Things to Do in Savai'i

Alofaaga Blowholes at Taga

On the south coast near Taga village, the ocean has carved tunnels into the old lava shelf, and incoming swells force seawater skyward in geysers you can feel as much as see. Locals will sometimes toss a coconut into the hole just before a big increase, and you'll watch it rocket 30 metres up and disappear into the spray. The salt mist coats your sunglasses within minutes. Underfoot, the basalt runs jet-black. It's surprisingly sharp.

Afu Aau Waterfall

Tucked into the rainforest behind Vailoa, Afu Aau drops into a tiered freshwater pool the colour of bottle glass, cold enough to gasp when you slip in. The water comes straight out of the lava aquifer, so it's startlingly clear, and the moss-slick boulders make perfect ledges for a slow soak. You hear it first. A low rumble carries through the ferns and giant taro leaves.

Saleaula Lava Fields and Buried Church

Walking the 1905-1911 Matavanu lava flow at Saleaula is the closest thing to a moonscape this side of the equator. The flow swallowed five villages. It left a stone church half-buried, its altar still visible through what's now a window of solidified basalt. A village guide will point out the 'Virgin's Grave', where the lava reportedly parted around a single tomb. Locals smile knowingly when telling it.

Snorkelling at Satoalepai Turtle Sanctuary and Fagamalo Lagoon

The northern lagoon between Manase and Fagamalo runs bathwater-warm, gin-clear, and shallow enough that the coral heads sit right under the surface. Stick your head under. Parrotfish crunch audibly on coral. The green turtles at the Satoalepai community pool let you swim alongside them in waist-deep water. It's an unexpectedly intimate experience compared with the boat-trip snorkelling you'd get elsewhere in the Pacific.

Falealupo Rainforest Canopy Walk and Cape Mulinu'u

At the island's far western tip, a swaying suspension bridge strung between two banyan giants gets you 30 metres above the rainforest floor, eye-level with fruit bats the size of small cats. Push on to Cape Mulinu'u. It's the last point of land before the International Date Line. Stand there at dusk. Villagers cheerfully call it 'the last place on earth to see the sunset'. The wind out there carries the scent of salt and damp pandanus.

Manase: the unofficial tourist beach on the north coast. All open-sided beach fales right on the sand, with breakfast and dinner included. Sociable, easygoing scene.

Fagamalo sits next door to Manase. Quieter, with slightly more mid-range options, proper rooms, and decent restaurants.

Salelologa is the ferry-port town. Useful for a first or last night. But lacking the beach-great destination feel of elsewhere.

Lano: a string of family-run fales on a long stretch of white sand. Popular with surfers in season. Good for total wind-down.

Satuiatua sits on the southwest coast. Dramatic coastline, fewer visitors, and sunset views that make the longer drive worthwhile.

Vaisala on the northwest: one of the older resort-style properties on the island, with a saltwater pool and proper restaurant. A splurge by Savai'i standards.