It's the last leg of the trip in Samoa and we decided we are going all out!Wednesday's site is the La Vasa Resort! It was about an hour van ride from the hotel in Apia. The resort is on the Western edge of the island. We left at 7 am to get there early enough to enjoy everything the resort has to offer. The La Vasa Resort van provided transportation.
Le Vasa Resort marks Samoa’s most historical landmark, the Malietoa Memorial, the site of the last battle between Samoa and Tonga, during which the Samoans defeated the Tongans after 300 years of war (950 AD – 1250 AD). Built to honour the great nation of Samoa, the Malietoa Memorial serves as a constant reminder of the lasting friendship between the Samoans and the Tongans.
Originally built in 1989 and known as Samoan Village Resorts, Le Vasa was designed to honor the traditional villages that surround it. Encompassed by a protective double wall of coral reef, the resort has survived the two most recent cyclones and tsunami with very little damage.
In 2006, the resort was acquired by Scott Filipps and Soraya May. The couple had been searching for years for the perfect location to make their dream of island living a reality. They worked tirelessly to completely renovate the resort and create an island retreat for their guests to enjoy for years to come.
Mary Beth and Kristen were really drawn to the beauty of this section of the island and the serene setting among the coral reefs.
We had a special event planned for nighttime, but had the day to ourselves to enjoy.
After a fantastic fruit, sausage, and biscuit breakfast buffet we went to the main reception desk to plan the day. We decided to choose water activities to take advantage of the wonderful weather. We rented kayaks, snorkel gear, and inner tubes.
We had an incredible time exploring the coral reef and discovering how refreshing the water was! Total for rentals: 818 Samoan Tala.
For lunch we were treated to a brilliantly cooked southern pacific fish and Savaii Greek salads.
Total for lunch was 315 ST.
The best of the day was still yet to come. We knew the night event would run late so we moved our belongings to a resort room. We rented a villa for the night that was absolutely amazing!
The Villa Malietoa was 2 bedrooms./1,000 sq. ft.
It had an oceanfront Manono Island View; with two private bedrooms each with king-sized beds, adjoining large bathroom, lounge equippedwith daybed, refrigerator, two private oceanfront decks. Private whirlpool spa, patio, and yard with Umbrella table and hammock. We added in a private bartender to keep making the Ugly Mermaid drinks Kristen and Mary Beth kept drinking and for the fun concoctions of Vodka and Tequila the boys and I thought up. The room total for the night was 2097.00 ST.
Our night event is the real cultural treat for the day! We were invited to experience the real Fa'a Samoa. Traditional Fia Fia nights are one of the great cultural experiences of Samoa. These are performed by professional male and female dancers in traditional costumes of mat dresses and flower garlands. The highlight of the Fia Fia is the Samoan Fire Dance with spectacular displays of handling fire sticks by boys as young as six years old.
Noah and Mark tried to get up with the Fire Dancers, but unfortunately because they are not trained, they couldn't. I would have loved to as well, but I was just mesmerized by the dancing fire.
The dance routine is performed to upbeat rhythmic drumming, hand clapping and singing. The dance recalls stories from the past, from farewells to loved ones, to great fishing expeditions and war campaigns.
After the dance, an 'Ava ceremony is held to welcome and initiate guests to the ceremony. 'Ava, also known as Kava Kava, is a traditional drink consumed at all ceremonial occasions across the South Pacific. Extracted from the roots of a Pepper tree family and mixed with water, this murky brown drink has an unusual taste and gives a tingling sensation to the tongue. As we were told, if partaken in volume, 'Ava is mildly narcotic. Kristen and Mary Beth did not want to drink it, but it would have been rude if they did not. After drinking they said it tasted like drinking a peppermint mixed with toothpaste, but overall wasn't bad.
Following the 'Ava ceremony, a buffet feast is presented. Traditional feasts consist of fish, pork and several different root crops including yams, sweet potato or taro all cooked in an underground oven or 'umu and flavoured using coconut cream, as well as other delicacies including raw fish, lobster and tropical fruits. We devoured our plates and all returned for seconds. The price for the fire dance ceremony was included with the room for an additional 444 ST.
We were so exhausted from the day, we headed back to our villa to unwind and tell our favorite parts of the day! We laughed and drank and had fun talking to the bartender. We were headed to be soon enough because we had another hour trip in the morning back to our original hotel.
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