To Sua Trench, Waterfalls and Piula Cave Pool Tour from Apia

To Sua Ocean Trench near Lotofaga

To Sua Ocean Trench is a giant natural swimming hole on the south coast of Upolu, close to Lotofaga village. The name means 'big hole' in Samoan, and it is exactly that: a sinkhole about 30 metres deep with vertical walls draped in ferns and vines, its floor filled with clear sea water that enters through a lava tube from the nearby coast. A steep wooden ladder leads down to a small platform above the pool.

On this tour you have about an hour at To Sua, enough to climb down, swim, take photos and walk through the gardens on the cliff top that look out over the ocean blowholes. Bring water shoes and hold the ladder firmly. Visitors searching for a To Sua Ocean Trench tour from Apia often want a smaller group, and with eight people at most you avoid the busiest moments.

Fuipisia and Sopoaga waterfalls

Your first stop is one of the two great waterfalls of eastern Upolu, chosen on the day: Fuipisia Falls, reached by a short path through plantations, or Sopoaga Falls, which drops into a deep forested gorge beside a garden viewpoint. Both are fed by the rains of Upolu's volcanic highlands, so they are at their strongest after wet weather.

The drive to the falls is part of the pleasure. The road runs along the east coast through modern and traditional villages, past open-sided fale houses, church buildings painted in bright colours and neat village greens. Your guide explains the fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, and the role of the village chiefs, so by the time you reach the waterfall you already have a feel for the island beyond its sights.

Lalomanu Beach

Lalomanu Beach, on the south-eastern tip of Upolu in the Aleipata district, is often called the most beautiful beach in Samoa. A long arc of white sand faces a turquoise lagoon protected by a reef, with the small uninhabited islands of Nu'utele and Nu'ulua rising offshore. Simple beach fales on stilts line the shore, giving shade right on the sand.

Here lunch is served from a cold packed meal with bottled water, and you have time to swim in the calm lagoon or snorkel along the coral, especially if you chose not to swim at To Sua. Bring your own mask and snorkel, as gear is not included, and use reef-safe sunscreen. It is the slow, relaxing part of the day and many guests' favourite memory of Samoa.

Aleipata and Le Mafa Pass

From Lalomanu the road turns through the Aleipata district, a quiet area of coastal villages that was rebuilt after the 2009 tsunami and is now one of the most welcoming corners of the island. You then climb inland to Le Mafa Pass, a mountain road crossing the eastern spine of Upolu, about 1,700 feet above sea level according to local guides.

At the top the guide stops for the view over the deep valley and the village of Lalomauga far below, with layers of green hills running to the sea. The air is cooler here and the landscape feels very different from the beaches. It is a short stop, but on a clear afternoon it is one of the best panoramic views on the island.

Piula Cave Pool

The final stop is Piula Cave Pool on the north coast, a freshwater spring that rises inside a lava cave and fills a clear, cool pool just a few steps from the sea. It lies below a historic Methodist theological college whose white building stands on the hill above, and the pool is looked after by the college community.

After a day of sea water, a swim here is refreshing, and confident swimmers can look into the cave mouth where the spring flows out. Steps lead down into the water, and there are basic changing areas. From Piula the drive back to your hotel in Apia is short, and you are dropped off at about 16:00. Remember that the pool, like most sites in Samoa, is quiet on Sundays, which is why this tour runs Monday to Saturday.