Islandliving samoa from the editor
WINTER 2017 | ISSUE 20
t a e r g The cape es
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ext issue, we will be celebrating four years of Pacific Island Living. We started this magazine for Pacific people – to find, review and recommend things to see and do, and ultimately, buy. We are proudly an aspirational magazine, we want our readers to sit back and indulge just as much as we want to tell the world how great the Pacific really is. From Georgie Gordon’s health and beauty columns, to Carolyn Ernst’s gardening tips, we hope you agree Pacific Island Living has something for everyone. In four years our market has grown from Vanuatu and Nauru Airlines to cover most of the Pacific. We’re particularly proud of our market share in Fiji and the Solomon Islands as well as our distribution in Australia through Qantas Club lounges. As I write this column I’m in Fiji, having just flown in from Vanuatu. Next month it will be Nauru then the Sollies. Pacific Island Living truly is a Pacific magazine and we’re so pleased you have enjoyed it and helped its growth over the last four years. Please do keep in touch via our website, Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter. Happy reading. Tiffany Carroll
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and Instagram at instagram.com/pacisliving or read this and all our magazines online at www.pacific-island-living. com Cover images - Fiji Island Living courtesy Adrenalin Fiji; Solomon Island Living, by David Kirkland; Nauru Airlines Cover courtesy Nautilus Resort, Kosrae; Vanuatu cover courtesy Pavol Stranák. Copyright: All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Articles express the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Nauru Airlines, Tourism Fiji, Vanuatu Tourism Office or Pacific Island Living.
GAME FISHING | DINING | COOKING TIMEOUT | PLUS FOOD | FASHION BEAUTY | HEALTH | TURTLE TIME islandliving | 1 pacific
islandliving | 1 paciďŹ c
! a f o l Ta
PHOTOS: Papappait falls by Martin Valigursky
elcome to Samoa, the Treasured Islands of the South Pacific! Samoa truly has something for everyone. Located in the heart of the South Pacific, Samoa has long been regarded as the birthplace of Polynesia, with a culture as alive today as it was 3,000 years ago. At the heart of this culture lies respect and hospitality, and our people cannot wait to demonstrate this the Samoan Way. Witness the creative expression of this tradition and join in the celebrations at a fiafia night, where delicious Samoan food, surf and turf style is served and the culture is celebrated through traditional song, dance and storytelling, as distinct and unique as the culture itself. You can even take home a memento from our local markets, with handicrafts, fashion, jewellery and handmade artifacts made in Samoa. Known by many as Mother Nature’s Playground, we have an abundance of pristine beaches, lush gardens, majestic mountains, powerful blowholes and stunning seascapes, all
in place waiting to be explored and enjoyed and offering a plethora of activities catering for all types of travellers. Some upcoming activities include the Pacific Open Water Challenge 10km and 5KM on 31 July and 1 August, the Samoa Swim Series on 3-5 August and the Savai’i Excursion from 6-10 August. If you’re up for a family adventure, a couple’s escape, a spiritual or cultural experience or just a piece of paradise to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, Beautiful Samoa awaits …
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o f n i l u f Samoause
The best advice you can receive in Samoa is to quickly get in to the Samoan way of life. Take it easy, relax, be happy.
If you think Samoa is beautiful on land, you should see it underwater. Beauitful coral reefs are just waiting for you to explore.
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alofa! You’ll be hearing that many times when you visit Samoa. The national language of Samoa is Samoan, although English is used for business communications. English is widely spoken, especially in Apia, but it’s always helpful to know a few words of the local language. The following Samoan phrases will probably be useful during your stay in Samoa. By adding a few Samoan words to your conversations, you will be sure to win smiles from the locals.
