Samoa 🇼🇸

Samoa is an independent island state in the South Pacific. It’s less than 5 hours flight from Brisbane which is where Shane and I fly to from Sydney on a “cold winters day” (not really!!) in July. We are flying to Apia, the capital of Samoa on the island of Upolu (one of 2 main islands). It’s a night flight and we arrive just after 6am.

We are meeting up with our pals to cycle around the whole island and today there are no formal arrangements so once we’ve been picked up, we get a day pass for Le Vasa Resort and relax there until we can check into our hotel for tonight.

There’s a bit of rain so we find some cover in a fale by the ocean and have a little snooze. A fale is the traditional home of the Samoan people. There are beach fales, like the one below, all over the island and larger versions which the locals live in.

The gang arrive at lunchtime and the holiday begins!

We are staying at Salty Lodge, in the village of Mulifanua and there is some beautiful water across the road.

We enjoy the sunset with a drink whilst avoiding any falling coconuts!

Tonight we eat at the Salty lodge and it’s pretty basic. We do get a huge giggle when James thinks he ordered what Rich did so takes a curry and leaves Rich waiting for a fairly long time (we are all practically finished our meals) for what we thought would be another curry but ends up being a burger. We couldn’t figure out why the cook took so long to serve another bowl of curry… hilarious!!

Next day is the first official day of our cycling trip. We start with a welcome meeting, get our bikes and cycle to the centre of the village…. which is essentially a large house!

Let’s do this!

Lulu, our guide, gives us all sorts of information about island life and we have a particular fascination with the Women’s Committee. She tells us that all mothers in the village are eligible to join a women’s committee which meets monthly and also carries out inspections such as checking women’s bed linen and cutlery!! You can be fined if you’re not meeting the standards set! The women’s committee are behind the beautiful flowers and displays along the roads – very impressive. There’s also a men’s committee but we’re way more interested in the women’s!

We get a demonstration of how they make coconut cream, how they take the cocoa beans and make a chocolate drink and they show us around their farm.

We cycle back and then walk across the road and go for our first dip in the South Pacific Ocean.

We cycle 4.5kms to the Sheraton resort and have a fancy (ie expensive) lunch. It’s a pleasant temperature in the evening and after our late lunch we happily relax and chat over some snacks (we love the local “bongos”) and a few drinks.

Next morning we have an 8am breakfast which consists of fruit (delicious papaya), toast, eggs and pancakes. All packed up, it’s time to explore this island. We cycle a ridiculously pretty road lined with fales.

The island is very religious, apparently there are six separate religions, mostly Christian and there are so many beautiful churches.

The support van meets us at the bottom of a huge hill which most people don’t attempt to cycle as it’s really steep. There’s a beautiful church at the base of the hill and it’s defo too steep for me to attempt – it’s not just this bit behind the church, it goes up and up for a couple of kms.

I decide to walk up it as it really is a killer incline. I decline my bike at the top as I’m terrified to free wheel down a steep hill and decide to run down it… the guide thinks I’m mad but it’s gorgeous and I love it.

Back on the bike we pass more beautiful homes, churches, ocean scenery and this local bus.

We continue cycling southwest to our accommodation for tonight at Falaese’ela. It’s called Lalotalie ECAT Adventure and it’s set in a lush garden along the Liua le Vai o Sina River.

This is a very traditional fale on a family home, open to just us as guests for the night. Quite the distinct open bedrooms!!! A fale (pronounced fah-leh) is the Samoan word for a traditional oval shaped house with a thatched roof, supported by wooden posts.

We have lunch with the host (he whipped up some egg and tuna sambos) and he chats to us about all sorts of topics regarding island life. At one point we hear a loud bang and realise a coconut has fallen out of the tree – it’s a real hazard around here! After a short rest and some time to allow the tide to come in, we cycle a few kilometres to the Savaia Giant Clam Sanctuary for a spot of snorkelling to see giant clams.

I’ve never seen anything like this before. The clams really are giant and the colours as they open and close are stunning.

It’s raining as we finish up our swim and get on the bikes, but sure we’re already wet. We’re all looking forward to a nice warm shower but it’s not to be. There is a very basic outdoor shower but it’s not working so it’s into the river with us!!

We sit with our host for a delicious dinner and continue to chat. He is very keen to discuss agriculture and has lots of questions about how Australia do things and shares some of the ideas he has to implement in Samoa. [our host is a chief on the Men’s committee]

We climb under our mosquito net and it’s pretty comfortable (once you get down on the floor and get in)…… and we drift off to sleep to the sounds of the river. Next morning we find out that the dogs who had been roaming around at dinner got into James and Ravs fale and kept them awake during the night. So glad that wasn’t us!!

We set off next morning and cycle straight to Matautu, our next accommodation, where we drop off our bikes and get taken by car to our kayak adventure. On the way we see so many homes with graves out front. It’s common to bury family members in the front yard and is seen as a way to keep the deceased close to the family.

