Pulemelei Mound
A great stone platform on Savai'i, usually described as the largest ancient structure in Polynesia.
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Pulemelei is a stepped platform of basalt blocks around sixty metres by fifty and some twelve metres high, standing on the Letolo plantation in southern Savai'i, and it is usually described as the largest ancient structure in Polynesia. Its purpose is not established; excavation has suggested use over several centuries from around a thousand years ago. Vegetation has repeatedly reclaimed it after clearing, and access depends on how recently that has been done.
What you actually see
- The platform - a stepped basalt mound around sixty by fifty metres.
- The scale - usually described as the largest ancient structure in Polynesia.
- The unclear purpose - a monument whose function is still argued about.
- The plantation setting - the Letolo estate the mound stands on.
When to go
May to October is the drier season and the track is more passable. Vegetation grows back fast in the wet season. Access depends on recent clearing.
Honest expectations
The mound is frequently overgrown to the point of being hard to see or reach. Access has been disputed between landowners and closed at times. There is no interpretation on site.
Nearby
Moso's Footprint is on the same plantation, and Salelologa is east.
What to pack for Pulemelei Mound
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.