The local lingo English
Samoan
Pronunciation
Hello
Talofa
Tah-lo-far
Goodbye
Tofa
Toh-far
Thank you
Fa’afetai
Fa-ah-feh-tie
Please
Fa’amolemole
Fa-ah-moh-le-moh-le
Yes
Ioe
Ee-oh-e
No
Leai
Le-ai
Maybe
Masalo
Ma-sa-loh
That’s all right ‘Ua lelei
Oo-a-lelay
big / small
tele / la’ititi
teh-leh / lah ee-tee-tee
quick / slow
tope / gese
toh-peh / nge-seh
early / late
vave / tuai
vahveh / two-eye
near / far
latalata / mamao lah-tah-lah-tah / mah-maow
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Getting between the Samoan Islands
The Samoa Shipping Corporation runs the passenger/vehicle ferry between the main islands of Upolu and Savai’i. The ferry departs from the Mulifanua Wharf on Upolu near the international airport, so if you are travelling from Apia, allow 45 minutes for the journey. The ferry departs from the Salelologa Wharf on Savai’i for the return journey. The trip takes just over one hour each way and it pays to arrive early at the wharf to purchase your tickets. Check with your accommodation hosts or online at: www. samoashipping.com/domesticsailing_schedule.htm for sailing times. One way passenger fares are ST$6 for child 2–12 years and adults ST$12. Vehicle charges (depending on the size of the vehicle) are between ST$80 $110 each way. The full fare list is available here. Polynesian Airlines operates flights between Fagalii (Upolu) and Maota (Savai’i) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For schedule information and bookings visit Polynesian Airlines website. To get to Manono Island, boats operate from the Manono-uta at the western end of Upolu, just down the road from Mulifanua Wharf. One way fares cost ST$1 for children and ST$3 for adults one way. The boats to Manono Island do not operate to a set timetable, but can be arranged on site at Manono-uta. If you wish to take a charter ferry, you will need to pay WS$25 oneway. If not, you can wait for other passengers and pay WS$3.
Banks
ANZ and Bank South Pacific are the two international banks found in Samoa. Both have branches at the international airport, in Apia and at Salelologa on Savai’i. National Bank of Samoa and Samoa Commercial Bank provide services, currency exchange and ATMs. ATMs are located in and around Apia and on the island of Savai’i. Travellers can use credit cards in the machines but you are required to have a PIN to withdraw cash.
Internet cafés
Staying connected with family and friends, and maybe sharing a status update or photos of your Samoan stay on Facebook or Instagram is easy with eight broadband internet cafes to be found around Apia and one on the island of Savai’i. Major hotels and resorts also offer internet terminals for guests in their business centres. WiFi is also available at many locations.
Mobile Phones
There are two main telecommunications providers in Samoa: Digicel and Bluesky Samoa. Both providers offer extensive coverage. Prepaid SIM cards are available at Faleolo International Airport and at outlets in Apia. Taxis are abundant around the islands and offer their services at a very good rate. Taxis are not metered so it’s good to have an idea of what the journey will cost and agree on a price with the driver before setting off.
Manaia Spa
Manaia Polynesian Spa at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Resort is for you to add indulgence and relaxation to your prefect topical getaway. Its tropical rainforest location with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop is a sanctuary for guests to revitalize with Samoan inspired signature treatments. Treatments at this impressive spa has been custom designed to help you settle into island time and relish your well-earned break. The wooden structures and dim lights set the relaxing mood in this expansive space where peace and tranquility awaits you. A spacious lounge with reading materials is the perfect place to connect with other guests while waiting for your treatment or just enjoying the spa experience. The spa plunge pool with day beds is prefect to soak up the sun and bathe yourself with relaxing jets of water. If not at the spa enjoy your massage in your room or on the Palm Pier with 360-degree ocean views and lapping waves to soothe you. Use the sauna prior to your treatment to get the most out of your experience and afterwards to take in the environment use the spa Jacuzzi. The five different treatment rooms are set in a tropical rainforest and their knowledgeable spa associates emanate friendliness and unsurpassed hospitality, whether it be while performing signature treatments or advising guests on the spa’s various product lines. Signature treatments include Manaia facials, body treatments and massages.
PICTURES: NMSAS Wendy and Tiffany Carroll..
