Samoa: White Sunday, CHOGM frenzy and perfect swimming

Sunset view from Le Lagoto Lodge at Fagamalo, Savai'i Island, Samoa. Le Lagoto is Samoan for sunsets

I arrived at Samoa after a short layover in Nadi Fiji, early, around 1am. Fortunately the immigration process was very efficient, unlike other pacific islands I have visited; the airport was air conditioned, there was welcoming traditional live music, and my free hotel taxi driver was ready to pick me up. The hotel, Salty Lodge is one of 2-3 hotels that catered mainly for the airport/ ferry clientele which is probably a lucrative business given the early arrivals and departures and the fact that the main part of Apia, Samoa is around an hour away. My driver, making the most of the opportunity suggested a tour tomorrow and said it ‘wouldn’t cost much’; in my groggy sleep deprived state, I agreed as I assumed that there wasn’t much to do in this part of Upolu (the main but not largest island in Apia). I didn’t need to set an alarm though as I was woken around 6am to the singing and laughing of the staff which would have added to the Samoan charm if it wasn’t for the fact that I had timed my breakfast and tour to enable a sleep in after a 1am arrival. I learnt that this joviality was a daily occurrence as it happened again the next day!

My sweet bungalow for two nights at Salty Lodge

On the tour, the drive took me to many of the typical must-see sites in Apia. through the four places: waterfalls, Sua Ocean Trench, Giant Clams, but a bonus for me was the journey itself, viewing the brightly decorated roadside with flags of Commonwealth Countries, ready for this year’s CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting), matching flowers and painted tyres and other vessels. Samoa was confirmed as CHOGM host during the Leaders' Retreat at the previous meeting held in Rwanda in 2022. The island has been building up to next week's event ever since. As part of a national beautification programme, local residents have got into the spirit of things by each adopting a Commonwealth country and decorating their villages and roadsides with the respective flags, creating a colourful 30km promenade stretching from Samoa's Faleolo International Airport to the capital, Apia.

An estimated 6000 people are expected to arrive in Samoa for the event, including royal dignitaries, government officials, media, security and youth leaders.

Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataafa said it was "very significant" for a small island nation to host the event. "We want to utilise the opportunities to highlight our particular situation. I think we can talk to people about it, but when they travel to this part of the world, they'll be able to see it more clearly for themselves," she said.

Villages have adopted Commonwealth Countries for CHOGM, decorating tyres, coconuts and other objects in preparation

Colourful coconuts and Commonwealth country signage appeared all around the main roads in Samoa

Probably the most Instagrammable site in Apia is the Sua Ocean Trench. Known as “To Sua,” meaning “Big Hole” in Samoan, this 30-meter-deep natural swimming hole features crystal-clear and aqua blue waters. Formed by a collapsed lava tube, To Sua is connected to the ocean through a narrow opening, making it ideal for swimming and snorkelling. Like most nature sites in Samoa, there’s also a back-story and it holds a special place in Samoan culture. Revered as the “God of the Sea” or “Water of the Rock,” To Sua is considered sacred, believed to be the dwelling of the ocean god Tangaloa. There was a lovely beach nearby with chickens roaming around. I had read that the steps to descend to the water could be slippery and dangerous but they weren’t a problem for me. It’s not longer encouraged to leap into the water from a great height which is probably sensible. I managed to find a local nearby to take a few pics of me descending into the water; as you needed to purchase a ticket to enter, I guessed that he would be trustworthy and not run off with my phone!

Ready to jump! The Sua Ocean Trench; the ropes below are to help you get back to the steps in case the current is strong.

The Sua Ocean Trench

We also visited two of the many waterfalls on the trip. Sopoaga Falls could only be viewed from a distance and is on private property so a small donation was required.

Sopoaga Falls

Sopoaga Falls

Togitogiga Waterfall was the subject of major renovation, probably pre-CHOGM, in partnership with the New Zealand aid Program. The workmen were friendly however, and one of them suggested that I could walk down the steps and take a swim (which another couple were doing at the time).  Bridges, pathways and fales (open shelter sheds) are all being renovated, making use of around 20 workers. I respected their privacy and only photographed the cascades and a few flowers. I wonder if KCIII (King Charles) will take a dip next week?

