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Samoa is a group of islands in the South Pacific, settled 3,500 years ago. European powers claimed different parts of the islands, leading to a non-violent independence movement. Samoa achieved full independence in 1962 and is now a popular holiday destination, with idyllic beaches, waterfalls, and a volcanic lake full of goldfish. Flights arrive daily from other Polynesian islands and New Zealand, with a short island-hopping flight from American Samoa for travelers from the United States.
Samoa is a group of islands in the South Pacific. The islands together cover approximately 1,100 square miles (2,800 square km), making the nation just a little smaller than Rhode Island. The islands are located midway between New Zealand and Hawaii and are politically separate from American Samoa, which is part of the same archipelago group.
Samoa was first settled about 3,500 years ago by people from Tonga and Fiji. This settlement continued for millennia, and Samoa served as the starting point for much further Polynesian settlement. Europeans came into contact with the Samoans in the early 18th century, trading with them sporadically for the next century. In the early 19th century, missionaries began converting the Samoans to Christianity, and European powers began to take an interest in the islands.
Britain, the United States and Germany all took quite an active interest in the islands of Samoa, hoping to acquire them for their own and claiming different parts of the islands. All three nations began supplying different tribes with weapons to fight against other tribes, essentially fighting a proxy war, although this eventually escalated to sending in their own troops and ships. In the early 20th century, the archipelago was divided into two parts: the eastern half was ceded to the United States and the western half eventually went to the Germans in exchange for British rights to Fiji.
In 1914, New Zealand captured the western half of the archipelago, now Samoa. While the New Zealand authorities were relatively benevolent, there was nonetheless a strong independence movement in Samoa, which began in 1908 and continued through the transfer of power. This movement, the Mau, differed from many other independence movements of the time in being resolutely non-violent. This non-violence also continued in the face of Black Saturday, when New Zealand authorities dispersed a peaceful Samoan protest with machine gun fire, killing eleven, including High Chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi.
The independence movement continued for the next four decades, finally achieving its goal of full independence in 1962. This early date made it the first nation in Polynesia to reassert its independence in the modern era. The nation was originally called Western Samoa, to differentiate it from Eastern or American Samoa. In 1992, however, the name was officially changed to Samoa, despite some protests from citizens of American Samoa, who felt that the change minimized one’s identity as Samoa.
Samoa is one of those postcard-perfect Polynesian islands that are an irresistible attraction for many travellers. For those seeking idyllic beaches, crystal clear waters and a relaxed pace of life that borders on coma, Samoa is the ideal holiday destination. Goldfish Lake is one of the most interesting, albeit off the beaten path, destinations in the country. This lake, Lake Lanoto, is a volcanic lake absolutely full of goldfish. The alternation of warm and cold currents and the lack of a reachable seabed make swimming a bit surreal. Waterfalls also abound on the islands, with Papasee’a Sliding Rock being perhaps the most popular. This waterfall features an absolutely smooth rock face that leads into a deep pool, creating one of the best natural water slides in the world.
Flights arrive daily to ‘Upolu from a number of other Polynesian islands, as well as New Zealand. For travelers from the United States, the easiest way to get to Samoa is to fly into American Samoa first, and then take a short island-hopping flight to Samoa itself.
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