Catching the bus in Samoa
Another fun way to explore the islands – and get to know the locals – is to take a map and board a local bus. Samoa’s brightly coloured buses provide inexpensive transport for the locals, and an invaluable experience and memories for visitors. In Apia, the bus terminals are located next to the food market in Fugalei and also opposite the flea market at Savalalo. On Savai’i, the bus terminal is at the market in Salelologa. All buses are named with their destination, so ask the driver which bus you need to catch. Note that aside from the terminals, there are no designated bus stops, so you will need to wave down a bus (use your whole arm and keep your palm facing downwards) as it approaches. The seats are wooden benches, and if the bus becomes full, the locals will opt to sit on each others’ lap, rather than stand in the aisles. This is a courtesy often offered to visitors as well, so don’t be offended or shy if someone offers you their lap. If the bus is heading into either Apia or Salelologa, the locals may carry their produce on board to the markets. When you want to get off, simply pull the cord to ring the buzzer. You pay your fare as you leave the bus. Tipping is not practised or expected in Samoa. However, if a guest wishes to leave a gift for good service then you are welcome to do so directly with the employee or the hotel reception.
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Dining Guide
FOOD AND FUN ons i t a s n Samoan se Samoans are known for enjoying their food. With a great selection of restaurants and cafes on Upolu, choices range from fine dining to funky and fun. Here’s a few of our favourites.
Taumeasina Island Resort
A surprising and very welcome find at Taumeasina Island Resort is that the five star hotel does not have five star prices. With formal and casual dining available, day guests are welcome to visit for the island for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The Lapita Restaurant (above) holds internationally themed buffets each night but a la carte is available all the time. We enjoyed dining by the pool and highly recommend the char grilled red onion, eggplant, roast tomato, spinach, and feta cheese stack with basil pesto. Equally as good is the Braised pork with udon noodles and vegetables in a light vegetable broth. The island’s fine dining restaurant Sinas specialises in Samoan inspired meals using the finest, freshest ingredients and a fabulous wine list. The Palusami (traditional Samoan dish) is the best on the island. Try the Chicken Palusami - braised onions in coconut milk reduction, wrapped in taro leaves and oven baked, presented with pulled chicken, chilli and crisp peppered pastry.
Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel Located in the centre of Apia, this inviting retreat has an air of Raffles about it. The colonial-style architecture is
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matched by gorgeous furniture inside. Start your day with coffee and a croissant from the Lobby lounge. Revel in all-day dinning at Feast. Be enchanted on Wednesday nights by the Sheraton’s signature cultural celebration (Fiafia Show) with fire dancing (Siva Afi). The Terrace (above) is perfect for a relaxing lunch or dinner or perhaps to sip a cocktail under the cooling fans. With four meeting spaces, this luxurious hotel is the perfect venue for meetings and events in Samoa. There is a wide range of function rooms to cater to smaller meetings for 2-10 executives or high-profile conferences and incentive trips for up to 500 guests.
Scalinis
Operated by Joe and Amanda Lam, Scalinis really started Samoa’s entrance into the fine dining market in 2009. “Over the years, we have taken small steps in our business to get to where we are today. Scalinis began in St Heliers, Auckland, New Zealand back in 1999, our plan was always to move home to Samoa – I was born in Samoa and Amanda is a kiwi girl from the Manawatu (just north of Wellington)”, Joe said. “That plan came to fruition in 2009, and we have never looked back.” Today Scalinis is known for its homemade pastas, antipasto
and mezze plates, fabulous salads and of course, as everywhere in Samoa, fresh seafood. My advice is to go to Scalinis on an empty stomach – the food is delicious and the portion sizes typically Samoan (read huge). But because the food is just so good, you’ll find yourself eating everything on your plate. We started with a Mediterranean mezze plate followed by Turkish lamb koftas and Grilled garlic tiger prawns on a garlic croute with lemon & chilli jam. Joe and Amanda are good company. Heavily involved in the Chef’s Association in Samoa, they’re passionate about bringing good food to Samoa and have clearly made their mark on the restaurant scene since opening. Scalinis is open Monday-Friday for lunch, Monday to Saturday for dinner. .