Bigger more ornate graves generally denote that the deceased was a chief in the village.

At the OS Turtle Kayak adventure, we join up with another group and head out, in pairs, on the water. We kayak through mangroves and out to the ocean. We see a few turtles, but unfortunately, not as many as we hoped for. Every so often we see a little head peep out of the water but they move fast and I certainly didn’t get a really good look at any of them up close.

We stop at a small, deserted beach and have some snacks. It’s really beautiful out here and very remote.

Back in the kayaks again….. it’s hard work and somehow I manage to keep steering us to the right. Not really sure how that’s possible, but it’s happening!

Back on dry land we are fed lunch which is some sort of chicken and vegetable dish with rice – quite tasty and we all try the local fizzy drink, called Taxi. We take the van back to the resort which is called “Return to Paradise”. Once we’re checked in, we explore the resort. I have a dip in the sea and it is beautiful. The colour of the water is gorgeous and there are loads of colourful fish swimming around.

Tonight we hit the “Rock Bar” for some drinks and have a beautiful view out to the ocean. There’s a DJ set up and before our dinner arrives, he comes over with a clipboard to capture singers names for tonight’s karaoke… needless to say I’m very into this!!! I get up and do Zombie and then convince Shane to do a duet with me… can’t believe this – I’ve only been waiting seven years!!!

There’s a couple of families with singers and the song choices are pretty good so it’s good craic all round. Rav and I do a splendid (if I do say so myself) rendition of the Copa Cabana and after some persuasion, I manage to convince the whole gang to get up for what turns out to be the final song of the night – a lively “I’m Dill Dando” (if you know you know 🤪). Mic drop!

Next morning we say goodbye to Return to Paradise…. the dark sky, albeit with a very nice rainbow, looks a little ominous for a day of cycling…. 39kms to Tafatafa.

All along the way the local people say hello to us and children shout and scream from their homes and run along the road with us. We say “talofa” which is hello and the kids say “bye bye”. They’re so friendly although sometimes I wonder are they laughing at us!! We see plenty of churches along the way too.

After 20kms we stop at Keke’s bakery and get an assortment of pastries which are really really good. We taste some sweet ones as a morning snack and get some savoury ones to keep for lunch later.

We drive to O Le Pupü-Pu’e National Park where there are two walks we want to do. One is to the “Ma Tree” and the second is the Lava Field Coastal Walk, which we’ve read is a must-see. It’s raining heavy so we rest under cover for a bit but it’s just not clearing. We decide to do the shorter Ma Tree walk and then see how we feel about the significantly longer Coastal walk. It absolutely buckets down rain on us as we walk the slippery, mucky trail to see this Ma Tree (not very exciting), and we get saturated from head to toe.

It’s definitely not a day to do the longer coastal walk so we get back on our bikes (still raining) and we head onwards. Our next stop is at the Togitogiga Waterfall. It’s a very nice waterfall but after all that rain it’s very brown… hmmm I’m not swimming in that!!!

From here it’s about 8kms to tonight’s accommodation at “Brenda’s Beach Fales”. To our delight (not really, we’re soaked through and are essentially using camping facilities), it’s another rustic fale, this time right on the beach, which, in fairness is gorgeous. We just need to get dry!!

The rain has stopped (thank god) and we get out of our wet clothes and into the sea to get wet again!!! It’s a lovely beach and the water is gorgeous.

There’s some duty free booze we’ve been carrying with us and this seems like the right time to finish that off!!

Dinner is provided and it’s a chicken noodle stir fry, served in the large open fale – it’s just the 6 of us so very quiet. We did hear about a bar a short walk along the beach so we ramble down there and have a drink. We are delighted they have wine that we can bring back and have with our dinner.

The ocean is loud as we go to sleep but it’s somewhat soothing. Not a bad place to wake up…..

Next morning it’s raining but as soon as it clears we head back to the coastal walk and give it another go. It rains very heavy as we get there so we put on our raincoats and start the walk down the road to the start of the walk. It’s very wet and mucky and we come to a section where the water pans from one side of the road to the other – alas we cannot get through. Maybe if we had wellies we would make it, but we don’t, so at this point we admit defeat and head back to the van.

We’re unlucky with the weather, but not to worry, we head back to Brenda’s to get our bikes and set off on the road again.

Of course the rain stops as I’ve got the raincoat on. I’m getting sweaty so I tempt fate and take it off…. surprise surprise, within minutes the rain comes again. We all fully accept we are just going to get wet!! We stop at a resort for some lunch with our van driver Malaki.

After a short break, we continue to the much anticipated To-Sua Ocean Trench. To-Sua literally means ‘giant swimming hole’. It’s 30 metres deep and accessible via a long wooden ladder.

I cautiously climb down the wooden ladder to get into the water.

The current pulls us in one direction and then gently pushes us back in the other! There’s a rope down the centre to hold onto and the water is a lovely temperature. It’s really nice. We get a small rain shower while we’re in the water which is cool.

