Taumeasina Island Resort offers luxury, activities, and family-friendly fun on Samoa’s only private island. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
Taumeasina Island Resort offers luxury, activities, and family-friendly fun on Samoa’s only private island. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
Mikhal Norriss stays at Taumeasina Island Resort in Samoa; a resort that is quite literally fit for a king – and her.
Location: Taumeasina Island Resort is a 45-minute drive from the Faleolo International Airport, and five minutes from Apia, Samoa’s capital. It’s the only resort in Samoa that sits on its own island, accessed via a short causeway. The island has a path around the edge where you can do a quick loop whenever the mood takes you. We took a stroll late one evening and were greeted by a coconut crab. It scurried away almost as quickly as we did.
Style: The buildings are modern with a clean, fresh apartment feel inside. Clad in white panels with geometric Samoan patterns, they’re surrounded by neatly kept gardens.
Perfect for: Families and groups of friends wanting to splash out on somewhere special to stay. There’s a beautiful pool, multiple dining options and an array of activities. The resort has lots to offer so it suits travellers who want to really enjoy spending time at their accommodation.
Relax in style at Taumeasina, complete with waterfront views, lush amenities, and local cuisine. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
First impressions: Before I arrived I suspected I was in for a treat. A friend had given me a heads-up that King Charles had popped in for lunch the week before as part of CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting). Well, if it’s fit for a king then it’s certainly good enough for me. We were greeted with a fresh frangipani lei, many a talofa and a chilled glass of juice as we waited to check in. The foyer is open with a cool breeze coming from the sea.
Rooms: We stayed in a two-bedroom waterfront villa. Self-contained with a kitchen, laundry, living room and private balcony overlooking the lagoon, the villa included a large TV with a wide array of channels. We got sucked into some wonderfully terrible reality TV one night. The beds are comfortable with fresh, crisp sheets. The living room and both bedrooms have their own air conditioner and, apart from the whirl of the AC, we didn’t hear any noise from outside at night.
The villas are equipped with full kitchens and private balconies overlooking the lagoon. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
Bathroom: Roomy with a huge mirror and even a cabinet to unpack all your toiletries. The shower had great pressure and the towels were fluffy and replaced daily. There were the usual basics provided too – body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and moisturiser. Plus, a hairdryer in the bedroom.
Food and drink: There is an extensive menu to please even the pickiest eater. Every evening at 6.30pm, the staff blow the conch from the terrace, a perfect signal to head down for dinner. The menu offers resort favourites, such as pizzas and fried snacks, as well as full meals and light salads. There’s also the opportunity to try local foods such as oka (raw fish salad), which is fresh and amazing. The cocktail of the month was a Long Island iced tea with fresh coconut water – not particularly traditional but delicious!
Coconut Long Island iced tea. Photo / Mikhal Norriss
Facilities: The resort is set up with almost everything you need. It has an ATM on-site, a pool, a gym, a sauna, outdoor exercise equipment, and a stack of water equipment such as paddleboards and kayaks to use. The Wi-Fi was fast and could be used everywhere. There is ample parking with many spaces directly outside. The team is happy to book taxis for you to head into town, and tours if you want to explore further. There is an onsite spa - Fofo Spa and Sauna. The spa is affordable, so I treated myself to a massage followed by a natural facial. I only wished I’d done it earlier so I could fit another massage in.
The resort sits on its own private island, connected by a short causeway. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
Activities: Guests can pick up the daily newsletter, outlining what the resort has to offer for the day. The activities change daily and they cover a wide range of interests. During our stay, they offered water polo, volleyball, and touch rugby for the sporty types. There were cooking lessons, where guests created local favourites such as vaisu (fish cooked on charcoal) and koko Samoa (local chocolate drink). There were also options to try coconut tree climbing, snorkel lessons and even printing your own lavalava. After dark there was live music, a trivia night and a bonfire evening.
In the neighbourhood: Taumeasina Island Resort is only a five-minute drive from the capital, Apia, which has everything you need if you want some time away from relaxing.
Pool overlooking the sea. Photo / Mikhal Norriss
Family-friendly: With villas featuring full kitchens, the rooms are perfect for families looking for a home-away-from-home experience. The resort offers babysitting services and a variety of kid-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained. The main pool is ideal for older kids, while a shallow area provides a haven for toddlers to splash around. There’s also a small playground and plenty of grassy areas for running and playing. Plus, the resort offers a solid kids’ menu that caters to even the fussiest of eaters, ensuring that every family member has a great time.
Accessibility: The hotel is super wheelchair friendly. The path around the island and in between rooms is paved and easy to navigate, with a ramp down to the pool area. The ground floor accommodation does have a slight step up, but I was told a ramp is easily added for anyone who needs it.
Bedroom. Photo / Taumeasina Island Resort
Sustainability: The body wash, shampoo and moisturiser come in large pumps in the bathroom to avoid single-use plastics. The villas include washing lines on the balcony to dry clothes. Plus, with such a comprehensive setup we found ourselves producing much less rubbish than usual.
