This is the kind of place one goes to have an epiphany. . .

Samoa.  Just the word conjures images of tropical beauty.  However, a Samoan experience is so much more.

I just recently returned from a fascinating and wonderful journey to Samoa.  My Samoan experience was truly a full one-- full of amazing sights; full of tropical sounds; full of delightful tastes; full of Samoan hospitality.  This true, honest experience can not be encapsulated in a word, nor can it be captured by woefully inept two dimensional photographs.  No, my Samoan experience is a living one, forcing me to realize that the Fa'a Samoa (the Samoan Way) is not just something to observe as an outsider, but maybe to consider emulating.

The hot and humid air provided my first Samoan greeting at the Faleolo Airport.  Coming from the dry, arid climate of Denver, I was initially taken aback by the dramatic difference in climate.  However, my body quickly adjusted, and the weather helped place me in that tropical mood.  My second greeting in Samoa was from Monty, the friendly driver from Coconuts Beach Club.  A smile; a handshake; a nod towards the van. 

The 25-mile drive from the airport to Coconuts Beach Club went by too quick.  I wanted to stop at every open-air fale, to speak with the locals, to purchase fresh produce from a roadside stand, to watch the cricket match being played in the village.  Also, my time with Monty proved educational, as he taught me some useful Samoan words, and showed me his recently completed traditional Samoan tattoo, that stretched from his mid-section to his thighs.  Sure, he told me it was painful, but I am quite confident that he did not show any signs of pain during what must have been the interminable several weeks it required.  Monty showed me where on his arm he would like a tattoo band, and informed me that both he and I would get a tattoo together, during my stay.  My response - a nervous laugh, and a hearty, "Not gonna happen!".

Monty has traveled around the world, performing traditional Samoan dance and singing Samoan songs.  Even as a world-traveler, he continues to live a simple life in a neighboring village, choosing to stay close to home, close to family, close to friends, and to teach Samoan language and custom to the local children.  Monty told me that I was a Palagi (an outsider, or a Westerner).  This was not a bad term, just a way to describe us.  With 99%+ of the population of the country being native Samoans, there is a true pride of culture and for me, a true Polynesian experience.  Come to find out, Monty is a Matai, or a chief in his village.  He would certainly not brag about being a Matai, and considered it one of his responsibilities, the same as being a teacher for the children, leading his local dance group, or driving the transfer van for the resort.

The Samoans that I met on my travels seem shy, maybe even aloof.  However, once smiling, they are genuine, and nothing seems forced.  While driving the narrow paved roads on the island of Upolu, I made a point to smile and wave (and yell the occasional Talofa) at everyone I saw, and this small gesture was heartily met with smiling, waving friends, who I have no doubt would have invited me into their village as if I were family.  What I now tell everyone is that when in Samoa, please invest in a smile and a wave - it will be returned ten-fold.

Coconuts Beach Club is one of those rare, special places that, when you arrive, you feel like you are at home.  Not only is Coconuts situated near a village, it feels like you are staying within a village.  A few days at Coconuts and you truly get a taste of Samoa. 

I was met at the open-air reception by several smiling team members, and within seconds had a cold Pina Colada in my hands, served in a green coconut.  A stone walkway led to my second-story Treehouse Room, which was on the edge of the lush jungle.  The room was delightful: polished local hardwood floors, a king-size four poster bamboo bed, a rock-floor bathroom with a sunken shower/bathtub with ocean views out the window, bamboo chairs and a table, and a long deck with lounge chairs, a table, and a hammock which at the time was not only inviting me, but screaming my name.  The air-conditioner promised cool, dry relief, but the windows promised more - the sounds of the tropics and the sea.  My room also contained original artwork from a local artisan, who happened to also be an employee of the Resort.  The three paintings told a tale of ancient Samoa, and thankfully, a one-page description of the story was nearby.  The view from my deck was breathtaking, as the blues and greens of the lagoon stretched out before me, beckoning my discovery.
                                 

