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Top Ten Things To Do In Samoa & Tonga
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1. Enjoy Savai' i's spectacular Falealupo Peninsula, Samoa .
Savai'i offers some of Samoa's most beautiful attractions. Visit the Falealupo Peninsula, with its lovely wild beaches and beautiful rainforest reserve where you can take a walk through the treetops. Just west of the Falealupo Rainforest Preserve you can find the lava tubes in which villagers sheltered during severe cyclones.
2. Experience a Tongan feast
Feasting takes a very important place in Tongan life. Up to 30 different dishes may be served on a pola, accompanied by traditional music and dance and the ancient kava ceremony ritual.
3. Visit Upolu's Piula Cave, Samoa
The pool at Piula is very unusual. This is a freshwater pool, however it's located on a rocky beach and is separated from the salty ocean by only two metres! The pool stretches into a cave that goes some way under a cliff.
4. Go whale watching in Tonga
Every year from June to November, the majestic humpback whales come to the calm waters of Vava'u to breed, providing opportunities for a close encounter with one of the world's most magnificent creatures.
5. Visit Savai' i's Pulemelei Step Pyramid, Samoa
Samoa's most mysterious ancient monument and Polynesia's largest ancient structure, has recently been cleared of all growth to reveal the true extent of this mammoth human feat. The exact reason why it was built is not clear, however one theory is it was constructed for ceremonial purposes by Samoan slaves when Tonga ruled these islands.
6. Do a city tour of Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Visit Tonga's Royal Palace, home of His Majesty King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, wander the colourful Talamahu markets where you can pick up all sorts of fresh produce, and pop into the Langafonua Women's Handicraft Centre, renowned for its exquisite handicrafts. Not too far from town you can find the Royal Tombs, where Tonga's kings and queens are buried.
Map | View detailed map of Australia, NZ & South Pacific
7. Visit Lefaga Beach, Samoa
This beautiful beach on Upolu was featured in the 1952 film, Return to Paradise, starring Gary Cooper. The beach is perfect for swimming, snorkelling or just soaking up the beautiful South Pacific sunshine.
8. Go sailing in Tonga
Tonga is a sailor's mecca, a first-class blue water destination. The Vava'u group, 80km north of the main island, has particularly superb waterways, pristine islands and a huge natural harbour. Time your sailing holiday with the migration of the humpback whales and be treated to a particularly special experience.
9. Be awestruck by Samoa's Alofa'aga blowholes
When in Samoa, you simply can't miss a trip to one of the world's largest marine blowholes... it will truly blow your mind and hurl your coconuts to the gods! (Watch for the coconuts firing into the air).
10. Discover Tonga's limestone caves
In Lavengatonga, about 24km south of Nuku'alofa, are the spectacular anahulu or underground caves. This cavern of stalactites and stalagmites stretches for some distance before reaching deep freshwater pools, so it pays to go with a guide and a reliable torch.
Savai'i offers some of Samoa's most beautiful attractions. Visit the Falealupo Peninsula, with its lovely wild beaches and beautiful rainforest reserve where you can take a walk through the treetops. Just west of the Falealupo Rainforest Preserve you can find the lava tubes in which villagers sheltered during severe cyclones.
2. Experience a Tongan feast
Feasting takes a very important place in Tongan life. Up to 30 different dishes may be served on a pola, accompanied by traditional music and dance and the ancient kava ceremony ritual.
3. Visit Upolu's Piula Cave, Samoa
The pool at Piula is very unusual. This is a freshwater pool, however it's located on a rocky beach and is separated from the salty ocean by only two metres! The pool stretches into a cave that goes some way under a cliff.
4. Go whale watching in Tonga
Every year from June to November, the majestic humpback whales come to the calm waters of Vava'u to breed, providing opportunities for a close encounter with one of the world's most magnificent creatures.
5. Visit Savai' i's Pulemelei Step Pyramid, Samoa
Samoa's most mysterious ancient monument and Polynesia's largest ancient structure, has recently been cleared of all growth to reveal the true extent of this mammoth human feat. The exact reason why it was built is not clear, however one theory is it was constructed for ceremonial purposes by Samoan slaves when Tonga ruled these islands.
6. Do a city tour of Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Visit Tonga's Royal Palace, home of His Majesty King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, wander the colourful Talamahu markets where you can pick up all sorts of fresh produce, and pop into the Langafonua Women's Handicraft Centre, renowned for its exquisite handicrafts. Not too far from town you can find the Royal Tombs, where Tonga's kings and queens are buried.
Map | View detailed map of Australia, NZ & South Pacific
7. Visit Lefaga Beach, Samoa
This beautiful beach on Upolu was featured in the 1952 film, Return to Paradise, starring Gary Cooper. The beach is perfect for swimming, snorkelling or just soaking up the beautiful South Pacific sunshine.
8. Go sailing in Tonga
Tonga is a sailor's mecca, a first-class blue water destination. The Vava'u group, 80km north of the main island, has particularly superb waterways, pristine islands and a huge natural harbour. Time your sailing holiday with the migration of the humpback whales and be treated to a particularly special experience.
9. Be awestruck by Samoa's Alofa'aga blowholes
When in Samoa, you simply can't miss a trip to one of the world's largest marine blowholes... it will truly blow your mind and hurl your coconuts to the gods! (Watch for the coconuts firing into the air).
10. Discover Tonga's limestone caves
In Lavengatonga, about 24km south of Nuku'alofa, are the spectacular anahulu or underground caves. This cavern of stalactites and stalagmites stretches for some distance before reaching deep freshwater pools, so it pays to go with a guide and a reliable torch.
