25 Travel Digest, February 2008Where will your career take you? tmsap.com

Phone: +685 41050 or +685 41388 Cell: +685 751-6700 or +685 759 2155 Fax: +685 41390 Email: reservations@litiasinibeach.wsWeb: www.litiasinibeach.ws or www.samoaaccommodation.com

LITIA SINI BEACH RESORTGreat snorkelling and swimming spot. Enclosed, lockable beach huts withverandah and a ceiling fan. Excellent wedding spot and all occassions.

samoa

this island is to hire a car, but make sure you fill up on gas at the main town centre of Salelologa. You won’t want to get stuck on the other side of the island with an empty tank! Also, its important to note that all vehicles in Samoa are American imports, therefore driving on the left-hand side is necessary.

The following morning we make our way to the famous Alofaaga Blowholes (also known as Taga Blowholes) located on the western side of the island. Lava flows have created a series of tubes connecting a flat clifftop of lava rock with the ocean flowing below. Today the seas are rough with waves crashing down onto the cliffs, forcing tremendous volumes of water out where it can only go - through the blowholes of course! The result is a spectacular display of what nature is capable of. The village here charges $4 per entry but it is advised you don’t step too far towards the edge as it can get quite slippery and is very dangerous. If you don’t want to get wet, bring a raincoat, because you will definitely get sprayed salt water in your face.

After a quick shop around at the local markets in Salelologa, we make our way to the car ferry. It’s important to note that bookings for this are essential and you should aim to arrive one hour before departure as the queues can get quite congested. If you don’t have a booking, you are parked in the waiting list and if there is room, they will allow you on board. Lucky there was only one space left for us to fit!

We arrive at Milfanau Wharf and drive a short distance to Aggie Grey’s Beach Resort and Spa. Nestled amongst 50 acres of tropical gardens along the coastline, the resort is a five-minute drive from Faleolo Airport. There is also a professionally designed 18-hole championship golf course, which has only just been completed. Today the weather is really heating up so I decide to go for a quick swim in the lagoon pool overlooking the beach. The pool side bar here is a great spot to enjoy a Bloody Mary cocktail and meet other guests who have travelled from Australia, New Zealand and even as far as Germany.

The following day I travel to see the sights of Upolu’s west coast and include a stop at the small village of Matautu, which was used as the location for the 1953 film, Return To Paradise. The film, which starred two-time Academy Award-winning American actor Gary Cooper, was based on the short story by James Michener, a sequel to Tales of the South Pacific. Here at the village you can view the remains of the old church and fales that were used during filming.

With my flight departing in the evening, I decide to pamper myself with a visit to Manaia Polynesian Spa at Aggie Grey’s Lagoon, Beach Resort and Spa. Only a short five-minute walk down the beach from the resort, guests are truly immersed into a blissful, tropical rainforest setting. The manager here, Giovanni, welcomes me in for my one-hour massage that I’m told will rebalance my energy levels. And rebalanced is exactly how I feel after this experience! After the massage I get to relax in their spa and enjoy some fresh fruit and coconut.

For dinner we visit Le Vasa Resort, a ten-minute drive from Aggie Grey’s. Nestled in a peaceful and secluded setting with a backdrop of Manono Island, the resort offers newly-built one and two-bedroom oceanfront fales and villas. There are also plans to build a conference facility and over-water bungalows over the next two years. But it is the dining here that truly makes this resort stand out from the rest. Cocolini’s by the Sea is a newly completed open-air restaurant with an award-winning chef from Boston, US. Sour orange scented yellowfin fish with baby eggplant orzo and a white chocolate and almond pain perdu with vanilla bean ice cream had to be among my favourite dishes during the five-course evening.

Samoa is definitely a destination full of colour and beauty. If you’re coming here, you’re going to leave feeling relaxed and refreshed.

Sarah Weeks travelled to Samoa courtesy of Air New Zealand and Samoa Tourism.

Sarah Weeks at Sopoaga Falls

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Robert Louis Stevenson Museum