Coconuts Beach Club is located on the beautiful south coast of Upolu.  Early morning is a special time, making you feel like you are alone in paradise.  Noises from the jungle gently awake you.  The sound of lapping waves on the beach is barely perceptible over the dramatic sound of the crashing waves on the outer reef.  The rising sun gently illuminates the entire resort, made even more dramatic by slight haze from the wood-burning smoke from the nearby village.  This beautiful introduction to the day is surpassed only by the beauty of sunset, enjoyed with friends at Coconut's famous three-stool bar, with cocktail in hand. 

The other accommodations at Coconuts include three large Garden Suites (some of the largest rooms at the resort), which while located on the edge of the jungle, also face the ocean and have quite beautiful views.  In my opinion, these are the greatest value accommodation at Coconuts (and perhaps all of Samoa!).  A sand path takes you to the six Beach Fales (one of which is a two-bedroom fale).  These fales are directly in front of the beach and have fantastic views.  The split level design differentiates the large comfortable sitting area and the elevated bedroom, both with soaring ceilings.  The lava-rock, open-air courtyard shower is quite large, and the waterfall shower coming out of the wall is fun and unique.  The two overwater fales boast the best views from their oversize decks looking west towards the sunset.  The large picture windows maximize these wonderful views, and the glass coffee table allows you to look down at the fish swimming below you.

The newest additions to Coconuts are the wonderful Royal Beach Villas.  These dramatic villas are the nicest accommodation at the Resort, and set a new standard for all of Samoa.  The Villa Matai is a soaring, two-story villa with an airy, open feel.  The large bedroom melds into the spacious sitting room, both with very comfortable furnishings.  There is a lava-rock, open-air bathroom with the famous waterfall shower.  The second story, accessed via a circular staircase, showcases one of the finest views found anywhere.  The second story also features a large outdoor balcony with furniture.  Flanking the Villa Matai are the Villa Pule and Villa Ali'i.  Both of these one-story villas also feature the same airy, open feel as the main villa, and also have large lava-rock bathrooms with waterfall showers.  At night, these villas are dramatically lit and take on a completely different personality than during the day.

One of the highlights of a stay at Coconuts (just ask anyone who has been) is the amazing dining.  The restaurant is open-air around the bar, and also has an enclosed, dramatic dining area.  The full drink menu has some fun local creations, and the extensive dining menus proved to be my downfall - choosing my meal was certainly the most difficult decision of my day!  Among some of my favorite meals were the blackened cajon Ahi with a fantastic remoulade sauce, the grilled fish almondine, the to-die-for French onion soup, and the curried chicken served in a ripe papaya.  Coconuts also boasts a wonderful wine list, but I enjoyed Vailima, Samoa's own locally produced beer.  Just one look at the menu options (and drink options) proves that the amazing Coconut's Meal Deal is one of the best bargains in the entire South Pacific.

I purposely scheduled my visit to include a Saturday night stay, so that I might enjoy their amazing Fia Fia Night.  The dramatic beginning of the Fia Fia Night included the local villagers marching in, carrying lit torches, chanting local Samoan songs.  Bare chested men danced, sang and performed an amazing slap dance.  The traditionally dressed women (including one girl wearing a woven mat outfit) danced and sang beautifully.  The highlight was the Fire Knife show, where children and young adults (one girl looked no older than 5 years old!) danced and swung a rod with a sharp knife on each end - both of which were lit on fire!  This was one of the most impressive cultural dances I have ever witnessed, and the skill level (and courage of the dancers) was simply amazing.  It just can't be missed.

Coconuts is extremely inviting, and encourages you to sit back and relax, either in your room or fale, on the white sand beach, or by the gecko-shaped swimming pool.  There are plenty of activities including snorkeling on the house reef, sea kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, or simply strolling the white sand beach collecting seashells.  One of my favorite activities was kayaking along Coconuts' shore and entering one of the prettiest mangrove estuaries I have ever seen.  The kayaking was very easy (it is glass-calm water in the mangrove) on the sit-on-top kayaks, and the cooler waters of the estuary were refreshing.  I explored every nook and cranny of the mangrove, paddling underneath massive trees while listening to the diverse bird life in this peaceful refuge.  This was truly an escape, with soaring trees and lush foliage around every corner, and leaves, fruit and coconuts floating in the serene water.  At one end of the mangrove, I came upon a family with small children swimming in the cool water.  When they saw me, the children yelled "Palagi, Palagi" and swam to their parents.  They were intrigued by my kayak, and even grabbed hold as I took them for a short ride. 

