Sights of Savai’i

NATURAL ATTRACTION: The Alofaaga Blowholes can produce 20m waterspouts, higher at full tide. In the past locals had fun throwing coconuts into the vent before the big blow, at which point the coconuts were blasted out but health and safety concerns have put a stop to that. Picture by Mike Bhana, Samoa Tourism

Travel writer Mike Yardley spent a few days on Savai’i, the largest island in Samoa.

Take a ferry ride aboard MV Lady Samoa III across the Apolima Strait, from Upolu to Savai’i, and the passage of time feels turned back 30 years.

Suffused with a deep sense of cultural pride and tradition, Savai’i’s astonishing archaeological sites, ravishing tropical terrain and laid-back tempo all combine to soon sweep you up into its charismatic embrace.

Most of the island’s villages are spread along the main coast road that lassos Savai’i, where you’ll regularly see locals snoozing or chatting in large fale, or taking a dip in the communal rock pools adjoining the shoreline. The rich assortment of time-honoured churches, ranging from the rustic to show-stopping; the crowded buses emblazoned in a carnival of colours; children waving from the roadside; the piglets and poultry scampering across the road; and horses being bathed in the sea — all paint a vivid picture of Savai’i.

My driver/guide Logo and I set about savouring some of Savai’i’s finest features, in bite-sized chunks.  Heading out from the straggle of shops that line the main road around the ferry wharf in Salelologa, our first stop was the natural blockbuster, Alofaaga Blowholes, on the south-west coast. Utterly awe-inspiring, this frothy and ferocious natural spectacle is located near Taga village.

There were five blowholes puffing, gushing and foaming with flamboyant fury on my visit. The waterspouts soared as high as 20 metres, but can go higher at high tide.

Over the years, locals would regularly throw coconuts into the vent right before the big blow, blasting the coconuts like cannonballs even higher than the water jet. Logo mentioned that this pastime is now frowned on as a health and safety threat, given the unpredictable trajectory of the coconuts. Nowadays, the outer husk of the nut is deployed as a safer alternative.

Another star attraction on the South Coast is Afu A’au Falls. You’ll struggle to find a prettier swimming hole, or a more searing image of tropical paradise. This hidden waterfall plunges from the dense rainforest into a cool, crystalline pool.

As the mercury soared, a conga-line of pleasure-seekers flocked to the swimming hole, eagerly lapping up the chance for a restorative heat-busting dip in this knock-out location.

Awaiting me on the north coast of Savai’i was the Saleaula Lava Field. This sprawling geological phenomenon is the legacy of volcanic activity, when Mount Matavanu started erupting in 1905. I strolled across the eerie black landscape, surveying the remains of buried villages, where homes and buildings were swallowed up by the lava flow.

The volcano kept on coughing for a further six years, pouring yet more lava on to the field and covering an area of over 100 square kilometres. Five villages were buried, although thankfully the lava was slow-moving so there were no fatalities.

When you step on to the lava field and its bleak, black canvas, you’ll notice the beauty in nature’s brutality.  Swirling, shapely patterns fan out across the volcanic rock, like ripples on the surface of a lake.

Plant life and trees have regenerated on the fertile ground. Remarkably, some villagers have rebuilt fale and modern homes on the rock. The vivid green of the foliage makes for a striking contrast with the jet-black rocks.

I visited the remains of a London Missionary Society (LMS) church that was engulfed by the lava flow. You can still make out the arched windows and the peaked roof, but the inside of the church is filled with layers of black rock, barrelling through the arched door.

Spread around exotic tropical gardens and fringed by a turquoise-blue lagoon, Amoa Resort is a boutique, indulgent base for your Savai’i explorations. Twenty intimate bungalows, rooms and villas with shady terraces lie in lush tropical gardens,  emblazoned with brightly coloured hibiscus blossoms, tropical flowers and swaying palms.

My beautifully designed poolside villa, with a feast of authentic artistic touches, felt more like a snug, private house than a resort guestroom. Your accommodation comes with complimentary tropical breakfast and bottled water on arrival, air conditioning, outdoor rainshower, complimentary coffee and tea and free wifi.

Cross the road and bathe in the bath-warm turquoise lagoon, whether you want to have a paddle or snorkel.

The on-site pool is just as alluring, complete with swim-up bar. You can expect a memorable culinary experience, with Amoa Resort specialising in nouveau Samoan/Pacific cuisine. The innovative selection of dishes features locally sourced and organic produce from around Savai’i and Samoa. Dishes including Popo (Coconut) Crusted Chicken, Palusami Risotto Balls, Pulled Pork and Papaya Salad, Twice-Cooked Octopus and Double Koko Samoa Cake.

Amoa Resort is currently working with Women in Business as well as other organic farmers to supply local organic produce from around Savai’i.

The Fa’a Samoa or “Samoan Way of Life” is paramount to its people. If you want to dabble in a fascinating encounter with Savai’i ’rich living culture, the resort offers a wealth of village encounters in Siufaga, including seeing “le toga” fine mats being woven and the traditional production of coconut cream. www.amoaresort.com