Talofa! Welcome to the cradle of Polynesia—Samoa, a breathtaking island nation in the South Pacific. There are around 220,000 people living here, and the capital is Apia, located on the island of Upolu. The official languages are Samoan and English, and the culture is deeply guided by Fa’a Samoa (The Samoan Way), a traditional code of conduct and community.

Samoa covers about 2,842 square kilometers (1,097 square miles). The country is roughly the same size as the state of Rhode Island in the U.S., or about one-tenth the size of Belgium. It consists of two main islands, Upolu and Savai’i, along with several smaller, uninhabited islets, all formed by volcanic activity.

The most popular sport is Rugby Union, and the national team, Manu Samoa, is famous worldwide for their pre-match “Siva Tau” war dance. Their national animal is the Manumea (Tooth-billed pigeon), a rare bird often called the “Little Dodo” of Samoa.

The flag consists of a red field with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist corner containing five white stars of the Southern Cross, where the white stars represent the Southern Cross constellation, the blue symbolizes freedom, and the red stands for courage.

The food is fresh, tropical, and often cooked in an Umu (an above-ground stone oven). You must try Oka, a refreshing dish of raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut cream. Another favorite is Palusami, which consists of young taro leaves filled with coconut cream and onions, wrapped in foil or breadfruit leaves and baked until tender. For a snack, locals love Panipopo, sweet buns soaked in coconut milk.

Samoa is home to the To Sua Ocean Trench, a spectacular 30-meter deep natural swimming hole connected to the ocean by an underground tunnel. The country features Mount Matavanu on Savai’i, where you can walk across vast, undulating lava fields created by an eruption in the early 1900s. You can visit the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, the former home of the Treasure Island author who fell so in love with Samoa that he spent his final years here and was buried atop Mount Vaea. Interestingly, Samoan culture features a unique third-gender category known as Fa’afafine, who play a vital and respected role in traditional society.

From the thunderous Alofaaga Blowholes to the white sands of Lalomanu Beach, Samoa is a land of ancient customs and Pacific paradise. Fa’afetai! That means “Thank you!”