From above, Samoa is a speck in the midst of an endless South Pacific. From ground level, it’s a surf-rich playground with endless options for exploration and isolation. Check into Sa’Moana Resort and every cliche about tropical paradise applies: welcoming smiles, stunning beaches, palm leaves idly swaying in the heat-soaked atmosphere, mesmerising blue depths plunging from pristine reef. And perfect waves. No complaints here.

The Polynesian Blue Boeing 737 touches down at 1.00 am in the humid Polynesian night, sleep comes at 3.00 am to the lullaby of waves crashing right outside the beachfront fale or bungalow, and by 5.00 am you’re staring out of one of the best backside barrels of your life.

Talofa lava Samoa! Welcome to Samoa!

They say time stands still in this balmy jewel of the South Pacific, 3700km southwest of Hawaii or a five and a half hour flight from Sydney. Maybe it’s because the oppressive humidity slows down the clock like it slows down everything else; maybe it’s just impossible to hurry when every new vista reveals a dreamy beach, a dramatic waterfall, or a peeling reef break greeted by plunging volcanic mountains cloaked in vibrant green.Time does slow down, but Longbreak’s first few hours in Samoa are a wild ride . The 1.00 am flight bounces down to earth in the capital, Apia, and the headlights of the airport transfer van reveal a kaleidoscope of colourful houses painted pink, yellow and blue.

Bleary-eyed dogs scatter and huge churches loom out of the darkness every kilometre of so - a testament to Samoa’s widespread Christian faith. The warm glow of bamboo torches welcomes us to Sa’Moana Resort, a luxury surf camp owned by former Sydney builder and surfer Paul Robertson. Sleep comes eventually, despite the roar of surf breaking on reef 200 metres from the doorstep.

It’s been two hours but it feels like a fiveminute siesta before the 5.00 am knock on the door from our Aussie surf guides Clark and Kelvin. No thoughts of sleeping in though, the tide is right and the swell is firing. Boards are loaded into the Toyota minivan while the Sa’Moana crew of six surfers down an early-bird breakfast of coffee, toast and cereal. To reach a natural harbour where the resort’s 28 foot monohull and 34 foot twin hull powerboats lie at anchor, it’s a twenty minute drive through lush, verdant terrain and villages dotted with fales.

Minutes after arriving, we’re carving a wake through the crystal clear lagoon; so glassy that the soaring rainforest clad volcanic mountains are reflected perfectly in the predawn glow. Thoughts of the stunning beauty of the area are forgotten as the boat slows for our first glimpse of a lefthander named Pebbles, just as the first wave of a meaty overhead set gathers itself, lurches onto the coral and spews out a heaving barrel.

There’s not another surfer or boat in sight. The only company is a lone turtle breaching in the distance and a school of baitfish splashing in their frantic efforts to avoid hunting pelages. “It’s on,” hoots Clark, and there’s a tentative rush to wax up, strap on booties and reach the take-off zone. Excitement wars with caution and the lure of the barrel jousts with the prospect of a painful reef pounding. The wave comes out of deep water and pivots on the reef, forming a thick peak that is only makeable by being deep and committed. No shoulder hopping here.

The water is so clear and the ocean so still, it’s like sliding down solid slabs of air, with the reef perfectly visible and seemingly only inches away as the wave drains. It’s a heavy wave for experienced surfers. Mat, a longboarder from Newcastle, snaps his nine-foot mal, while the session also claims two snapped leg ropes, one missing bootie and a couple of reef scrapes. But these are the epic waves Longbreak spent hours mind surfing on the flight over.

Mat and some of the other surfers had endured a week-long flat spell to score waves like this. Initial nerves dispelled, for the next four mind boggling hours our crew of longboarders and shortboarders swap epic rides, feasting on spinning cylinders and heart-in-your-mouth drops. Clark has the place wired, grabbing rail and backdooring the peak to come screaming out of some amazing barrels. But he shares the waves around, and is a wealth of knowledge about where to sit and how to tackle the break.

Eventually the tide nears low and Pebbles starts to turn off. Despite the spilled blood and snapped board, on the way back to the harbour there is only the excited chatter of surfers telling and retelling their best barrels and worst wipeouts. Longbreak had to laugh out loud. Yesterday, back home, incessant crowds and persistent onshores painted a grim picture for the surf hungry.

Today, everything has changed, thanks to a few short hours at altitude and epic surf burned into the memory banks. In fact, the flight to Samoa had crossed the International Date Line, so this was yesterday. Even better! It’s already been an incredible first day but there is more to come. After lunch at the resort and a much needed siesta, the tide is soon flowing in again and the peaky reef break in front of Sa’Moana - aptly called Resorts - starts to fire. The wave is unusual in that it shifts around, almost like a beach break. It often closes out, but with the right swell direction can produce fast, hollow peaks.

