Travel SamoaSamoa, "the treasured islands of the South pacific" |
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Samoa is still dreamed of as a romantic South pacific paradise and the islands of Samoa is indeed a treasure for travellers who want to explore the most genuine islands of the South pacific but of course the life in Samoa has changed in flavor for the western life style just as it has on the other islands of Polynesia. |
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Samoa, however, has retained it's traditional culture better than most other Polynesian countries and even though the Samoans have welcomed the comfort of the western lifestyle, most Samoan's are still the same openhearted Polynesians they have always been. |
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The independent state of Samoa is the western part of the archipelago. The islands have a volcanic geology with the most recent eruption in 1911. The Samoan islands are covered with a lush vegetation. The diverse nature of the coastline in Samoa consists of palm fringed beaches, coral reefs, lava flows, mangroves, waterfalls and uninhabited islets. Samoa hosts several endemic birds i.e. the toth billed pigeon "Manumea". Of the two largest islands, Upolu is the most densely populated. Savai'i, the biggest island is less developed but in the rural areas, both islands are very traditional in lifestyle. |
Sunday morning at the fish market in Apia with a good supply of fresh sea food.
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The Samoan house "fale" has no walls |
Most people in Samoa live in villages around the islands. You'll find the Samoans very friendly, especially in the rural areas. To be invited for a meal and even to stay overnight is common and generally very safe. Most visitors either extend their vacation or come back again as soon as possible; there are those of us who decided to stay in Samoa and never returned home. |
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Before there were roads in Samoa, the canoe was the fastest way to travel. Even today the canoes are used for transportation and fishing and they are still made out of a hollowed trunk, just as the canoes have been built since the first Polynesian settlers came to Samoa. Our plastic kayaks are not as aestetic as the traditional canoes but are a lot easier to paddle for the "palagi" (white man). To travel in a canoe here in Samoa is to travel with dignity. Click on Upolu or Savai'i and you'll find more interesting information about the Samoan islands. |
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The kayak gives you access to the most remote places where no other tourists can go. The coral reef provide sheltered lagoons for safe kayaking. We visit some of the most beautiful beaches in the south pacific but sea kayaking in Samoa is much more than that. It is often the variety and the people you meet that makes the highest value of the trip. See our tours for more information in sea kayaking in Samoa. |
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