| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 05/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 46 |
| Copyright: Other |
Samoa
Flying south to where a warm welcome awaits
Unspoiled islands retain local charm
Transpacific chief executive Malcolm James reveals why Somoa is his favourite South Pacific country
Samoan: the island and its inhabitants have not been influenced by western cultureMy first visit to Samoa was nine years ago when I was running Transamerica Holidays.
I arrived during a tropical storm so bad it took three attempts for the crew to land the aircraft.
The first thing I noticed as we drove to the capital Apia were graves in the front gardens of the houses. The taxi driver put my mind at ease by telling me that it’s a Samoan custom to bury your relatives by the front door. A lovely custom but I thought it must be a real problem when you want to move.
The second thing that caught my attention were the very large piles of leaves and tree branches everywhere – a result of a hurricane two weeks before. So, my first impressions of Samoa were not quite what I had expected.
However, although the sun did not shine for the entire four days that I was on the island, my visit to Samoa was the brightest experience of my whole trip to the South Pacific. Samoa is hailed as the Heart of Polynesia and its people are in my opinion the warmest and biggest hearted you will find anywhere in the Pacific. The island and islanders have been unspoiled by western influences, absorbing only those things that complement their culture not threaten it, which cannot be said for some of their neighbouring island nations.
UK visitors to Samoa fall into three categories, backpackers doing a world tour, stopovers on the way to or from Australasia and the new emerging market of those visitors who want just to experience the islands of the South Pacific.
Although Samoa’s tourism infrastructure is not large – the island receives 80,000 visitors annually – it does offer a wide range of accommodation from locally built palm thatched beach huts at a £1 per night, all the way up to four-star western-style, full service hotels.
There are two main islands, Upolu and Savaii, and between them they account for 96% of Samoa’s 1147sq miles. Seven small islands make up the rest.
Most of the coastline is protected by a coral reef, making Samoa’s waters ideal for swimming, snorkelling and diving. The international airport is located in Apia on the island of Upola, as is Villa Vailima, the last home of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who loved Samoa so much he chose it as his last resting place.
Upolu’s scenic northeast coast offers some wonderful natural scenery with the Falefa falls and the Puila natural water spring caves, and a truly spectacular rain forest, as well as unspoiled sandy beaches. On the southwest coast you will find the dramatic Sapo’ago, Fuipisina and Tiavi waterfalls, and the secluded Lefaga Bay beach.
Savaii lies to the west of Upolu and is reached either by a short flight or ferry crossing. The island offers an even slower pace of life than her sister island, dotted with secluded beaches and clear lagoons plus a very large coastal lava field dating back millions of years. The accommodation on Savaii is very clean but basic – not for a four-star traveller. But ideal for those after a real laid-back experience.
I have been back to Samoa several times since my first visit in 1991 and every time the sun has shone brightly and the people have been even warmer. Each time I still marvel at the country’s scenic beauty with its lush tropical forests and abundance of colourful tropical flowers, which are unequalled anywhere in the South Pacific.
Flower Pot Rock: scenery is a major attraction
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somoa
Cost of living: prices are about 60% of the UK’s in hotels and less in local shops.