difference: men tend to wear plainer fabrics and darker colours and also their lava lavas stop at knee level, whereas women's fall to the ankle. Tapa is another traditionally Polynesian craft and is often hung in people's homes as wall decoration. Basically, it is mulberry tree bark, beaten out and milled to produce a very coarse papery fabric, upon which designs are printed in ochres, mainly in brown, red and black. Geometric designs are particularly popular and as these tapestries are so lightweight they make excellent souvenirs. Markets for me however, simply offer a chance to mingle with the locals whilst experiencing new sights, sounds and smells and any of the Apia markets will afford you this opportunity. If you go on a Saturday, you must finish your shopping by midday, as shops in Samoa generally close at lunchtime on Saturday and will not re-open until Monday morning.
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Sunday in Samoa is very much a sacred day of church and rest and this is strongly enforced in all villages. The Samoans have to be one of the most devoutly Christian peoples in the whole Pacific (if not the whole world) and everyone attends church on Sunday morning, dressed in their most colourful lava-lavas and patterned shirts. Even during the working week, religion is never far from people's minds and I discovered this after hearing a strange trumpeting note ring out across the hillside everyday at about 6.00 p.m. My hostess at Cloud 9 explained that this was the "Sa", a signal for the evening prayer curfew to begin. At this time, villagers gather in their homes for quarter or half an hour of prayer and meditation and it is considered polite to refrain from entering a village at this time.
"But" said my hostess "as soon as you hear the signal blown on the conch shell again, it means the curfew is over and you can travel again".
Although I did not attend church during my visit, I did have a wonderful experience which gave me a true insight into what Samoans like to do best after they have been to church and eaten their huge Sunday meal. It was a hot, still afternoon at Cloud 9 and I decided to go for a swim in the network of interconnected pools and waterfalls just below the lodge. After a while, I became aware of a small boy nearby, evidently bemused by the tall, strange white man bathing in his river. Soon, his elder sister appeared and, beckoning, invited me to join her further down the river where she was looking after her younger brothers and sisters. Well, I spent a lovely afternoon with them under the cool, shady waterfalls and in exchange for me telling her about myself, she tried to teach me a few words of Samoan, the strange sounding vowel-filled language spoken as a first tongue by all Samoan people. I am afraid that I can only remember two words: "Vai" ("river/water") and "fa'amolemole" ("please"). My attempts to pronounce these words led to much laughter and it was a genuinely joyful experience to meet with such friendly and welcoming locals. This experience of meeting Samoans was typical of my experiences: they are welcoming and curious about visitors and since tourism is very much in its infancy here, this is understandable. You may even find the odd person (usually a small child) who has never seen a white person before and will stand and stare at you in wonder, before being chided by their parents. Typical too was one of the first questions my new friend at the waterfall asked: "are you married? Where is your wife?". I was to be asked this question many times during my stay; for the family-oriented Samoans it seems puzzling that a man would travel alone without a female companion.
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Before leaving the Apia area, I paid a quick visit to Vailima, the home of author Robert Louis Stevenson (RSL), which is perched in the hills behind Apia. This colonial-style mansion is impressive and if the guides discover that you are from Scotland, as I am, they will express admiration and amazement at you being so far from home, before asking you what you know about RSL (being Scottish, you MUST be familiar with his work). RSL only lived here for a few years, before dying of a brain haemorrhage and his tomb is a steep climb up to a nearby peak, which offers stunning views of Apia and the coast beyond. The house itself is fascinating, and contains some enormous tapa on the walls, together with the only open fireplace in Samoa.
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Just two days after swimming in the rock pool, I was again under water but this time off the north coast of Upolu and with air tanks and a scuba regulator in my mouth. Diving off Samoa's many coral reefs and islets is an exhilarating way to spend a few hours and in my case, I wished to get my open water certificate which all divers need to dive independently. The myriad of brightly coloured fish is amazing and I was lucky enough to bump into a few turtles and rays as well. Samoa's volcanic history means that there are many underwater shelves and cliffs and gliding gently off the top of an underwater cliff-face is a truly memorable experience. For those wishing to try out diving, get their open water certificate or dive independently, Samoa offers everything you could wish for. The water is usually crystal clear but divers should note that in the rainy season (December to March) heavy rain and silt run-off from the islands can obscure visibility. In terms of diving operators there are many to choose from and I can do no better than recommend the services of Fabien and Anne, a warm and friendly French couple who organize water sports activities at the Aggie Grey Lagoon Resort on the north coast of Upolu near the airport.
