The main island of Samoa is Upolu, along with nine other islands, all but one of which are small and several are uninhabited. It is situated just below the equator in the center of the South Pacific Ocean and has a tropical climate with volcanic peaks covered with extremely rich vegetation.
The land is now filled with natural wonders. Tropical rainforest stretches all the way to the coastline, surrounded by pearl-white beaches and turquoise waters, where sea turtles swim with you just off the coast. Waterfalls on the mountains create natural bathing pools. You can swim in the azure waters of the To-Sua Trench, accessed by climbing down a 30-meter ladder and from there through caves to the sea.
On the second island of Savaii, air holes send thousands of liters of seawater rushing spectacularly into the sky with a loud roar. The nearby lava fields are the remains of black ice floes left behind by the eruption of Mount Matawanu in 1906. Melting lava engulfed five nearby villages as it flowed towards the coast – one roofless church still stands, despite the lava raging around it. Amazingly, everyone survived, as locals escaped into the sea using coconuts as makeshift life jackets.
Samoans seem to take most things in stride. Life is peaceful, there is very little crime, the roads are empty and everyone goes to church. Village life is central-everything from permits to build houses to penalties for minor offenses is decided by the village. Meetings are held on stilts, which stand on stilts with poles supporting thatched roofs – no walls. About ten years ago all Samoan houses were like this, but gradually the walls became more and more common – now they are painted in colorful shades and surrounded by colorful gardens and the neatest lawns. I swear, aside from birdsong, chirping is the most common sound here. This is fa’a Samoa – the Samoan way, a culture that has endured for 3,000 years and is still going strong today.
