Samoa is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of two primary islands, Savai’i and Upolu, and four smaller islands. It is known for its amazing natural scenery with white sand beaches, tropical mountains and clear waters teeming with marine life that are ideal for snorkeling.

The coastal road of Upolu takes about three (3) hours to drive and has lots of scenic lookouts and beaches. Lalomanu Beach on the south east tip is the most picturesque beach and has a fantastic swimming lagoon with good snorkeling.

The volcanic island rises steeply out of the ocean to reach a peak of 1158 meters at Mt. Fito. The interior of the island is packed with lush rainforest and waterfalls. The steep mountains create many beautiful waterfalls but two spectacular waterfalls that shouldn’t be misses are Sopoaga Falls that emerges from the rainforest and plunge into a freshwater swimming pool and the towering Papapapaitai Falls that also comes out of the tropical jungle and tumbles straight down 328 feet into a small pool.

A night time event that should be included in a Samoa visit is Fiafia Nights which celebrates the Samoa heritage with traditional music, fire dancing and food.

Must See Attractions

Most of the must see attractions in Samoa are focused on nature and outdoor activities but what else would you expect from a South Pacific island. The good thing is that most places on the list can be enjoyed by physically immersing yourself into the almost unspoiled natural setting or by relaxing and soaking in the natural beauty of “beautiful Samoa”.

Other top attractions are places where visitors can learn about the culture of Samoa’s past or experience the present Samoan culture. The Fiafia Night and the Samoa Cultural Village are good places to learn about the culture of Samoa’s past and the Fugalei Market is a good place to experience the present Samoan culture.

Two places in Samoa that I enjoyed the most were the To-Sua Ocean Trench and the Papapapaitai Falls. Both of these are places are spectacular nature is at its best.

The To-Sua Ocean Trench was at the top of my list for places to see when I visited Samoa. This phenomenon of nature is a beautiful tropical swimming hole that is connected to the ocean. Swimming in the clear calm water is like swimming in a huge nature made marine aquarium. Going to the To-Sua Ocean Trench was a wonderful experience that was unlike anything that I had done before.

The Papapapaitai Falls is a beautiful tropical waterfall similar to the kinds of waterfalls that most people only get to see in magazines. The falls are inaccessible to people because they are surrounded by tropical forested cliffs but the lookout point is a perfect place to see the entire falls. I have seen similar waterfalls in Hawaii but those could only be seen from a helicopter tour so being able to leisurely see the Papapapaita Falls from the ideal vantage point was a wonderful experience.

Most small countries don’t have spectacular attractions but Samoa has spectacular attractions around every corner. For nature enthusiasts, Samoa has beautiful tropical mountains, pristine waterfalls, wonderful beaches and colorful tropical fish to observe.

Places to See

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