With abundant marine life and tranquil blue waters, Samoa’s Upolu is a haven for divers from around the world. Once virtually unknown, it is rapidly becoming a favorite destination, in part thanks to the fact that experienced divers have the opportunity to explore, discover, and name brand new dive sites. The number of dive sites in the area is growing rapidly; here are just five favorites. Visit Upolu for yourself; you never know what you might discover!
Apolima Gardens
Located just about 70 meters from shore, this magnificent and extensive coral garden is a riot of color and features a simply incredibly landscape that is nothing less than astonishing. Here, you’ll find huge table corals where rainbow runners rub fins with wrasse and damsels, and where shy lobsters peer out from their hiding places in the rocks beneath. Large lettuce corals and other beautiful formations hold wonders beyond imagination, and while you can descend to as deep as forty meters, many divers never head much deeper than ten or twenty meters. As the site starts in just 8 meters of water, there is plenty for all levels to enjoy here; in addition, the photo opps are never-ending.
The Rock
A small pinnacle composed of volcanic rock, this amazing site is teeming with fish in every shape and color imaginable. Covered in heads of hard coral, the Rock meets the seabed at just 18 meters, from which the plateau shaped pinnacle, with its top at 12 meters rises up. Here, you’ll find giant clams and lush anemones, bouquets of sponge, and lots of crustaceans. Look for clown trigger fish, napoleon, and moray eels, along with tuna, jacks, the occasional group of manta rays, and ever-present schools of fusiliers.
Manono Reef
Located just off Manono Island, the reef here begins in shallow water, dropping away to meet the seabed at a depth of forty meters. Here, you’ll find some incredible swimthroughs and soaring walls, plus gorgeous canyons that welcome you with an abundance of colorful life. With magnificent hard and soft coral acting as a backdrop, brilliant parrotfish and snappers, fusiliers and angelfish, butterfly fish, and many others put on a splendid show.
Laumei Canyon
Named for the turtles, or Laumei, which live here, Laumei Canyon is a fantastic site with incredible pinnacles and walls with crevices that serve as a hotel for both hawksbill and green sea turtles. Here you’ll find an abundance of hard and soft coral alike, in different shapes and colors that will make you feel as though you’re in a different world. Besides the many turtles, which are accustomed to divers and which will happily engage in their everyday activities so long as they’re not harassed, you will find an abundance of colorful reef fish here, along with plenty of nudibranchs and crustaceans. Ideal for intermediate divers and up, this site features maximum depth at about 35 meters, though the site’s best features are at about 15-20 meters.
Nongoonmanda Wreck
The wreck of a sixteen meter fishing schooner which was deployed to act as an artificial reef, the Nongoonmanda Wreck sits beneath 30 meters of water with her masts accessible at about 18 meters. The wreck is quickly acquiring a mantle of soft coral and sponge, and is rapidly attracting an entire population of colorful fish and other marine life. Due to depth, the site is suitable for intermediate divers and up; be sure to bring your camera to capture some of the old boat’s newest occupants.
While you can dive at Upolu year round, one of the best times to visit is in September, when whales migrate through the area. Accommodations are easy to come by, and the beaches are fantastic. There are plenty of topside attractions to enjoy between dives, and snorkeling is available as well. Dive operators are well equipped; just be sure to plan in advance as space is limited.