Like Pebbles, it only works on mid to high tide and can get shallow, so booties are a must. But for the two hours until the sun sets in a spectacular blaze behind thunderheads on the horizon, our crew indulges in glassier walls and tubing waves. The smell of sizzling steaks, slabs of fish and chicken kebabs wafts into the lineup as the light fades and the stomach starts rumbling, signalling time to head in for the Sunday night barbecue.

A bottle of the local lager, Vailima, on the timber deck under the swaying leaves of palm trees is the perfect nightcap to a sensational first day. Once again, firelight torches bathe Sa’Moana Resort in a cheery glow and sleep comes to the sound of swell rumbling on the outer reef. Sa’Moana translates as ‘sacred deep blue water’ and there’s plenty of that right on the resort’s doorstep. Sa’Moana is located on the swell-exposed southern side of independent Samoa’s (often referred to as Western) main island, Upolu.

It’s a charming place to stay a dozen steps from the azure waters of the coral fringed lagoon, with fales dotted amongst the coconut palms. If your partner or family needs five-star luxury and all the mod cons, this is not the place to stay, but it’s ideal for anyone content with the essentials in a magical setting. Hammocks are strung up among the trees and snorkelling gear and kayaks are available for a closer inspection of the tropical reef. A large central hall incorporates a deck with stunning ocean views, restaurant, and lounge room complete with couches, a TV, library, fully stocked bar and pool table. The accommodation ranges from double to six-person group or family fales. These are simple wooden constructions with fans, a compost toilet and woven floor mats. But the shower has hot water and there are plenty of windows, so a breeze is usually drifting through - vital for escaping the formidable Samoan heat.

One of the resort’s most alluring features is a saltwater horizon pool carved from a natural basin in the volcanic rock at the lagoon’s edge. From the horizon pool, seeing out the moody Samoan sunsets and ushering in the pastel dawn soon becomes an addiction. With his partner, Romy, former Sydney chef Drew - a gung-ho bodyboarder - runs the restaurant offering quality Western and Samoan fare.

Breakfast included a choice of fruit salad, cinnamon and walnut pancakes, or mushrooms and poached eggs on toasted muffins. The lunch menu had tasty options like salt and pepper squid or tuna sashimi, as well as staples like hamburgers and BLTs. On surf missions, lunch is packed in advance and loaded on the boat or minivan. Imported rib eye steak, Cajun tuna on breadfruit chips, or pan-fried mahi mahi with Samoan vegetables and red pepper are hard to beat for the main meal after a day of surfing and sightseeing. On Fridays, local villagers prepare a traditional Samoan feast for resort guests, consisting of lobster, tuna in coconut cream, and island vegetables - all cooked in an umu or earth oven. The feast was followed by a charming ceremony of singing, dancing and drinking the traditional kava, made from the root of the pepper plant.

At Sa’Moana time slides by in slow motion and it’s all too easy. However, there’s a lot more to a trip to Samoa than chasing perfect waves and simply lazing by the horizon pool. Samoa is perhaps Polynesia at its purest. No other place in the Pacific has clung to its identity and traditions so well in the face of Western influences and poverty appears scarce. Contentment seems to reign supreme in Samoa. Visitors soon become enchanted by the ready smile and warm welcome of every local. Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson described the people as ‘easy, merry, and leisure-loving… Song is almost ceaseless’. Although welcoming of visitors, Samoans hold tightly to their heritage in what is known as fa’a Samoa or the ‘Samoan way’. Kava ceremonies, traditional tattooing and the Sunday umu are still widespread and not just trotted out for tourists at resorts.

Families and those from the same village will often gather and relax together in a central fale; singing and playing music or their unique version of cricket, kirikiti. Samoa is virtually litter-free and Samoans take great pride in their homes and gardens. Sundays are reserved for church and in this deeply Christian society, it’s the one day of the week that surfing is banned at breaks located near villages. Tourism is new in Samoa compared to other South Pacific destinations.

In the 1700s the country was a haven for pirates, whalers and escaped convicts, but now Samoa is a haven for surfers looking for A-class waves without crowds and hassles. Lying near the equator, Samoa is hot and humid all year round. The average annual temperature is 26 °C with plenty of lethargy inducing humidity. Pack rash shirts, zinc and plenty of heavy duty sunscreen to keep the ruthless tropical sun at bay.

The best time to score quality waves is the tail end of the wet season from February to May when south, east and west swells that have formed in the southern reaches of the Pacific, hit Samoa. Samoa, receives swell from all points of the compass, as north swells from Hawaii also reach its shores. At this time of year winds are very light and rarely blow out, with morning and afternoon glass-offs and thunderstorms a daily occurrence.

Crowds are minimal - in fact, for the last four days of a week-long surf safari Longbreak scored the resort and many of the waves, with not another soul in sight. The dry season from May to September cops more swell, occasionally massive, and is more consistent. However, southeast trade winds mean conditions can be blown out, and crowds are more common as Aussie surfers escape the winter blues at home. Despite early season being a bit of a gamble for swell, the surfing gods are smiling on Longbreak.

