Dive, explore and more in Samoa

There are plenty of activities to try in Polynesia’s most traditional destination, Samoa. Travellers who like to do nothing on holiday will love it here, but those seeking adventure will be delirious with the options…

Diving

Diving in Samoa is still grossly underrated – you can dive some of the best locations with the best visibility in the South Pacific with few other divers. The water stays warm year-round (between 27 and 30 degrees) and the visibility varies between 30 metres to a whopping 85 metres, but expect an average of 60 metres.

There’s a variety of amazing places to dive at all over Samoa from reef passes to canyons to huge drop-offs (being volcanic, Samoa drops off into vast depths just beyond the lagoon). You’ll dive in small groups – as there are few dive companies and few divers coming to Samoa.

There are over 200 coral varieties and over 1000 fish species, and you’ll get to dive amongst spinner dolphins, a variety of turtle species, eagle and spotted rays, sharks and humpback whales (between August and October).

You can complete your open-water PADI diving certificate – meaning beginners are welcome. Though expert divers will be just as happy. There are several dive operators on Upolu, offering a variety of dive options. Or try Dive Savaii to dive on Samoa’s less-developed island.

Hiking

With its heavily forested and mountainous hinterland and its largely undeveloped coastline, hikers have many options all across Samoa, from one-hour hikes to multi-day hikes (and there are no snakes too).

Choose between tour companies taking you to outof- the-way, secret locations or do your own hikes. The

coastal hikes around Upolu are some of Samoa’s easiest options and will take only a couple of hours – they’re mostly signposted.

One of the most exciting hikes is on Savaii: hike to Mt Silisili, nearly 2000 metres high. It’s a two- or three-day hike where you’ll camp along the way and ends at a volcano for a view over the entire island.

A hike with a difference is the 30-minute steep scramble to the tomb of one of history’s greatest writers, Robert Louis Stevenson, who died in Samoa. You’ll get to see over Apia, located above Stevenson’s former homestead.

There are tour companies, such as Manoa Tours, for hikes all over Samoa.

The Waterfall Circuit

Samoa is home to the South Pacific’s best waterfalls – and it’s easy to see the best of them. Either do your own tour – or take a commercial waterfall tour.

The biggest of them are located on Upolu, so it’s easy to see the best in a day. Bring your swimmers, you’ll swim in waterholes below or above. If you do your own tour – you’ll only have to pay a small entrance fee at each, to the locals whose lands the falls are on.

Make sure you don’t miss Togitogiga Falls, near Upolu’s south coast. There’s a series of swimming holes by cascading waterfalls here surrounded by lush gardens. Not far away is Sapoaga Waterfall where you’ll also get to see an umu (traditional earth oven) demonstration. Also nearby is the 100-metre-high Papapaitai Falls, which plunge into an ancient volcanic crater you can see from beside the road. And don’t miss the Fuipisia Falls, which are 55 metres high on the east side of Upolu.

Visitors to Savaii are also in for a treat. It’s a short walk from the road to see one of the prettiest waterfalls in the South Pacific – Afu Aau Falls – a series of waterfalls set against a beautiful green backdrop.

Surfing

You can still feel like a surfing pioneer here – few locals surf and there’s barely a surfing industry (bring your own board). But there are dozens of reef breaks as consistent as what you’ll find in better-known Fiji or Tahiti. There’s also surf resorts to suit any budget and year-round swell; though don’t go if you’re a beginner (it’s all reef breaks).

Samoa has two distinct seasons – the dry season from May to October which attracts bigger swells up to three metres; or the wet season from November to April when the swell’s smaller

There are world-class surf breaks all over Upola and Savaii. Most surf camps and hotels are set up on Upola’s south coast – where the most consistent waves break on some of the island’s best reef passes. Luxury surf resorts have been set up along this coastline, giving surfers and their families more options. Check out resorts such as Coconuts Beach Club, Salani Surf Resort and Maninoa Surf Camp.

But for those who prefer to feel like intrepid explorers, Savaii is the place. Less developed than Upolu, locals still reside in traditional villages and there are hardly any surfers visiting.

Golf

Samoa has one of the best golf courses in the whole South Pacific – and there’s a decent public course too. But true golf fans won’t want to miss the Royal Samoa Golf Club. The concept for it was first established by British ex-pats in 1925 with the set-up of a South Pacific Golf membership. But this course was first opened in 1970 on Upolu’s North Coast. The front nine plays right through a coconut plantation with greens nestled in a green gully. There are stunning views of the coast along the way. You can also play at Samoa’s public course, Faleata Golf Club, which was set up by the Samoa Land Corporation to boost golf in Samoa. It’s only 10-minutes drive from the capital, Apia, and has views over Apia and its harbour.