Independant State of Samoa Off The Beaten Path

Pulemelei pyramid

by jorgejuansanchez

Talking with my Polynesian friends in Apia I learnt of the existence of a hidden pyramid, called Pulemelei, in the island of Savaii, which is considered the legendary Havaika, ancient cultural and religious centre of the Polynesians.I then catch a boat to the neighbour island and hitchhiked. A horseman took me in his horse’s hindquarters and let me in a coconut plantation called Letolo. There I tried in vain to find the pyramid among the thousands of trees and the labyrinth paths crammed with impenetrable underbrush. Finally I saw in the distance another horseman and asked him for help. He brought me there. I saw then an incredible huge pyramid covered by brush grass. It was a ceremonial centre and I distinguished the seats for the Notables. It was much higher than any Marae in French Polynesia or than the Haamonga Trilithon in Tonga.The horseman, surprised for my interest, invited me to...

Baha'i Temple of Worship

by FelixB

Baha'i is a type of religion that took its origin in Persia. It is a mixture of all the worlds major religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism...) and combines it to one religion. In the world there are only 7 places of worship, equally spread around the world, and one is in Samoa. The temple consists of a dome and a big garden. You'll get more information on Baha'i in a pavillion next to the dome.The temple is located on the Inter-Island-Road shortly after Rober Louis Stevenson's mansion when coming from Apia. You won't miss it as it's pretty big.

The waterfall and woodcarvings near Sauniatu

by 2rs

If you have a couple of hours you dont mind spending off the beaten path go to The waterfall near Sauniatu. To get there you must have a 4WD to get up the gravel road from Falefa on the Main East Road. It is hard to find due to heavy overgrowth, but ask someone on the way and they gladly hop on and show you the way. This small waterfall is nice due to its overgrowth and inaccesibilty.There is supposed to be woodcarvings of Samoan Legends in this area, but the guy who showed me the way did not know about this, or perhaps would not show me. I guess there was not many visitors up here and that they may have wanted to keep the sacred place a secret. Try to find it if you're there and are lucky.Have a look at my Waterfals of Upolu travelogue for more scenic waterfalls.

paivua sweetwater pool

by hanspeter_W.