The small island country of Samoa is hoping to woo Australians as part of its campaign to become a top holiday destination.
Made up of an archipelago of nine islands, four of which are inhabited, Samoa has a lot of tempting tourism appeal. From deserted beaches to lush rainforests, there’s no shortage of tropical settings.
Avid watchers of cult-like series Survivor, which was filmed in Samoa last year and is currently airing on TV, will be well across the sandy beaches and palm trees.
Samoa’s tourism authorities are hoping it’s just one of the ways to return visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels.
The nation’s economy was hit hard by COVID with visitor numbers dwindling from 181,000 in 2019 to 47,000 between August, when Samoa reopened its borders, and December 2022.
Typically two-thirds of travellers to Samoa are from Australia and New Zealand, according to data from the Samoa Tourism Authority.
As the country battles against the likes of Fiji for a bigger share of the Pacific tourism spend, it is busy preparing for a much-needed influx of visitors.
Here, we look at five reasons to visit Samoa.
It’s possible to have a perfect beach to yourself in Samoa.
The beaches aren’t crowded
Unlike many beaches in Australia, there’s not a mini metropolis of sun tents and cabanas. In fact, you may even have the entire beach to yourself.
Try Return to Paradise Beach, which was made famous by the 1952 movie of the same name starring Gary Cooper. You’ll find lagoons, white sandy beaches and a coral reef with plenty of marine life.
For something a little different, try Aganoa Black Sand Beach.
Nature like nowhere else
Samoa is teaming with natural beauty. There’s mountains to conquer, including the highest point in the Samoan archipelago at Mt Silisili, and ancient volcanic craters to explore such as Mt Matavanu, which was last active in 1911.
The wildlife is also incredible. Samoa is home to some bird species that are found nowhere else on earth. The critically endangered manumea or tooth-billed pigeon, which has a large, curved and toothed bill to open hard rainforest fruits, is one to keep an eye out for.
Samoa has an abundance of wildlife.
So many waterfalls
If you like waterfalls, Samoa is your country. There are loud and towering waterfalls, and calm and sedate waterfalls.
Start on the island of Upolu, where Togitogiga Falls has swimming holes to bathe in. Papapapao-Tai Falls with a 100m drop, is just for viewing, while Fuipisia Falls has a rewarding pool at the top and a 55m drop to admire.
The people are friendly
Samoans are notoriously friendly. They have a strong sense of culture and identity, and are happy to share it with visitors.
Tourists can learn about traditional tattooing or ‘tatau’, cultural carvings and tapa, or cloth, making. There’s also workshops and tastings of iconic dishes such as taro, sapasui and povi masima.
Sport is second-nature
Samoans love sport, especially rugby union. Volleyball is also a favourite, so visitors are bound to see a game being played around the villages. Apia, the capital of Samoa, hosted the indoor and beach volleyball competitions at the 2019 Pacific Games.
Samoa is a five and a half hour flight from Sydney.