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The north east coast of Savaii has the regions most varied landscapes with fine white sand beaches at Manase and Lelepa and the dominating Saleaula Lava Fields to the south which spilled from Mt. Matavanu between 1906 and 1911. Here you can walk over the black lava fields and visit the old village of Saleaula with its lava filled church relics and interesting legends.
The most popular beach location on Savai'i is between Lelepa and Manase villages, a few miles beyond Satoalepai. The swimming beach stretches for several miles and makes a great spot for strolling, interacting with the local villages along the shoreline and snorkelling. The only up-market resort is Le Lagoto Resort, on the outskirts of Lelepa Village, and offers 5 self-contained bungalows, a great restaurant and views of Matautu Bay, one of the few places in Savai'i with good yacht anchorage. Across the bay is Manase Village where four families have set up beach fales aimed at backpackers. The pick of the bunch is undoubtedly Samoa Vacations Beach Fales which offers the most authentic fales with excellent food and service and has more of a traditional and private feel to it .
It'sd possable to visit both the lava fields at Saleaula and the Turtle Sanctuary at Satoalepai (where you can swim with turtles) from Manase, both stops on the Green Turtle Tour but staying overnight at Manase enables you to explore the region at leisure.
Beyond Manase is the quaint village of Safua with its huge dominating church. Beyond Safua, another huge lava field has made the coast inaccessible. The coastal road cuts inland where you'll find several interesting lava tubes, the Peapea caves and trails to the summit of Mt. Silisili, the highest point in Samoa at 1,858m. This arduous hike takes 2 days round trip and requires an experienced guide and warm clothing.
... on to the west coast of Savaii
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