Best things to do in Apia
Find out more about those top places in Apia
Lying south of the equator is the beautiful Samoa consisting of two main islands Upolu and Savai’i. The nation formerly known as Western Samoa is slowly becoming a top tourist destination among travelers, which should come as no surprise given the constant amount of effort its government has put into tourism in the nation.
It has no shortages of tourist attractions with several caves, waterfalls, blowholes and mountains, visiting Samoa is sure to be a very pleasant experience.
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Dwarf’s Cave
Found in the northern part of Savaii, the Dwarf Cave might be the most intriguing destinations you would visit in Samoa. Said to still be inhabited by a group of Dwarfs, due to evidence of resembling footprints, the subterranean lava cave is over a kilometer long with several underground rivers. Getting to the end of the cave is quite a difficult task and it is said to only have been achieved by the dwarfs. While visiting the cave it advisable to come in proper clothing and of course a flash light for the Journey.
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Mount Matevanu
Famous for being the volcano that consumed everything in its path just over a century ago, the Mount Matevanu is significant to the history of Samoa. Located in the village of Safotu the mountain is easily accessible by a proper vehicle, the road is bumpy but you will eventually get to its car park - which has a ten-minute trail to the edge of the crater. After visiting its crater, you might also want to see some remains of its lava fields, as well as a “Virgin’s Grave” the burial place of a girl which surprisingly the lava flowed around rather than over it.
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Pulemelei Mound
Known as the largest ancient structure in Polynesia, the time of its construction is not particularly known but placed around AD 1100 and 1400 – the Mound is quite a mystery because the reason for its construction is also quite unclear but many suggestions say that it might have been used for religious ceremonies or a lookout platform. Also known as the Tia Seu Ancient Mound the pyramidal structure measured at 65 m by 60 m at the base and reaches a height of 12 m – it located in a somewhat secluded area, taking a guide that knows the area is the best way to visit.
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Alofaaga Blowholes
Another of Samoa natural attractions are the Alofaaga Blowholes, they offer visitors the opportunity to witness strong waves pushed through a series of lava tubes that result in water being propelled up to over hundreds of feet high. You will also get to witness the locals throwing in coconut into the blowholes causing quite a spectacle - but while visiting be careful not to go too close to the Blowholes.
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Samoa’s Waterfalls
Samoa can be described as the ultimate waterfalls' destination because there are simply many waterfalls in the nation. The most popular is probably the Togitogiga Waterfall, once a famous swimming site for the great Samoan Warriors, then there is the Papase’ea sliding rocks which is a nice place for entire family to visit. With so many more to see, the best time to visit is during the wet season (November – April) when the waters are in full motion and the pools clear and deep enough to take a dive.
