Samoa is set to REOPEN to international travelers this August (2022)!!
If this isnʻt the greatest news Iʻve heard for my travel desires right next to Australiasʻ reopening early this year.
But let me recap and fill you in on why this is such an emotionally connected big deal for my and my world voyages.
Deep inhale, deep exhale…here we go…
A Curious 15 Year Old.
I have been a curious voyager just about all my life having stared at maps since a very early age. But the earliest I can remember staring at a map and actually going on the internet and researching was at the age of 15 years old. And the first destination that would be added to my world list over these years would be: American Samoa.
I discovered American Samoa via an image I saw online that connected to my curiosity of American commonwealths, territories, and unincorporated territories. Just learning just how much of America really is out there, which we are quite out there. But American Samoa really captivated me, at least the iconic images Manuaʻa of National Park of American Samoa and the colorful buses on Tutuila island.
Photo credit: Svenʻs Travel Venues
For over 15 years, American Samoa has been on top desired list to visit and of course over the years, I learned more about nearby Western Samoa, now currently referred to as Samoa. So let’s just say that itʻs a personal historic purpose to go.
A Canceled Trip: Injury
In 2017, I was set and ready for a voyage to New Zealand but instead of going direct, I set off on a multi stop trip from New Zealand and across America by train. Up California from LA to San Francisco. Then off to Hawai’i and down to American Samoa before exploring multiple Pacific Islands.
However, on my first island of Big Island, Hawai’i, I happened to rupture my achilles tendon right before setting off for Maui on an island hop journey. That journey had me grounded for 4 months with a surgery and a rugged physiological therapy path before thankfully setting off for travel again.
And that path changed dramatically to barely make it for my working holiday visa in New Zealand, Which I made it but ONE DAY!
Becoming A Pacific Traveler
My dear friends in Vavaʻu Tonga
I alway like to think that things happen for a reason, even as dramatic as a ruptured achilles tendon goes. But that whole situation changed the course of my travels dramatically, in a way that was TEN TIMES BETTER. When my time was up in New Zealand, I had already been well educated on a number of Pacific Islands that wasnʻt on the original plan of travel but made practical sense to include upon my return to Hawai’i.
This journey included Tonga, Fiji, Tuvalu, Nauru, Kiribati, & the Marshall Islands.
I will forever say, that this journey forever changed me as a person and a traveler, having had some incredible and raw experiences of village stays and bare minimums in travel. Not to forget the many Samoans Iʻve met while living in Hawai’i these four years.
So when it comes to Samoa, there has been a recent learning curve on Poly and Island culture that draws me in even more
A Canceled Trip AGAIN: COVID19
In Fall of 2019, I applied for a Working Holiday visa for Australia and got approved to live and work just like my time in New Zealand. So that meant in 2020, I was setting course for my second and long overdue Pacific Islands voyage. First several stops, the Samoan islands. But once again and purely out of my control, this dream would come to a halt, again.
Apia, Samoa
But as many would know, 2020 became a global shit show and the world came to a standstill. The global COVID19 put the world on lockdown and that also included Samoa and the Pacific Islands. In fact, the Pacific Islands had the most strict and hardest shut downs in the world. American Samoa probably being the most controversial with curfews, mandatory quarantines, and ZERO cases for nearly two years.!
Third Time is a CHARM
The state of the world right now (Summer 2022) is looking quite shit right now and honestly, I have no clue what to think about it. But as far as the pandemic goes and the stage of lockdowns, I think we are on a good course from a travel perspective. Cost of, well everything is hitting all time highs and I canʻt really come to understand how I will be able to afford much.
But I look at it this way, I rather find a way than not have a way at all.
Samoa reopening soon really putʻs into gear a whole new motivation to dust off those old plans and figure out how I can make it work all over again and itʻs exciting. Australia reopening was a start but Samoaʻs reopening plans are a huge deal to me, my resilience, & patience. I could have made other travel plans but my heart and soul is set to do this trip once and for all.
So in short, once American Samoa opens… I will be ready!
Have you ever been to Samoa, let me know about your trip in the comments!
