Encounter with Robert Louis Stevenson & Mont Vaea

Highlights / General details

Immerse yourself in the domain and life of famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, from his former mansion built in 1890, now a Museum, to the adjacent Botanical Gardens. Climb the Road of the Loving Heart to his resting place on Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve. Visit the Vailima Botanical Gardens. Climb the Road of Loving Hearts to the top of the Mont Vaea Scenic reserve in its lush mountain forest. Reflect on your encounter at the tomb of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and explore the gardens of Villa Vailima, his famous house. Visit the Robert Louis Stevenson villa now a Museum.

Inclusion

English speaking guide; Transport & Entrance fees as indicated; Water bottle: 1 per person.

Exclusion

Items of personal nature; Tips or gratuities for drivers or guide .

Hours of operation

Available: Tuesday, Thursday; Start time at 8:30am-9:00am. No tour departures:

Duration

Approximately 3 hours.

Location Meeting point: Samoa Tourism Authority information Fale, Beach Road, Apia. Finish point: Samoa Tourism Authority information Fale, Beach Road, Apia.

Itinerary Samoa was the chosen resting place of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, known for his famous novels "Treasure Island" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" among others. Relive the era of Robert Louis Stevenson on the site where he spent the last five years of his life, the famous "Villa Vailima" and on the mountain where he is buried. The tour starts at the Samoan Tourism Fale and departs at 9:00am. We will drive on Cross-Island Road until the location of the museum through the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum gates and avenue until reaching the Vailima Botanical Gardens at the Information fale of the Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve. We will take you through the Vailima Botanical Gardens, a hike of the "Trail of Loving Hearts" built by Samoan chiefs to carry Robert Louis Stevenson's coffin to the top of Mount Vaea, where he wanted to be buried. The ashes of his wife Fanny Osborne (known to Samoans as Aolele or Floating Clouds) were also buried beside her husband. Mount Vaea, a lush green mountain is a National Park and you will have a chance to see much of Samoa's rainforest trees and birds and reach for an encounter with Robert Louis Stevenson on top of the mountain and read his epitaph with a great view of the eastern part of Upolu. The hike back will take you across the grounds and gardens of the Villa Vailima - the restored house of Robert Louis Stevenson and now a Museum entirely dedicated to his life in Samoa, where his story and the one of his American wife Fanny, and their Samoan friends will be told. Once the visit of the Museum is completed you can wonder on the grounds and/or visit the gallery of last century photographs until the call to join your transfer back to the Samoa Tourism Fale in central Apia.

Participation restrictions Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively. Children below 6 years are not permitted on this tour.

Additional Information For this tour, good hiking or sports shoes, hat, and light raincoat is best. Please be aware that dress standards are conservative throughout Samoa. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing, covering shoulder and knees. Women should avoid wearing swimsuits or skimpy clothing away from the beach. Men should wear light shirt, polo or T-shirts with long or knee-length shorts, or local sarong (lava lava).

Itinerary

Samoa was the chosen resting place of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, known for his famous novels "Treasure Island" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" among others. Relive the era of Robert Louis Stevenson on the site where he spent the last five years of his life, the famous "Villa Vailima" and on the mountain where he is buried. The tour starts at the Samoan Tourism Fale and departs at 9:00am. We will drive on Cross-Island Road until the location of the museum through the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum gates and avenue until reaching the Vailima Botanical Gardens at the Information fale of the Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve. We will take you through the Vailima Botanical Gardens, a hike of the "Trail of Loving Hearts" built by Samoan chiefs to carry Robert Louis Stevenson's coffin to the top of Mount Vaea, where he wanted to be buried. The ashes of his wife Fanny Osborne (known to Samoans as Aolele or Floating Clouds) were also buried beside her husband. Mount Vaea, a lush green mountain is a National Park and you will have a chance to see much of Samoa's rainforest trees and birds and reach for an encounter with Robert Louis Stevenson on top of the mountain and read his epitaph with a great view of the eastern part of Upolu. The hike back will take you across the grounds and gardens of the Villa Vailima - the restored house of Robert Louis Stevenson and now a Museum entirely dedicated to his life in Samoa, where his story and the one of his American wife Fanny, and their Samoan friends will be told. Once the visit of the Museum is completed you can wonder on the grounds and/or visit the gallery of last century photographs until the call to join your transfer back to the Samoa Tourism Fale in central Apia.

Participation restrictions Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively. Children below 6 years are not permitted on this tour.

Location

Meeting point: Samoa Tourism Authority information Fale, Beach Road, Apia. Finish point: Samoa Tourism Authority information Fale, Beach Road, Apia.

Itinerary Samoa was the chosen resting place of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, known for his famous novels "Treasure Island" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" among others. Relive the era of Robert Louis Stevenson on the site where he spent the last five years of his life, the famous "Villa Vailima" and on the mountain where he is buried. The tour starts at the Samoan Tourism Fale and departs at 9:00am. We will drive on Cross-Island Road until the location of the museum through the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum gates and avenue until reaching the Vailima Botanical Gardens at the Information fale of the Mount Vaea Scenic Reserve. We will take you through the Vailima Botanical Gardens, a hike of the "Trail of Loving Hearts" built by Samoan chiefs to carry Robert Louis Stevenson's coffin to the top of Mount Vaea, where he wanted to be buried. The ashes of his wife Fanny Osborne (known to Samoans as Aolele or Floating Clouds) were also buried beside her husband. Mount Vaea, a lush green mountain is a National Park and you will have a chance to see much of Samoa's rainforest trees and birds and reach for an encounter with Robert Louis Stevenson on top of the mountain and read his epitaph with a great view of the eastern part of Upolu. The hike back will take you across the grounds and gardens of the Villa Vailima - the restored house of Robert Louis Stevenson and now a Museum entirely dedicated to his life in Samoa, where his story and the one of his American wife Fanny, and their Samoan friends will be told. Once the visit of the Museum is completed you can wonder on the grounds and/or visit the gallery of last century photographs until the call to join your transfer back to the Samoa Tourism Fale in central Apia.

Participation restrictions Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively. Children below 6 years are not permitted on this tour.

Additional Information For this tour, good hiking or sports shoes, hat, and light raincoat is best. Please be aware that dress standards are conservative throughout Samoa. To respect this and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend modest clothing, covering shoulder and knees. Women should avoid wearing swimsuits or skimpy clothing away from the beach. Men should wear light shirt, polo or T-shirts with long or knee-length shorts, or local sarong (lava lava).

Policies This tour is offered on a "join-in" basis. Maximum group size is 12. If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.

All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation