Sa'anapu-Sataoa Mangrove Forest

The mangroves behind Sa'anapu and Sataoa on Upolu's south coast form one of the largest surviving stands in the country, protected under an agreement between the two villages and the government since the 1990s, and the channels through them are paddled by kayak from the village landings. Herons, kingfishers and crabs use the forest, and a boardwalk runs into part of it. The mangroves shelter the lagoon and the fish nursery behind the reef.

What you actually see

• The mangrove channels - the waterways paddled by kayak from the villages.
• The boardwalk - the raised route into part of the forest on foot.
• The birdlife - herons and kingfishers working the channels.
• The village agreement - the protection arrangement between the two villages.

When to go

May to October is the drier season. Paddling depends on the tide. Village arrangements set the access hours.

Honest expectations

Kayaks and access must be arranged with the village and are not always available. Mosquitoes are heavy at dawn and dusk. The boardwalk has deteriorated in places.

Nearby

O Le Pupu-Pue is east along the coast, and Apia is north.