Today, was a “divide and conquer” kind of day. We had many options on our second day here in Samoa, and all options were very satisfying. Birders and scuba divers left while it was still pretty dark. Both experiences were equally incredible. Fish and coral were abundant and healthy, as were birds. Nearly all the endemic Samoan birds were spotted in the forest. What a gorgeous setting.

After breakfast, everyone went off to the botanical gardens and/or the Robert Louis Stevenson house and museum. Birds and butterflies were plentiful in both spots. The buff-banded rails running about were especially comical. Later, most guests went snorkeling in a perfect spot. Corals were healthy and varied, and fish were abundant and colorful. It was a great morning spent exploring Samoa above and below.

In the afternoon, it was time to head west, onwards to the rarely visited Wallis and Futuna.

Photo caption and photographer: The endemic and endangered honeyeater mao. Photo by Mike Greenfelder