Home Café
It’s been three years since Horace came home. Who’s Horace you ask? Well ask just about anyone in Samoa and they’ll tell you “Hey, Horace from Home Cafe, bro!” Our first trip driving around Apia we saw the Home Cafe sign a number of times and drove past. From the entrance, this place looks like a dump – an actual dump. In fact, the Samoan Prime Minister even went on TV saying Horace had succeeded in building a successful business out of rubbish. Well the ‘rubbish’ is in fact a prize collection of memorabilia from a bygone era. Cassette tapes and records from the seventies and eighties, furniture from the sixties, an old barber’s chair and mismatched glassware and cutlery. There’s a river side deck and BBQ outside, barrels for chairs and you kind of feel like you’re in Horace’s backyard. On Wednesday nights, visitors and locals are invited to ‘bring your own steak’ and the Home Café guys will cook it for you. Your contribution is five tala for the pasta salad. It’s the biggest night of the week and is definitely the place to go for a fun night out. Other nights Horace has great burgers and better stories. His team is fun and they make wicked cocktails. Each week favourite TV shows and classic movies are played on a big
screen so if you’re in Samoa and don’t want to miss Game of Thrones or the like, you don’t have to. Head down to the Home Café, where you’ll be treated like you’re, well, at home. The Home Café is on the Cross Island Road at Tanugamanono, Apia.
Paddles & Milani
The extremely shy and reserved Giovanni Rossi (you’ll know this is ironic the moment you walk in to Paddles) runs the family owned restaurant with all the flair of an Oxford Street Paddington restaurateur. This gorgeous Italian-Samoan is from good foodie stock – his parents started the business and his equally beautiful sister Dora runs Milani café in Apia’s CBD. Milani is located in central Apia and is very popular with the lunch time crowd. Delicious salads, wraps, coffee and cakes, the meals are light and delicious. At Paddles we ordered Risotto Italiano – risotto with chicken breast, bacon, mushrooms, carrots, green peas, mascarpone and Parmesan topped with rocket and the house made lasagna. Both were to die for and both, enormous. Living in the Pacific, you come to expect limited fresh ingredients at times and at least 20 percent of the menu to be ‘unavailable’. Not at Paddles, everything on the extensive menu was available and everything made from fresh ingredients – mainly local but imported where necessary as well. It was a struggle to get through our meals, there was seriously enough food for four people not two but we soldiered on and ate at least half. By this stage we should have been rolling out the door (particularly with the two bottles of Tohu Pinot Noir to accompany our meal), but alas the dessert menu was too good to ignore. “We’re in Samoa – let’s eat”. So we did. Tiramisu and something else, which I now, for the life of me, can’t remember. I will say this – I know it was delicious as there was absolutely nothing left on our plates. Paddles is located on the harbourfront, walking distance from the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel. Bookings highly recommended for this local favourite.
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s e l a T e l t Tur
Samoa’s loved turtles
Hunted and harassed around the world, have these delicate sea creatures found sanctuary here in Samoa? Roderick Eime delves beneath the waves in search of these enigmatic and delightful animals.
