Nestled above Apia, the capital of Samoa, the retreat is dedicated to luxury hospitality. Featuring seven architecturally unique villas, the property will offer its guests a variety of amenities, including private infinity pools.

Known to the audience as one of the judges of MasterChef: The Professionals and Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, Monica Galetti is also an Ambassador for the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA). She was born in Samoa and raised in New Zealand, where she has built her culinary career, deeply influenced by her Samoan heritage.

Over the course of 2025, she will be working with Moanalei’s culinary team to design a new menu, focused on celebrating Pacific flavours through a contemporary and innovative way of thinking. Caitlin Lei Sam, founder and designer of Moanalei Villas, expressed her excitement about the new partnership and highlighted that she sees this as a “dream.”

Chef Galetti will train TASI’s culinary team, together with Moanalei’s Head Chef, to further help develop the menu for the inauguration day. She will focus on using local, seasonal ingredients to enhance traditional Samoan flavours.

“Her culinary artistry and deep respect for her Samoan heritage align beautifully with our vision for TASI—a restaurant that tells our story with elegance, authenticity, and soul,” further commented Lei Sam.

Chef Galetti will also be joined by her spouse and professional partner, David Galetti, a hospitality director and experienced sommelier. He will oversee staff training, curate the beverage selection, and help create a welcoming and attentive service that reflects Moanalei’s dedication to offering guests unique experiences.

“This is a collaboration that is very dear to me,” said Monica Galetti. “It’s a way for me to reconnect with my Samoan roots and share the skills and knowledge I’ve gained over the years. David and I are incredibly excited to work with the Moanalei team to create something truly special together.”

Once open, TASI will offer seasonal menus complemented by panoramic views of Samoa’s mountains and oceans, providing an ambience as unforgettable as the food. TASI will not only be a luxury restaurant, but it will also be a place that will give visitors a genuine taste of the warmth and hospitality of the Samoan people.

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“This exceptional partnership with Monica and David is a powerful statement about the quality and creativity that Samoa has to offer. It not only puts Samoa firmly on the global culinary map but also showcases the luxury side of our destination in a way that honours its people, heritage, and natural beauty,” stated Alison Cryer, Managing Director for the Samoa Tourism Authority European Office.

L’article Chef Monica Galetti joins forces with Samoa’s premier new luxury retreat est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The effects of climate change are already visible on this island, affecting the plants that grow along its coastline and in its low-lying areas. Saltwater erosion, droughts and accelerated coastal erosion are disrupting the ecological conditions necessary for pandanus to grow. These factors lead to reduced soil fertility and increased salinity, creating a survival-of-the-fittest scenario for the plants.

“Climate change is profoundly impacting coastal communities in Samoa”, says conservationist Alofa Paul. “Rising sea levels and increased storm intensity are making conditions increasingly unsuitable for pandanus cultivation”.

Used by generations of women to weave traditional mats for ceremonies, pandanus plays a crucial role in village life. Women fear that if this trend continues, they will have no legacy to pass on to the next generation.

More than a shift in flora, the loss of pandanus would also mean the loss of a way of life, as the leaves are prepared for weaving in the community. Women spend their days together harvesting, dethroning, sun-drying, splitting, and coiling the leaves for storage.

“Across the Pacific, women have always held rich cultural knowledge, from weaving fine mats to working with traditional textiles,” says Alison Davidian, UN Women Representative in the Pacific.

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In October 2024, the Commonwealth adopted the Apia Ocean Declaration, calling for a global effort to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, as well as tackling pollution and overexploitation.

Key aspects of the declaration included a commitment from all members to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, reduce plastic pollution and implement climate adaptation measures, especially for vulnerable communities.

Samoa’s Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, welcomed the declaration, stating that “the ocean makes up 96% of our region, and we are among the first to most immediately suffer the impacts of climate change.”

Christopher Cocker echoed her words, identifying climate change as the biggest threat to Pacific communities, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres accused developed nations of being responsible for the damage and rising sea levels, noting that “the small [Pacific] islands don’t contribute to climate change, but everything that happens because of climate change is multiplied here.”