Togitogiga Waterfalls with cascades

The final stop was at the Giant Clam Sanctuary in Savaia Beach (not to be confused with the island of Savai’i). How I wish I had brought an underwater camera; this clam sanctuary is one of around 45 villages participating in the Giant Clam program (they were endangered as they are considered a delicacy) and the only one where you can snorkel. Each clam I viewed underwater had a different colour scheme and it was trippy watching them open and close. I loved that it was in the sea, not in some constructed pond and I needed to swim out a fair distance to reach them. The highlight of the day!

Swimming out to the Giant Clam Sanctuary in Savaia Beach

The fale (open shelter shed) where locals sold tickets to the Giant Clam Sanctuary in Savaia Beach; the village also adopted St Vincent and Grenadines for CHOGM, hence the painting of the village in the country's colours.

Yes, the clams were that big and even better seen alive, opening and closing underwater.

Before and after dinner I enjoyed walking along the road, watching the locals sitting around, playing volleyball and always being friendly; at the time of writing, I don’t think I have visited a country that in which the people are so friendly without expecting anything in return.

Open fale on the beach at Mulifanua, Samoa at sunset

Mulifanua might be better known as the location of the ferry terminal but it is also a pretty and friendly village in itself.

On my second day, I took a chance with aiming for the 10am ferry to the island of Savai’i; the driver from yesterday’s tour tried to panic me into taking one of the earlier ones (6 or 8am) but I was prepared to take a risk so that I could enjoy more sleep.  Because of White Sunday, it was expected that there would be a higher volume of weekend ferry traffic as families got together. An elderly woman and granddaughter befriended me and made sure I got a seat, locating the luggage storage area to ensure my small suitcase was adequately stored. They explained White Sunday and how it’s a day to celebrate Children, much like Mother’s and Fathers’ Days. However, it was a much bigger affair than Mother’s Day for example in Australia. For the ferries, that could mean crowding and missing a spot on the way back. Having already been warned of the likelihood of tickets selling out, I made sure to get to the terminal one hour early; once you’ve purchased your ticket you wait in queue for the waiting room and hand your ticket to the ticket collector. Once the ferry arrives, like for most ferries it’s every person for themselves, and my new guardians gently pushed me towards the front. I chose to sit upstairs as I wasn’t sure if there was air conditioning inside. The air was fresh and I sat on the steel seats surrounded by families, children and only a few non locals (which I ended up meeting later at my hotel – small world!). Most people laid down fabric and slept on the ground, maybe to use their time wisely or perhaps to alleviate motion sickness as it was quite a choppy ride.

Inside the colourful Ferry Terminal Waiting Room

Around an hour and half later, once I arrived, I was farewelled by my new guardians and then I looked towards the buses; I was keen to experience one of the colourful open windowed buses but, after looking at the crowds of locals vying for a place, I decided that today wasn’t the day for this and randomly chose a taxi driver. The taxi didn’t use air con but open windows which I didn’t mind; the driver, whose name was Willie did his best to talk me into using his services and asked if I’d be his ‘friend’! I laughed it off and told him I was old enough to be his Mum; he said that he didn’t mind! At least he made some effort to point out a few features and answer questions and I made a mental note to return to the lava fields which looked fascinating as we drove by. He forgot that I had requested stopping at an ATM but willingly backtracked.

I had arrived at Stevenson’s at Manase, of course named after Robert Louis Stevenson, the famous Scottish writer and poet who had lived with his family on mainland Upolu in Apia for four years in the late 19th century, but the real reason I had booked this resort is that I had read that it was the best place to see turtles and that they sometimes walk right up to the beachfront. I had splurged on a bungalow with a beach view and fell asleep to the sound of the waves every night whilst here. After losing out on sleep during the flights I found myself needing a nap in the afternoon but with the beach directly opposite my room, there was still with time for venturing out and swimming.  The water was clear, and with my goggles I was able to view an array of colourful fish of different sizes and coral, but no turtled. Dinner at the resort consisted of 4-5 offerings, but no fish, which I thought strange, given the proximity to the sea. I settled on a chicken stir fry and demolished the lot, remembering that I did not have lunch.