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he determined reptile bore down with a singlemindedness only coming from eons of preprogrammed behaviour. This ancient sea creature pursued me with just one thing on its mind, and with the scent of food in its nostrils, wasn’t about to let me get away. “Oh, give it to him for heaven’s sake,” came the plea from Gardenia, my otherwise patient Samoan guide, and with that I relented and released the fragment of pawpaw into the water. Within seconds Crush’s ravenous jaws were munching contentedly on the bright yellow chunk of fruit. Sea Turtles, in this case Green Turtles, are about the most serene and kindly-looking animals anywhere on the planet. Most times anywhere else, you’d be jumping out of your skin at the rare sight of one, yet here among the Samoan islands the delightful critters abound. Crush is my name for the largest turtle here in the pool at the little village of Satoalepai on the far north coast of Savai’i, the largest and northernmost of the two Samoan mainlands. The local family sell tickets to tourists and visitors for ST$5 (about A$2.50) and you are supplied with all the ripe pawpaw the turtles can eat and all the time you want to swim and canoodle with the lovable creatures. I’m told the juvenile turtles hereare coaxed from fishermen for a few tala and allowed to grow to maturity before release. But the story varies depending on who you ask. Either way, the dozen or
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so current residents are in good shape with plenty of room in clean water. As an amateur SCUBA diver, I also enjoyed a few dives in the crystal clear waters here on the very edge of the South Pacific. Each dive yielded at least one turtle encounter with one underwater exploration near the far eastern tip of Upolu (the other island) delivering eight turtles including the biggest damn Greenie I’ve ever seen. The 200kg monster crept out from under a ledge as I swam past, scared the daylights out of me and nonchalantly swam off.
Gold medal sighting
Most of the world’s turtles are on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) endangered species list as a result of overfishing, deadly driftnets and environmental degradation, particularly to feeding and nesting grounds. In spite of a US National Park Service assessment that places the animals in regional decline, my own unscientific observations would beg to differ. In the lagoon at Fagamalo I was even treated to the gold medal sighting of a critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle grazing unperturbed on algae at about 10m as I photographed it from every angle possible. “She’s there most times we dive,” says Fabien Lebon, the expert dive guide on Savai’i, “ ‘bonjour Fabien’ she says ‘so just one diver today, oh okay’ and keeps eating. My daughter
calls her Vanessa.” In Samoa the animals have some nominal protection thanks to their mythical status as a saviour of lost seamen. The local name “I’a sa,” translates directly as “sacred fish”. Then there’s the old Samoan legend of the turtle and the shark which recalls unhappy Fonuea, an elderly blind villager, who cast herself and her daughter Salofa into the ocean to be reborn as sea creatures away from the unkind hands of humans. “Lalelei!, Lalelei!, Lalelei!” the villagers still cry coaxing the pair to reappear at the foot of the cliff. But don’t point or they will immediately disappear, reminded of the cruel treatment that caused their despair. When caught, turtles weep profusely and this sometimes engenders enough sympathy to throw them back to the sea instead of on the fire. True, despite both legend and legislation, turtles are still caught for food, although much less so in Samoa than other islands where they are gathered and slaughtered live in markets to the horror of onlookers. Samoa challenges any writer to avoid the common clichés of “hidden gem”, “best kept secret” or “tropical paradise” precisely because it matches them all exactly. The great novelist, Robert Louis Stevenson, sought refuge and inspiration here in his final years and is laid to rest overlooking Apia.
Remote and almost unattainable, Samoa lies at the limit of most regional airlines’ reach, while conveniently avoiding mention in most tourist texts dominated by closer cousins Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Samoa’s lack of pervasive tourism infrastructure is a key selling point. The relatively few resorts are low impact, relaxed and uncrowded. Vigorous touts, tacky tourist haunts and Chinese-made souvenirs are rare, leaving most attractions to the native ingenuity of the locals.
Tread lightly please
P&O Cruises have rediscovered Samoa thanks to its cruisefriendly port (Apia), engaging excursions, rich culture and relaxed atmosphere and have doubled their scheduled visitations over the next year. Elite surfers and committed sports divers too have jealously kept Samoa under their beanies for years. For me, I’d be happy if Samoa retained its seclusion, cherished its low profile and remained ambivalent about the growing interest in its natural and scenic treasures. But that won’t happen in a world crying out for new experiences and destinations far from the madding crowd. Please, if you go, tread lightly, be polite and don’t hassle the turtles.