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Most of the time I was on Upolu, Samoa's twin island of Savaii seemed to beckon to me from across the straights which separate the islands and in the end I gave in and took the chance to go over to Savaii for a few days. My home this time was close to the port of Salelologa, where the boat from Upolu docks. My accommodation was surely one the most unusual in the world: a traditional Samoan fale (hut) perched on wooden stilts high above a turquoise blue lagoon. There are several of these at Lusia's Lagoon Chalets, but visitors can also stay in more traditional huts built on solid ground. Arriving on a Sunday, I expected to get little in the way of service and when I went to get lunch at the resort café they said I was really a little late. However, at that point one of the waitresses asked me if I had ever tried real Samoan food.
"No", I said "what kind of things do you have?". She returned shortly with a huge plate groaning under the weight of traditional Samoan fare. "Today" she said "we have had an umu, as it is Sunday, and these are the foods we usually cook in this way".
She explained that an umu was a method of cooking, similar to a Hawaiian luau, where a pit is dug and a fire lit in it. Stones are placed over the fire until hot and then food, wrapped in banana or taro leaves, is put on top to cook. The mouthwatering selection she had given me included wild pig, taro root, chicken and palusami, a Samoan speciality of fish or meat mixed with coconut cream and wrapped in green taro leaves, the whole parcel being edible. This was my introduction to Samoan cuisine and a hugely enjoyable one, but I should point out that vegetarianism is almost unknown here and meat lovers will really have the best of the food on offer.
Salelologa was a great spot from which to explore Savaii and I found the best way to do this was to go on an organized day tour which circumnavigated the island. Savaii has so many fabulous sights that I could easily write a book on this island alone, but one particular highlight for me was the Falealupo Rain Forest Preserve in northern Savaii. Our guide for the day led us past the entrance where school children in spotless white lava lavas were milling around, then along a path into the forest. After a few minutes we came to a wooden tower with steps up it and we duly began to climb. "The view from the top is great" our guide shouted back as we trudged upwards through the sticky air. Eventually we reached a platform high above the canopy with breathtaking views out over the whole forest. This platform, for those willing to carry up heavy packs, offers an unusual location for a night's sleep and those who wish to stay are cared for by members of the nearby village who ensure their safety. Stretching out from the tower was a narrow walkway built from wooden planks and suspension wire, with some safety netting below: this was to be our only way onwards and although the guide cheerfully skipped across with no cares, the rest of us edged very gingerly over the bridge which must have been at least 100 feet above the ground. Spectacular views can be had here, but this is not for those who dislike heights.
Later in the day after stopping at a number of beauty spots on Savaii, we reached a place that for me was one of highlights: a waterfall located a few miles west of Salelologa. Most of the popular tourist sights in Samoa are cared for by locals and this one was no exception. After parking by the road, we approached a group of Samoan men sitting in a hut and paid our entrance and guide fee. This fee is common throughout Samoa where almost all land is privately owned. Those wishing to walk a path, swim on a beach or see a waterfall will often have to pay up to 20 tala (GBP 2-3) for the privilege and visitors should make sure they have loose change when thinking about visiting almost any tourist attraction just in case. Walking up a steep, grassy hill for what seemed like ages in the oppressive humidity, we at last came to a lookout and beheld a truly spectacular waterfall.
"Go on!" said our guide "go for a swim. It's really refreshing and cool; no snakes!".
The men in our party duly stripped down to our shorts, clambered down the slope and dived in. Swimming in this delightfully cool spot was wonderful after a day of traveling in the heat and I will always remember the way the waterfall itself was warm, whilst the pool underneath was quite cool and very exhilarating.
