The Samoan Islands are ideal for school groups: close to NZ and Australia with direct flights from AKL and SYD (sorry, also Wellington).
We discourage school groups from most other countries because of their carbon footprinting - got it? Samoa wants to be a carbon-neutral holiday destination.
Auckland Grammar (Mr. Tala Elise) is a regular to Samoa with his favourite AGS students, plus schools from all over Australia.
Our preference is to host your group in a real Samoan village (we can also recommend two villages in Fiji - Navala [all thatched and mountainous] and Lavena Coastal Walk Village on Taveuni Island with an amazing coastal rainforest - even better than Falealupo Village in Samoa).
As for the only other option (free of malaria and extremely safe for kids, no military roadblocks), Samoa offers your school group a huge array of beach fale accommodations on the best beaches with the best hosts and hostesses. Want to sleep in a rainforest canopy? Can do right here in Falealupo.
My favourite is, therefore, Falealupo Village, the most remote village in Samoa, fully equipped with stunning beaches, rainforest canopy walkway, legendary sites, water activities, and all the cultural experiences that we can muster for your group.
You'll be welcomed into the village by the Chiefs like long-lost friends, possibly even 'kidnapped' forever on this 50X50mile 6000 foot volcanic structure. It's truly amazing.
Village sporting teams are happy to teach you their Samoan style of rugby, beach volleyball and local kirikiti - errrr, cricket. But there's a secret: you need to be Samoan or a 'wanna-be' Samoan. And we have local masseurs willing to soften-up your muscles (preferably before the game) - another secret of ours.
And for the intellectuals-on-holidays, we have Samoa's best environmental management program from agro-forestry to traditional medicine to cultural strengthening to global climate change impact reductions to rainforest conservation to organic foods to waste recycling to climate disease reduction strategies to wildlife conservation to caving to medicianl plant exports (nonu or Morinda citrifolia) and much more. Our village is also tracking-down a cure for AIDS - Omolanthus acuminatus and some misspell it as Homolanthus acuminatus).
Falealupo Village is, therefore, the best classroom and the best Samoan resort. This will be your best holiday ever and, don't forget, our library needs restocking with all your old text books, computers, games, sporting equipments, guitars, keyboards and right-hand drive cars!!
Just for you, Samoa is going RHD because we cater for New Zealanders and Australians - preferably at different ends of the village!!
So, ask your parents, or just tell them, that you'll be taking your favourite teachers away to Samoa for a much-needed break - afterall, your teachers will most likely deserve it!
PS: The Samoans you've all met were all deported from Falealupo Village, so only the nice ones remain to meet and greet you here upon arrival.
1 comment:
I heard a story the other day that it is too risky to stay overnight in villages throughout the Pacific, but having lived in Samoa for decades, I can assure you that all school groups are very safe here in Samoa.
In Fiji, you are warned by the big resorts not to even venture off to rural villages, many have now stopped going to PNG because of the rascals, the high incidence of AIDS, etc.
Falealupo village takes great pride in looking after its guests as if they are all from that village. The freedom enjoyed is often beyond words - you will be so impressed.
Post a Comment