An open fale; they are used as gathering spots for formal events such as funerals but also in the evenings, more casually; some people use them to hang out their washing too.

The local church at Manase Village

Savai‘i is less developed than neighbouring Upolu, and its cultural life is considered more traditional. The island’s products include coconuts, copra, bananas, cacao, and taro.  Some cattle are raised, and wild pigs are plentiful; I often saw mother pigs being followed by piglets crossing roads.

Beachside fales, a novel experience for tourist accommodation

On the second day in Savai’i I headed right and walked through various villages until I reached the Safotu Catholic Church made of coral; Safotu Catholic Church is Samoa’s first Roman Catholic Church, and is said to be made from bleached coral; the blue and white paint job enables the church to stand out against the green backdrop. As it was Saturday, rehearsals were underway for White Sunday with young people practising their songs and moves; as it was hot and humid and a 45-minute walk along the main road, I was keen not to have to walk back to Stevensons.

The striking Safotu Catholic Church, made from bleached coral

Safotu Catholic Church, with White Sunday preparations underway.

The no frills interior of a local bus

Blowing in the wind: buses in Samoa are open sided, with fresh air used as air conditioning.

Sometimes you can be lucky as a bus headed my way so I assertively flagged it down. The trip cost around $2 and I was only the second passenger when I boarded. On the island, the buses are few and far between and tend to coincide with ferry times so I was lucky to get the ride; I even thought I might try to take a bus back to the ferry but this idea was dashed when later that day I saw a bus so full of passengers that people were sitting laps and hanging off the side of the bus! After a break I decided to walk in the opposite direction and made it all the way to the Saleaula Lava Fields. On this site there are ruins of an old Catholic Church and a grave site known as Virgin’s Grave as it is believed that a young girl died there just before the volcano erupted. The eruption was said to have continued from 1905-1911. There were also plenty of pigs and cute piglets who scurried away into the bushes when I arrived. After having walked around the lava field, which was hotter than the already 31 degrees Celsius due to the dark colour of the molten lava, I decided that I needed transportation back to Stevensons rather than walking yet another 1.5 hours along the hot main road. I enquired at the desk, and, as if they'd done it many times, they called over to a woman next door who willingly drove me and charged the going rate, whilst maintaining a reasonable conversation. It seems safe to procure rides from strangers in Samoa and i wasn’t keen on anymore walking in the sun.

Patterns in the ground from 100 year old molten lava.

One of the many pigs who use the grounds and forest around the lava fields. The ruins of the old Catholic Church are in the background.

The Saleaula Lava Fields inside the ruins of the Catholic Church

The Virgins' Grave at the Saleaula Lava Fields

There weren’t that many of us at Stevensons, but I was lucky enough to meet a family of three NZ teachers and they invited me to go with them to Le Legoto Resort which is a 5 minute drive or 40 minute walk from Stevenson’s. When we arrived, the difference was immediate: there were five fish specials on the menu, the staff were charming and the sunset view was to die for! I had already booked to go to the Sunday night buffet with a brass band performance so was keen to try it out.

Mixed seafood with salad and taro chips at Le Lagoto Resort

The next day was a Sunday which means many things in Samoa: church: most Samoans are churchgoers and services are run all over the country; businesses close; it’s always good to get your shopping done before a Sunday; there are no buses and in Savai’i there were barely any taxis either which meant I was able to walk up the main road with rarely any cars competing. I did what the locals do and attended the White Sunday performances at my local church in Manase. I made sure to be covering my knees out of respect and was greeted by the Minister who welcomed me and three young French backpackers that also attended. I headed back to Le Lagoto for another great meal and some entertainment with their local traditional string band.

Local string band at Le Lagoto Resort, Savai'i

Inside the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) at Manase during a White Sunday performance

Inside the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) at Manase during a White Sunday performance; they may look serious, but the children were having plenty of fun performing previously.