From here it’s approximately 13 km to our next accommodation spot. I feel like I have very little power in my legs and between the rain and the fierce head wind that’s whipped up, it’s tough going.

That said, the scenery is gorgeous as we battle the wind and rain along the coast road. It’s still warm and although I’m feeling tired, it’s really invigorating. Below is some footage of the route (taken the next day from the comfort of the van!)

We arrive to TAUFUA Beach Fales in Lalomanu and although we are soaked through, the sun has come out. The only thing for it is to get into our swimsuits and get into the ocean. This is our home for the next 2 nights.

This beach is considered (by Lonely Planet) to be one of the best in the world. There’s a reef for snorkeling which we will try tomorrow but for now we enjoy the waves pulling us softly out and then pushing us back to shore.

When we ask if there’s hot water we’re told “it’s Samoa”… so that’s a no!! Mind you, the cold shower doesn’t feel so bad and once happily washed and in dry clothes, we head to the bar and have a cocktail until it’s time for the communal dinner. The dinner consists of a host of dishes including potato salad, coleslaw, chicken, sausages, rice and it is a delicious meal.

We hang around after dinner finishing our drinks – tea is available self service so I obviously take advantage of that! Most people have left around 9 pm and we are chatting to two young couples, from Wales and Brisbane. We noticed staff gathering at the other side of the room and it appears they are about to have a staff meeting. Out of nowhere they start singing a hymn. They have an amazing sound with harmonies and a very strong male base sound. It’s fascinating and the meeting continues well after we go to bed!

There is no cycling next day, so we have a restful morning, watching the sun come up and enjoying a cup of tea by the ocean.

We have a delicious communal breakfast and get ourselves ready to attempt the coastal walk for a third time. Malaki collects us as it’s a forty minute drive. The good news is it’s a beautiful sunny day with no rain. En route we see the beautiful countryside that we cycled through yesterday. It looks much nicer in the sunshine!

We are delighted we’re able to do the coastal walk and agree it was definitely worth coming back to.

It’s a fairly easy path but over lava rocks and tree roots and at some points it’s mucky but the views are stunning.

There are a number of viewpoints, each seem to be getting better as we continue. At the end we get to stand on the lava rock and get some great splashes from big waves below.

On our way back Malaki suggests visiting another waterfall – Sopoaga Falls.

Back at the beach we have some lunch and then hit the water for some snorkeling. It’s lovely and we see an assortment of fish in certain spots, not too far from the shore. Another family style meal tonight which is super tasty ahead of a restful sleep.

Next morning we set off on a tricky cycle with lots of hills. We’re cycling 39kms from Lalomanu to Faleapuna. It’s killer and at one point I can’t battle on and jump in the van… but only for 3 kms!

Then I’m back on the bike as the road flattens out somewhat. Eventually there’s a big downhill but I prefer a tough climb to a steep downhill so just like our first day cycling, I chose to run down the hill rather than cycle. I do get to wave on the rest of the gang as they fly by!

We reach Le Mafa Pass for a view and then it’s the real decent… not my favourite thing so I break practically the whole way down, way behind the others who fly down with no fear!! Not me!

At the bottom of the hill we arrive to the village of Faleapuna and Le Uaina Beach Resort. We are all in need of a little rest and relaxation after that tough morning, so we have some lunch and then relax by the ocean. I have a lovely swim in the pool.

…. and after we walk into the ocean (there’s no beach) and do some snorkelling.

It’s so peaceful and just gorgeous.

We watch the sun set and enjoy a tasty dinner before falling into bed for a good sleep!

Next morning we take a five minute walk to the Piula Cave Pool. Entry to the pool is tucked behind a Methodist church and we are there just after 8am when it opens so are the only people there.

Piula is a natural freshwater pool that originated from an old lava tube. The large cave leads to a second smaller one but you’re not allowed to swim through anymore – fine by me!! Rumour has it there are eels! The temperature is a little chillier than the ocean but the water is crystal clear and delightful to bounce around in!

Back at the resort, we shower and get ourselves ready for our last day of cycling.

We are heading for Apia and on the way Malaki treats us to a pineapple pastry. It’s like a Cornish pasty but with hot pineapple, mixed with custard, inside. It’s very tasty

As we arrive into Apia it starts to rain so we are finishing our cycle trip as we spent most of it – wet!!! Luckily our rooms at the Amanaki hotel are ready and we are able to check in and get dry. We take a walk around Apia in blistering heat!

We visit the beautiful cathedral.

Inside the cathedral is really impressive, especially the wooden roof

It is roasting in Apia so after our walk around and some purchases (I have to have a lava lava which is a sarong), we head back to the hotel and have a final swim in the pool.

For our final meal of the holiday we go to Bistro Tatau and have a fancy meal and some really good NZ wine. A great finish to a great trip.

Goodbye Samoa – you have been beautiful!