Conservation Brings Results at Return to Paradise Resort

The Return to Paradise Beach has been a stunning location and very popular with visitors for many years, long before the Resort opened in 2014.

The rich coral garden in front of the resort is a fragile eco-system and since the Resort opened, it has been protected by the Resort.

This is paying off. Every year on just two days of the year, the palolo rises from the coral and is harvested by the local village, all along the Lefaga beaches. Palolo is a coral worm and a very special delicacy to Samoans. It tastes like a cross between paua (abalone) and oyster and is eaten on toast like caviar.

In recent years, the harvest has been very average but this year, the harvest was bumper. “There was a huge increase in the amount of palolo this year, which shows our conservation and protection efforts are paying off,” says Resort General Manager Ramona Su’aPale.

As well as the palolo, there have been increasingly frequent visits from sea turtles much to the delight of the guests. The turtles swim right up to the Resort, and in recent weeks, have been coming to shore at night to scout out nesting sites. Sea turtles are like the “canary in the mine” in the sense that increasing visits from sea turtles mean that they are happy with the healthy in-shore environment.

Visit Return to Paradise Resort to explore the rich coral garden and see first hand the effects of careful environmental management, and for more information on Samoa beach resorts, weddings in Samoa and beachfront accommodation Samoa   please visit the website at http://returntoparadiseresort.com/ .