Since the declaration, the island has established new marine protected areas (MPAs), covering roughly 30% of the country’s ocean, as stipulated in the declaration. All fishing activities are prohibited in these MPAs, creating sanctuary areas for marine species and ecosystems in an effort to comply with the declaration. Samoa has also committed to sustainably manage 100% of its waters, in a plan that will integrate traditional management systems and protect deep trenches, underwater seamounts and coral reefs, home to a variety of endangered species.

Yet here we are, almost a year later, and the situation appears unchanged, despite the measures Samoa has taken to protect its environment. Even the women of the community have begun noticing the gradual changes. “We can see a slow shift,” says Tutorial Musa, a weaver with the Neiafu women’s committee.

The hope now lies in continued commitment to marine conservation and climate adaptation. If these efforts are sustained, Musa and other weavers may still be able to pass on their cultural heritage and expertise to future generations.

L’article Rising sea levels threaten Samoan cultural heritage est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Commonwealth tour has been a classic in the British royal agenda for years. For 2024, the tour was originally also meant to include New Zealand and Fiji. Due to the King’s health issues (Charles III was diagnosed with cancer), however, the voyage will be contained to Australia and Samoa and will only last for ten days. The royals will first stop in the  Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, before heading to Samoa where they will be attending the Commonwealth heads of government meeting on 21 October.

“The Queen and I look forward to our visit to Samoa alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October, and our visit to Australia”, Charles said during the King’s Speech at parliament on 17 July.

Even though the name of the resort where Charles and Camilla will be staying when in Samoa hasn’t been revealed for safety reasons, according to The Telegraph, the premises do have their downsides. Reviews mention that the staff is friendly, however, the facilities are run down, the bed linen musty and the air conditioning rattly. Moreover, the food seems to be “bland and tasteless”.

Of course the resort has been chosen for a reason. Despite its outdatedness, it is located next to some of the island’s sandy beaches and within a lagoon. As far as the food goes, it has a “farm and ocean to plate” ethos, something King Charles greatly appreciates. Finally, compared to many other resorts, there is an obvious sustainability programme, including sustainable waste systems and village tree planting days.

“We have to acknowledge the circumstances as it is and work for ways to make it better,” the hotel’s manager told The Telegraph. “The accommodations and other plans will be of the highest calibre.”

The resort has now been granted 300,000 Samoan Talas (99,000 euros) in government funding meant to give the premises an update. That money comes from the national budget for the Commonwealth Meeting, totalling 20 million Talas (6.6 million euros). It will be used to give the presidential suite a much-needed make-over, as well as the driveway, the spa facilities and the swimming pool. If approved by the British High Commission, the staff also plans a traditional “ava” drinking ritual to welcome the royal pair. However, so far, the government funding hasn’t arrived yet and only time will tell whether or not the renovation works will be completed in time.

L’article Samoan hotel prepares for Charles and Camilla stay with much-needed upgrade est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Small has been stuck since March on the tropical island of Upolu, Samoa, because of the travel restrictions linked to Covid-19 pandemic. Upolu is the second largest of the Samoan Islands, in Polynesia, South Pacific; a modest vacation destination made of beaches, crystal clear waters and tropical trees.

In 2016, the British diving instructor Rob Small moved to the island to open a diving and water sports center called Pure Ocean, reported English news outlet, the Daily Mail.

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Since then, he had been spending part of the year in Upolu, and also in the southwest London, where his four-year-old son and his wife live. He usually spends two months in Samoa and two months in London, he told the media.

In February of this year, he traveled to Samoa, as he used to do, only to learn that on March 26^th, the Samoan government banned all international travel to and from the islands by plane. Thanks to the complete closure of its borders, Samoa has not registered any cases of coronavirus, but tourism has nearly ”died”, Small said. His company is about to go bankrupt.

Even without any contagion cases, Samoa is still in a state of emergency, and as far as Rob Small knows, this could be the case until 2021. Due to the current global travel restrictions, “it is almost impossible to return home,” Small said.

Usually your trip back to the UK takes about 38 to 50 hours, depending on the transfer times, and involves flying to Sydney or Auckland and then connecting to Singapore before flying to London: a world of obstacles, as you can see. Recently, the man has even been assaulted.

Though practically being bankrupt, the unfortunate situation has made brought about some important lessons for him. “Paradise is having family and close friends around. It’s the feeling of happiness you only get when you’re in their company,” he said. “When you’re with them, the location is irrelevant”.

L’article Brit in paradise for 6 months: Now he just wants to go home est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.