Outside the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) at Manase, which opened in 2020.

The return on the ferry to mainland Apia should have been a simple affair but yet again Stevensons had failed to organise a driver and I had to keep reminding them to organise one; in the end, realising I was 45 minutes late, I flagged down what looked like a taxi on the road and had a great conversation and education with a young drive who had also come to the island for White Sunday. Surprisingly, the ferry wasn’t crowded at all, and I checked in at my new hotel, chosen due to its proximity to Apia city and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum. It was a Monday so museums were closed. However I was still able to visit Stevenson’s grave which is up a steep hill next to the museum; you access the entrance via the small Botanical Gardens. It was lovely to see so many locals (and a sprinkling of tourists) walking up hill, making use of the public holiday.

Robert Louis Stevenson's grave at the top of the hill

The view from the hill where Robert Louis Stevenson's grave lies.

Being a Tuesday and checking websites and social media pages, I headed downhill for the Museum of Samoa only to find it closed and then the Cultural Village – also closed for the whole week to get ready for CHOGM. I had walked in the heat and realised I didn’t apply sunscreen to my upper arms (big regret!) so I needed to get out of the sun and back uphill; I managed to flag down a taxi back to Robert Louis Stevenson Museum and was in time to take a tour and hear the guide sing Stevenson’s requiem poem, which is reproduced on his tombstone that I visited the day before. I have since heard other versions, but I found hers to be more hauntingly beautiful. As the poem is in the public domain, I have included the words below:

Requiem

Under the wide and starry sky,    

Dig the grave and let me lie.

Glad did I live and gladly die,    

And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:    

Here he lies where he longed to be;

Home is the sailor, home from sea,    

And the hunter home from the hill.

The Stevenson family: Robert, his wife Fanny and her son Lloyd, and Robert’s widowed mother settled on the island of Upolu in Samoa in 1890. RLS had a house built at the foot of Mt Vaea, which he called Vailima, and he continued to write, but also became an advocate for the Samoans. Vailima, a beautiful island plantation home has been restored and is now a world-class museum set in a national nature reserve and botanical garden. In the house, there are many photographs of life at Vailima with the Stevenson Family. In the first room we were introduced to a fireplace; different accounts say that it was either lit once (but it was ornamental only so the smoke didn’t rise up the chimney) or that it was never lit at all and it was only installed to remind RLS of Scotland.

Interior courtyard of the very new Museum of Samoa; the museum was closed due to exhibition installation pre CHOGM.

Inside the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum: the guide pointed out the fireplace which was only built to remind RLS of Scotland; it didn't function.

Well kept gardens below the Colonial style house of the Stevenson family

The gardens were immaculately preserved which made for a pleasing walk back to my hotel ready to rest my cooked shoulders and to get ready for my flight out of the country. The street was experiencing a frenzy of activity from mural painting to garden slashing; everyone seemed to have a job preparing the town for the following week’s CHOGM. The matriarchal manager at my hotel was full of information and suggestions and I learnt that both she and her mother (who seemed to sit in the open restaurant area all day) were from the Cook Islands. That night a local family used the restaurant for a birthday party which seemed fun with excited children dancing and loud music pumping. When I arose only a few hours later to transfer to the airport for my early flight I found the manager and her mother still sitting out in the restaurant. “Just taking it all in..” she said.

The village close to the centre of Apia had adopted St Lucia for CHOGM and schools had engaged in a mural painting program.

Whilst I was in Savai’i, I never did see any turtles and had asked the staff at Stevensons about when they appear; I only received vague answers like ‘sometimes they visit, sometimes they don’t’, despite this being the main drawcard to the resort. When on my way to the ferry I had mentioned this, the driver told me I could have visited a river up the road from Stevensons that was full of them. I could have been disappointed at missing out but instead I had entrenched only in my memory and with no visual record the myriad of colourful and patterned fish that swam around me in the sea whilst in Savai’i.  I thought about how happy and friendly most people in Samoa were; many of the homes were simple and yet the locals would head out into the large fales near churches every night, hanging out in the cool air and socialising.

Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.

Robert Louis Stevenson