GUNUNG · Samoa
Mount Vaea
Mauga Vaea
Source—
- Feels like
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- Wind
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Source: Open-Meteo
Information
- Elevation
- 472 m
- Country
- Samoa (WS)
- Location / Range
- Sekitar 3 km ke pedalaman dari Apia, pantai utara-tengah Pulau Upolu
- Mountain type
- Bukit berhutan (cagar alam pemandangan) yang menaungi Kota Apia di pulau vulkanik Upolu — masyhur sebagai lokasi makam Robert Louis Stevenson
- Volcanic?
- No (non-volcanic)
- Coordinates
- -13.8667, -171.7667
- Difficulty
- Mudah–sedang: jalur pendek ~30–50 menit ke puncak, tetapi menanjak tajam dan licin saat basah
- Best Season
- Musim kemarau Mei–Oktober; jalur bisa sangat licin saat hujan
- Permits & Rules
- Akses lewat kawasan Museum Robert Louis Stevenson / Vailima (tiket kecil); jalur pendakian ke makam umumnya gratis
- Hazards
- Tanjakan curam yang licin saat basah, kelembapan tinggi, dan bagian akhir menuju makam yang cukup terjal
Description
Mount Vaea (Mauga Vaea) is a 472-metre forested hill overlooking Apia, the capital of Samoa, about 3 km inland on the island of Upolu. Its summit is best known as the final resting place of the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who spent the last four years of his life in Samoa until his death on 3 December 1894; the day after, Samoans carried his coffin to the summit for burial. The ashes of his wife Fanny were later laid beside him in 1915. The steep path up to the grave is known as the 'Road of Loving Hearts'. Today Mount Vaea is a scenic reserve and one of Apia's most popular walks: visitors can choose a short but steep route (~30 minutes) or a gentler one (~50 minutes) that winds through dense tropical rainforest past a huge banyan tree, rewarded at the top with sweeping views over Apia, its valleys and mountains, and the Pacific Ocean.
Gallery
Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.
Routes
Jalur landai sisi kiri (via pohon banyan)
Mudah–sedang — lebih landai, menembus hutan hujanA gentler alternative to Stevenson's grave, taking about 50 minutes as it winds through dense tropical rainforest past a huge banyan tree before joining the final climb. It suits those wanting an easier walk while enjoying the forest, though the last section can still be slippery when wet.
SourceJalur pendek sisi kanan ('Road of Loving Hearts')
Sedang — pendek tapi curam, licin saat basahThe quickest route to Robert Louis Stevenson's grave at the summit of Vaea, known as part of the 'Road of Loving Hearts'. It is shorter but steeper and can be very slippery when wet. It starts from the grounds of the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum at Vailima and ends at the white stone tomb, with views over Apia and the Pacific.
SourceClimbing Experiences
Hikers' accounts of Mount Vaea centre almost entirely on the pilgrimage to Robert Louis Stevenson's grave at the summit. Many stress the two path options: a shorter, steeper route on the right-hand side (~30 minutes) and a gentler left-hand route (~50 minutes) that winds through tropical rainforest past a large banyan tree. The most common complaint is the tiring climb and ground that turns slippery when wet, but almost everyone judges it worthwhile once at the top: Stevenson's white stone tomb inscribed with his poem 'Requiem', set against sweeping views of Apia, its valleys and the Pacific. The walk usually begins from the grounds of the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum at Vailima.
References
The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.