Samoa, Heart of Polynesia

Home
>
Outdoors
>
Samoa, Heart of Polynesia

Samoa, Heart of Polynesia

The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new South Pacific travel destination between Hawaii and New Zealand. This "Heart of Polynesia" is politically split into two distinct entities 80 miles apart. The country Samoa is a former German colony, captured by New Zealand in 1914 and granted independence in 1962. In 1997 the name was changed from Western Samoa to Samoa.

American Samoa is the only U.S. territory south of the equator. Annexed by the United States for use as a naval base in 1900, the territory no longer has any military significance. Instead, Pago Pago currently hosts the StarKist and "Chicken of the Sea" tuna canneries, making it the most important commercial fishing port under the American flag.

The Samoan environment is tropically lush, with green volcanic peaks plunging to brilliant coral reefs, an ecotourism paradise still unspoiled by mass tourism. Visitors often stay in open Samoan beach houses called fale (pronounced FAH-lay) and adopt the laidback local lifestyle. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, deep sea fishing, and hiking opportunities are all close at hand.

Samoan culture is alive and strong, and local traditions can add another fascinating layer to your travel experience. Most Samoans are subsistence farmers who reside in small villages governed by chiefs (matai). The egalitarian ideals of this communal society place loyalty to family and religion above all. Visitors can sample this culture at the weekly "fiafia" island night dance shows staged at most of the larger hotels and beach resorts. Buffets of authentic Samoan dishes are an essential part of these events.

Samoa's climate is sultry, alternately sunny and rainy, but always hot and humid. Cooling sea breezes make the shoreline the best place to be yearround. The nicest months weatherwise are May to September, "winter" south of the equator. The rainy season runs from November to April, with increasingly intense hurricanes sweeping in due to global warming. Yet you can get long spells of bright sunny weather even during the "rainy" season, and Samoa's excellent Vailima beer (created by German brewmasters) tastes best at this time of year.

Most visitors spend their time in independent Samoa, which is considerably bigger and less expensive than American Samoa. However the rugged scenic beauty of Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa, should not be missed. In recent years some of the most strikingly beautiful parts of the territory have been incorporated into American Samoa National Park. There's great hiking on Tutuila and wonderful snorkeling on Ofu in the seldom visited Manua Group.

Traditional Samoan culture is largely based on oratory, and it's no accident that several literary legends originated here. Robert Louis Stevenson spent the last five years of his life in Samoa and is buried on a hilltop above Apia, the capital. His mansion is now a museum dedicated to the author. Somerset Maugham's short story "Rain" about Sadie Thompson and the repressed missionary thrown together in a guesthouse at Pago Pago, American Samoa, has been adapted by Hollywood several times. The original guesthouse still exists, now an upscale restaurant and inn. In "Tales of the South Pacific," James A. Michener based the prototype of his character Bloody Mary on an Apia hotelkeeper named Aggie Grey, whose family still operates Samoa's largest resorts. Michener's book was later made into the musical "South Pacific."

Getting to Samoa is easy with direct flights from Hawaii and Los Angeles on Hawaiian Airlines, Polynesian Airlines, and Air New Zealand. Local ferries and small commuter planes ply frequently between the islands, and getting around by public bus or rental car is no challenge. Visas are not required by most visitors for entry to either Samoa, although a passport and onward plane ticket are mandatory. For a selection of travel photos of the Samoas visit http://www.pacific-pictures.com

============================================================== ==

David Stanley is the author of Moon Handbooks South Pacific http://www.southpacific.org/pacific.html which has a chapter on Samoa. Stanley's online guide to Samoa may be perused at http://www.southpacific.org/text/upolu.html and his Samoa travel photos are at http://www.pacific-pictures.com/samoa/

===== ===========================================================

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, so long as the byline and resource box are included. Please do not use this article without the byline and resource box. Many thanks!

In The News:

New books for travel and outdoors look at beaches, road trips, getting outside ...
Washington Post
NEW YORK — A field guide for beaches, a road trip guide and a couple of books for city-dwellers looking to get outdoors with kids offer inspiration and information for planning adventures this season. —National Geographic's “Field Guide to the Water ...

and more »

Outdoors commentary: Gods of hunting throw one to the Sigma Lambda's aging boys
Corvallis Gazette Times
Some outdoor tales require a bit more background than others so the story of my 2012 bear hunting trip begins back in 1967. That year, as a sophomore at Virginia Tech, I pledged an off-campus fraternity called Sigma Lambda. It is not fair to say, ...

OUTDOORS: Virginia not hog wild over pig population
WSLS
For nearly 500 years, a map of feral hog populations in the United States would have looked much the same. Hernando De Soto and his fellow conquistadors are credited with bringing the first European swine to Florida in 1539. For hundreds of years, ...

and more »

Outdoors: Group stands guard over sturgeon
77Square.com
Grad student Kari Dammerman, from left, research biologist Ed Baker and research technician Nathan Barton show off a 6-foot, 100[pound femaile sturgeon in the Black River near Onaway, Michigan. Scientists are working on ways to keep the sturgeon ...

and more »

Outdoors: Sharing the warmth of a well-placed fire
77Square.com
This rocky point near Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park makes for a well-placed fire and fishing. (Sam Cook/Duluth News Tribune/MCT) QUETICO NATIONAL PARK, Ontario -- We could see the point jutting into the lake up ahead of us.

and more »

OUTDOORS COLUMN: Conservation Advisory Board takes little action
Times-Journal
David Rainer is an outdoors writer for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Posted: Friday, May 25, 2012 6:25 pm | Updated: 6:28 pm, Fri May 25, 2012. Change was not the prevailing attitude last weekend during the final ...

Florida Sportsman Magazine
FWC: Get Kids Outdoors This Summer
Florida Sportsman Magazine
No wonder so many national programs highlight the fun of getting outdoors. June has the most daylight hours, and the longest day of the year, providing plenty of opportunity for families and friends to enjoy nature and each other.

and more »

Outdoors: 75-year-old twins celebrate backcountry birthday
77Square.com
"Dad loved the outdoors," Bob says. "He communicated that to us by all the hunting and fishing we did. It was an easy thing for kids to grab hold of because it was such a fantastic experience." Since then, they have paddled all over the Canadian Shield ...

WXYZ
Some safety strategies for summer outdoors living
Pocono Record
As we head from spring into summer, there are three basic safety strategies that should be the foundation of your plan for healthy outdoor living: Protect yourself from the sun, stay hydrated and remain visible. According to the National Cancer ...
Consumer Reports Rates Best Sunscreen BuysWebMD

all 49 news articles »

Allentown Morning Call
Steve Carson's 'Outdoors': Lake Oroville full of fish for Memorial Day weekend
Enterprise-Record
By Steve Carson-Outdoors Editor Holiday weekend anglers at Lake Oroville should set their sights on the early AM and early evening hours, reported Fil Torres at Oroville Outdoors. "Avoid the mid-day madhouse. In the early evening, it's very possible to ...
Outdoors for 5/24San Marcos Daily Record
Bob McNally's Outdoors OutlookFlorida Times-Union
Outdoors: Devil's Lake is about much more than trout77Square.com
Long Beach Press-Telegram -The Seattle Times -Tahoe Daily Tribune
all 104 news articles »

Google News