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"This is the most amazing beach I have ever seen!" I thought when I first set eyes on Virgin Cove on the southern side of Upolu. After my time in Savaii I wanted to round off my trip with a few days lying on a beach and really could not have picked a better one. Sitting outside my jungle fale listening to the waves lapping over the white sand, this place seemed to sum up all my feelings about Samoa being a magical place. On my first night there I and the handful of other guests were treated to a kava ceremony after a dinner of fresh seafood and taro. One of the staff, a local Samoan, dressed up in a grass skirt, and with a head-dress of red feathers he danced and sang before preparing the kava in a small wooden bowl. Kava is common throughout the south pacific, and is a cold infusion of powdered kava plant root in water. Having mildly narcotic properties, its usual effect on me is to make my lips and tongue go numb, and this is what happened on this occasion. The kava ceremony is very much a part of any welcome to a Samoan village and if invited you must take part or risk causing offence. Our brightly-dressed dancer, who would not have been out of place in a Moulin Rouge floorshow, raised some eyebrows amongst the mainly European audience, but we were later informed that Samoan culture has a very special place for fa'afafine, that is, "boys-raised-as-girls." One of our hosts told us that in times gone by, when a Samoan family had too many sons, one of the sons would be picked to be raised as a girl, dressing in women's clothes and doing women's work. This was in no way a punishment and indeed fa'afafine are much respected and cherished members of the community, with most villages in Samoa having at least one. In a devoutly Christian country like Samoa, where homosexuality is both frowned upon and actually illegal, this attitude to transvestism and transexuality is unexpected, but it apparently pre-dates Christianity in Polynesia and remains an important part of life there.
Through my hosts at Virgin Cove I was able to meet a number of memorable local characters and one man in particular sticks in my mind. I saw him one day as I was leaving the water after snorkeling and from a distance he seemed to be bare-chested and wearing very fine silky black tights which covered his mid-section and waist, down to his knees. On coming closer and meeting him, I realized that he wasn't wearing stockings and in fact most of his legs and middle were covered in very intricate tattooing.
"That" he told me when he saw me looking at it "is the Pe'a."
He explained that Samoa has a strong tradition of tattooing and this form was generally undergone by high ranking men in a village. It was also often done as a form of bonding exercise between father and son, the two men having it done on alternate days. Taking several agonising days to complete using natural inks and bone needles, it was undoubtedly a test of endurance and although only a skin tattoo, men wearing the Pe'a together with a loin cloth were considered fully dressed. I was very impressed at the intricacy of the work and the skill needed to produce these fine, spidery designs on the skin.
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Occasionally, you may visit a place where time moves so slowly that you are almost amazed that tomorrow ever comes, a place where you cannot believe that the locals can ever accomplish anything, such is the easy and gentle pace of life, a place where it is so quiet you can hear the steam rising from the rainforest canopy. Samoa is a place like this and I hope that through this review you have come to better understand this tiny island nation. It is a place I love, but those wishing to visit must bear a few things in mind. The climate is very hot and humid for the entire year, especially so in the rainy season when I visited, and insect life abounds. It is also extremely quiet with very little in the way of nightlife (or even daylife sometimes): therefore, do not come if you cannot make your own entertainment, which often will be simply reading, playing cards, and exploring. The islands are also a long way from Europe and the journey will not be a cheap one (reckon on at least GBP 1000, if not more) for the airfare. Samoa can be incorporated as part of a round-the-world ticket which is almost certainly better value for money than simple return flights and really you should spend at least a week or two here to really appreciate the flavour of the place. However, accommodation is cheap and plentiful, the food is magnificent, getting around is straightforward and the welcome you will receive will be nothing short of incredible. It is also a very safe place with almost no violent crime and no major diseases to worry about.
The reason why I recommend you visit Samoa is to experience the unique culture: Samoa has the most intact Polynesian culture of any of the Polynesian nations, the most unspoilt by Westerners, Colonialists and tourists. Despite being controlled by New Zealand, The U.K. and Germany at various times, it is still largely pristine and unaffected by the trickle of tourists who annually visit. The people are genuinely friendly and welcoming and offer you an insight into a way of life vastly different from anything which Westerners are accustomed to. Visitors lucky enough to be invited to a Samoan's home must accept the invitation and will be made to feel like one of the family, a feeling which I think all visitors will come to feel after just a short time in these islands. The utter quiet and solitude will soon soothe and relax you as this is indeed a land where everyday feels like Sunday.
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Country: Independent Samoa Capital: Apia Location: 13 .5 S & 171.5 W, in the South Pacific between New Zealand and Hawaii Time: GMT-12hours Neighbours: American Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, French Polynesia Language: Samoan, English People: Polynesian Currency: Samoan tala Getting there (from U.K.): Use Qantas/BA to Australia, then Polynesian Blue to Apia, or Air New Zealand from London to Apia via Los Angeles.
