AvichaiTalofa! That means welcome, to beautiful Samoa that is. This proud island nation lies in the middle of the vast South Pacific Ocean, welcoming you with open arms to explore paradise. For those in need of any excuse to head to a tropical paradise, here are 10 reasons why Samoa should be on your bucket list.
10. Samoans love to dance and play with fire
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You’ll be seriously hard pressed to find a Samoan that will ever decline an invitation to showcase Polynesian culture. Samoans love to sing, to dance and to play with fire. While women elegantly swing their hips to get you into ‘island time’, men use their hands, chests and feet, to provide a thunderous soundtrack. When the crowd is fully warmed up, fire dancers take center stage, performing seriously mind boggling tricks. Kids – don’t try this at home!
9. Even the men wear skirts
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Equal rights or maybe it’s just the oppressive humidity of the wet season? Whatever the reason might be, in Samoa it’s perfectly OK for men to walk around in skirts. Heck, even the cops do! But these aren’t just ‘regular’ skirts, they’re called lavalava. With a name like that, you might even buy a few to take back home with you.
8. Traditional food is cooked underground
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When Polynesians arrived to these empty islands thousands of years ago, there was no microwave or instant noodle soup. Highly resourceful, food was slowly prepared in underground ovens – called umu. To this day, fish, yam, pork or whatever else is around, are all wrapped up in banana leaves and placed underground for hours – slowly cooking from the intense heat given off by hot lava rocks placed underneath. In the hours of waiting for the food to cook… you guesses it – Samoans do a bit of dancing.
7. Riding a bus is an experience you’ll never forget
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Looking like they’ve seen better days since hitting the road back in the 70’s or 80’s, riding a bus in Samoa is quite the experience. It all starts with a quick lesson on the highly punctual ‘Samoa time’, before boarding these totally pimped out beasts. Each bus has its own personality – complete with a flashy paint job, a loud playlist of Western hits remixed Samoan style, and the most uncomfortable wooden benches in the southern hemisphere. You’ll stop along the way for a bit of grocery shopping, and locals will always save you the front seat. Enjoy the ride and savor the views!
6. Swimming with sea turtles and giant clams
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Don’t forget your snorkeling gear or dive card. In Samoa, you’re always just a few steps away from the coral reef. Head underwater to spot the giant colorful clams of Upolu Island, or dive with sea turtles snacking away in Savaii Island.
Also read: 15 Stunning Places to Swim at Before You Die
5. You can still go roadtrippin’ on an island
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Just because you can hardly spot Samoa on a world map, it doesn’t mean that the islands are tiny in real life. In fact, nothing beats renting your own wheels and hitting the road. Along the mostly empty roads, you’ll discover Samoa’s beautiful coastline, and always meet interesting people living life in the extra slow lane. Just don’t forget to bring a few CD’s from back home, because your car stereo will only pick up one or two church music stations.
4. Cooling off in cave pools and sea trenches is very refreshing
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Step down the wooden ladder into the To Sua Ocean Trench, or jump into the fresh water of the Piula Cave Pool. Samoa is dotted with so many miracles of nature, carved out by millions of years of volcanic activity. The Ocean Trench is fed by water seeping through the nearby sea cliff, while the cave pool gets it share from fresh water trickling through the lush peaks. If you get here early in the day, you might have these places all to yourself.
3. A quick flight can bring you to this place
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Samoa’s little sister is just a 40 minute flight from its capital Apia, but time on the US territory of American Samoa ticks 25 hours ‘behind’. Things are strange when crossing the International Date Line. American Samoa is home to Ofu, one of the prettiest beaches in the world. It’s a little tricky to get here, but you can’t expect paradise to be easy to get to, right?
2. Sleeping on the beach is kind of the norm
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Dreaming of falling asleep to the tunes of the ocean? In Samoa, this is pretty standard. Not only are Samoa’s tropical beaches simply out of this world, visitors can stay in classic ‘beach fales’. These traditional Samoan beach huts are as fancy or as simple as you’d like. Your hut is literally ‘on the beach’, and needless to say – air conditioning isn’t really required with this kind of fresh breeze.
1. Searching for hidden waterfalls is a lot of fun
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With names like Papapapaitai, Togitogiga and Afu Aau – it’s better to just visit Samoa’s waterfalls than trying to pronounce them. Like something straight out of a movie, these waterfalls gently cascade to fresh pools from high up in the lush mountains. It’s the ultimate vision of paradise, exactly what you expected to find in a South Pacific island – and just waiting for you to discover.
Also read: 12 of the Most Awe-Inspiring Waterfalls Around the World
So are you convinced by now? You may have not known too much about this part of the world, but now you have 10 reasons to visit to Samoa. It’s beautiful, wild, friendly and like nothing you’ve seen before. Shall we start packing?