Day two involves another early morning boat trip to a right-hand reef called Coconuts, which catches any swell and, on its day, can resemble HT’s in Indonesia’s Mentawai islands. Fun, fast right-handers wrap down the reef, with only a handful of other surfers. Again, the ocean resembles sheet glass and not a breath of wind ruffles the polished wave faces.

Later in the week, a westerly wind kicks up and quality deteriorates on the south side reef breaks of Upolu. Luckily, the protected north side of the island is only a forty-five minute drive in the minivan; the narrow bitumen road meandering through villages as smiling school kids wave and demand high-fives out the window. A rough dirt track drops into a spectacular brilliant green valley near the town of Tiavea.

Down in the bay, corduroy lines of whitewater can be seen wrapping into a left on one side, a right on the other, and a heaving A-frame peak in the middle. The left is a little slow and is rarely surfed but has great longboard potential. The right is known as Samoan Sunset and can hold huge swells, but is shifty. The peak in the middle of the bay is another story. Called the Rivermouth because of the cool stream that runs over smooth black boulders nearby, the wave has a sucking, hollow take-off that produces a nice righthand barrel and a shorter left-hand tube in clean or offshore conditions.

During one solitary head-high session, the rainforest misted over and black thunderheads rumbled overhead. Fat raindrops splattered down as the storm front gathered, reversing the light onshore breeze to an offshore that transformed Rivermouth from playful to all-time. The water is balmy, the scenery pure majesty, and the total solitude hard to comprehend as another set rolls in and the peak rifles off an emerald green barrel.

Longbreak tasted a healthy sample of Upolu’s waves but there are plenty of others on offer in the right conditions. Village Lefts is a good wave within walking distance of the resort, while Whackas is a fun left named for its whackable faces. Barras is a hollow right-hander that grows down the line and can produce the barrel of your life, while Spot X is another very hollow right.

Devil’s Island is a long tubing left, while Boulders is a gnarly, left pointbreak that works in a big swell and handles any size. Some of the waves are frequented by board riders from two other surf camps on the island, but most are the exclusive domain of Sa’Moana guests, thanks to the resort’s two powerboats. Other waves with names like Dragon’s Breath and Skin Grafts indicate how heavy some of Samoa’s waves can be - but don’t be put off.

Overall, Samoa offers a mix of fun waves for the intermediate surfer combined with some heavy, hollow waves over shallow reef guaranteed to get the adrenaline flowing in even the most experienced rider. After four days of waves the swell goes AWOL, but there’s plenty to keep surfers occupied during a flat spell. Samoa is a marine paradise and incredibly clear water means diving is a must. Game fi shing charters are also run from the resort, often yielding catches of mahi mahi, yellowfin and dog-tooth tuna, sailfi sh and giant marlin.

The guides have also spotted humpback whales and once snorkelled with a majestic whale shark. Simply kicking back in a hammock, reading a book, lazing over a coconut juice or Vailima and enjoying the breeze in the shade of a palm tree, is also pretty hard to beat. On one fl at day, two surfers decided to take the plunge and get a traditional tattoo. In a fale overlooking the ocean, renowned local tattoo artist Suluape set to work, creating incredibly intricate patterns by using a mallet to strike an ink-coated comb made from sharpened pig tusks.

The excruciating procedure is considered a test of bravery and Samoans believe those who can handle the pain can overcome any hardship in life. Asked how painful it was on a scale of 1 to 10, Brazilian surfer Guilherme uttered ‘20 or 30’ through clenched teeth. But when the bleeding stopped and the bruising reduced, he was amazed at the results. For something mellower, the local markets in the capital, Apia, are well worth checking out. Th ere’s a huge selection of fresh fruit and local foods like taro and breadfruit for sale, along with carvings and lavalava or Samoan sarongs.

The best part about the markets, though, is the chance to have a chinwag with the locals, who were happy to chat about their culture, their families or just the intense heat in the market square. Afterwards, wash the sweat off in Upolu’s cool interior, where there are spectacular bush walks, waterfalls and swimming holes perfect for an invigorating plunge.

One natural swimming hole, simply called Sliding Rocks, has a series of three thrilling rock slides that are perfect for fl at day fun. Th e days are a mix of memorable surfs, hammock siestas and lazy afternoons that drift by, seemingly in slow motion. But all too soon it is time to leave this paradise of the South Pacifi c. Pondering the trip home over a cold Vailima coated in dew drops and a saluting a lazy sunset from the horizon pool, it is pretty clear Samoa has a lot to off er the travelling surfer.

While the surf can lack consistency, on its day Samoa can be as good as anywhere in the world, with half a dozen blokes in the line-up, in a country that’s safe, pristine, unspoilt and brimming with friendly locals and indigenous culture. Next time it might be you stepping off a plane in the thick Polynesian night, hearing the welcoming words ‘talofa lava Samoa’, and knowing one of the best barrels of your life could be just hours away.