A Sunday morning visit to the local village church was a remarkable experience.  Samoa is a very religious society, easily discovered when you notice that the nicest building in every village is the local church.  The service was completely in Samoan, and highlighted by beautiful voices joined in song.  Everyone was dressed in their proud white Sunday clothes, and the first row was reserved for guests - Palagi visitors from the resort.  I was lucky enough to be there in on the first Sunday of December, when the minister performs baptisms.  The local children also got up on stage and sang Christmas songs, including a wonderful version of Jingle Bells with completely different English words! 

The island of Upulo is simply one of the prettiest islands I have ever seen.  The beauty of Coconuts is that you can rent a car directly at the Resort and start exploring the island immediately.  A short drive up the Cross Island Road (really, that is what it is named) takes you to Papapapai-tai Waterfall, an enormous, dramatic waterfall viewed from an overlook several meters from the road.  Further up the road is the Robert Louis Stevenson museum - a beautiful, colonial mansion built by the famous Scottish author.  Stevenson was much-loved by the local Samoans, and the museum with its knowledgeable tour guides is very deserving of a visit.  The town of Apia is bustling, with several open-air markets selling produce, fish, handicrafts, and cooked food.  I was one of the very few Palagis there, and I very much enjoyed the amazing sights, smell and sounds of the market.  Definitely a highlight!  The driving was pretty slow going, as there were many villages, most with traditional open-air fales, as well as the many wooden buses driving around the island.

Upolu boasts many deserted white-sand beaches awaiting your discovery.  Most are within easy driving distance.  However, for me the island's waterfalls were the highlight.  I am not sure if I have ever seen a more lush, beautiful island, especially the rainforest-clad mountain peaks and sharp-edged ridges of eastern Upolu.  The dramatic waterfalls seem to explode out of the jungle, dropping hundreds of feet into mist-filled pools. 
    
Another highlight is the Piula Cave Pool along Upolu's north coast, which features refreshingly cold water (fed by fresh water springs).  When I arrived at the Cave Pool, there was a huge Samoan guy, full of tattoos, in the shallow water, relaxing in the sun.  I jumped right in and swam to the back of the cave.  It was dark, and just a little bit scary!  I am told that at the end of the cave, you can swim under the cave wall to enter another, internal cave.  To be honest, the swim to the back of the cave freaked me out - I was afraid something was going to grab my feet.  Well, upon exiting the cave, I swam out and relaxed by the beach.  My large tatooed friend looked at me, all serious-like, and said, "I can't believe you swam back there - that scares me to death."  HA!  So, I guess that was my one brave Samoan moment. 

When I first heard that Coconuts hosted movie night three times per week, I was a bit taken aback, wondering why anyone would want to sit and watch a movie while staying in paradise.  Well, those thoughts were short-lived.  The dramatic lounge at Coconuts features big and comfy couches and chairs, along with shelves containing many books and games.  A screen is pulled down and a projection television is used to show movies from the resort's collection of over 1,000 movies.  What a great venue!  After dinner, guests took their drinks (and their desserts!) into the lounge to enjoy the movie.  Every single guest was in attendance at the movie, and many even enjoyed a bowl of popcorn.

This really is the essence of Coconuts.  A laid back, relaxing escape.  There are many beautiful places to visit in the South Pacific.  Coconuts Beach Club is unique in that it embraces the local Samoan culture and village life.  Coconuts truly is Samoa.  From the smiling faces of the staff, the beautiful accommodations boasting local design and workmanship, the exceptional dining taking full advantage of the island's riches, the fun activities, and the simple beauty of the resort's location, Coconuts truly delivers not only a relaxing getaway, but a Samoan experience.

While I never did have my epiphany (perhaps I was trying too hard), I did experience a powerful reminder of why I love Samoa, and consider this beautiful place one of my favorite spots in the entire South Pacific.  I can't wait to share it with everyone. . .