Island Adventures
PICTURES: Roderick Eime and Manoa Tours
Get active
Manoa Tours offer many different snorkeling destinations by boat on the South Coast. Snorkel in wonderful clear blue water, among a variety of reef fish and coral. Snorkeling is family friendly, all ages are welcome and beginner lessons are available. Their favourite snorkeling spots on Upolu include Aganoa Black Sand Beach, The Aquarium, Coconuts Wall and Nuusafe’e Island. They also offer guided hikes along Samoa’s Lava Cliffs as well as hiking up through the jungle to Lake Lanoto’o and Robert L. Stevenson’s Memorial Site. Custom Hikes also available. Swimming with turtles and private surf lessons are on offer
at Manoa as well. Transfers and pick up from all resorts on Upolu are available from this long term, well established tour business.
Surfing
Sa’Moana Resort is located on the stunning South Coast of Upolu, about a 35 minute drive away from Faleolo International Airport. The perfect place for keen surfers, Sa’Moana offers trips to the best surf breaks in Samoa. The owners are passionate about surfing and the history of surfing in Samoa. Lessons are available and with the resort being located on a gorgeous
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Tours
Scenic Tours offer a variety of tours on Upolu and to Savai’i. The Essence of Upolu six and a half hour tour begins with a drive through the North East of Upolu along the coast with local villages. Stopping at “Plum Pudding Rock” viewpoint for photos and a stretch, drive through mountains, plantations, rain forest to reach Sopo’aga Falls and Mini Botanical Garden, this site overlooks the falls as they plunge down into a gorge surrounded by jungle. The gardens offer typical staple food, native plants used for cooking and some used for medicinal purposes.
Food to Table
If you strive to fill your body and soul with goodness, or if you’re a traveling foodie, you’ve found your own Garden of Eden at the Samoan Highland Hideaway. In this remote hillside setting your plantation and vacation homes are nestled just off the beaten path in their own private valley. The Samoan Highland Hideaway is committed to leading the way in eco-tourism and exclusively supports local families and businesses as well as through well nurtured relationships with the people of Aleisa and nearby Apia. You can spend time in the gardens helping hosts Maria and Tim select fruit and vegetables as you prepare and present an authentic Samoan feast – or you can simply feast on the homegrown goodness of a simple meal prepared in your chef equipped kitchen. Seafood is caught daily and sold fresh from market providing a wide array of south Pacific Ocean delicacies that quite simply are the best in the world. Choosing from daily catches of yellow-fin tuna, octopus, crab and a medley of delights is easy on the pocketbook and great for the local economy.
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Savai’i
Visitors to Upolu will hear much about Samoa’s ‘big island’ of Savai’i. Locals will tell you you’re not seeing the real Samoa unless you take the ferry across. And whilst you can easily go to Savai’i for a day trip, we recommend at least an overnight stay. Le Lagoto Resort is the ultimate one-stop relaxation spot in Savai’i. You can spend hours soaking up the sun and tropical views, letting the sand tickle your feet as you stroll along the stunning white sand beach. Le Lagoto can organise personal tours to rich, unspoiled beaches and breath-taking waterfalls, caves, blowholes and rainforests teeming with birds, other wild creatures and explain health-giving plants. Probably the most dramatic geological feature on Savai’i is the Saleaula lava fields, where Mt Matavanu erupted from 1905 to 1911, leaving 50 square kilometres of wrinkly lava tongues in its wake. When you return to the resort, friendly staff can whip up a thirst quenching cocktail, and a delicious dinner. At night, fall asleep to the sound of palms swaying in the breeze in your Samoa- style bungalow. It is with good reason, Le Lagoto call themselves Le Lagoto – Samoan for ‘sunsets’- as theirs are simply sensational.
Scooter Hire
Samoa has great roads and beautiful mountain ranges, beaches and villages to explore. A great way to do so is by hiring a scooter from MotoSamoa. With no gears, a low seat height and a step through design, their Scooters are comfortable for riders of all sizes and abilities. MotoSamoa uses new Suzuki Address 110 scooters, featuring a punchy 110cc EFI 4 stroke engine, with electric start. They’re is easy to use and capable of taking two adults anywhere the roads go. Tiffany Carroll
PICTURES: Tiffany Carroll.
white sand beach with natural salt water swimming pools and bungalows suited to groups and families, it’s a great choice for a surfing holiday.
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