O Le Pupu-Pu’e National Park 'Upolu

The name of this 29-sq-km national park means ‘from the coast to the mountaintop’. There are some superb (if rough) hikes to be had here. A trail (six hours return) winds through thick jungle to Pe’ape’a Cave, a large lava tube inhabited by pe’ape’a (swiftlets); bring a torch. From here, the hardcore can continue along a heavily overgrown trail to Ofa Waterfall (three days return). For a less intense tramp, the 700m Ma Tree Walk ends at a gigantic rainforest tree with huge buttress roots. For the longer walks, a guide, such as Eti from SamoaOnFoot, is essential.At the park’s western boundary, a bumpy 3km unsealed access road (open 7am to 4pm) leads to the magnificently rugged O Le Pupu Lava Coast, where a rocky coastal trail leads along lava cliffs, the bases of which are constantly harassed by enormous waves.