Happy 21st birthday, Sinalei Reef Resort!

22 February 2017, 12:00AM

Samoa’s long-standing premium Resort, Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa, celebrated its 21st birthday with a Beach Party on Sunday.

Held at the scenic Maninoa Beach, the event was well attended by members of the community and friends of the resort.

There were plenty of entertainment provided by the likes of local and international acts including Samposium and The Silva Bullet and others.

The event was opened to all members of the public.

“Our 21st birthday is an exciting occasion for us all at Sinalei,” said Sose Annandale, Sinalei Reef Resort & Spa Director.

“It’s a special milestone and we are proud to be one of the longest standing luxury boutique resorts on island.” 

“We’d like to extend a heart-felt thank you to our extended Sinalei family that consists of our talented team, partners, our much-loved guests and of course our sponsors Taula and Digicel who have all contributed so much.’’ 

 

About Sinalei 

Sinalei is a locally owned Boutique Resort nestled within a sheltered lagoon along the Southern coast of Upolu Island, a mere stone throw from Apia and Faleolo International Airport. 

The Resort is an icon of Samoa, a utopia where beach marries rainforest, and lovingly appointed villas nestle amongst our lush tropical surrounds. 

“But we are so much more than what treats the eye. We are a love story featuring the surrounding villages and starring the people of our Sinalei community. But to truly understand who we are, we must first tell the tale of where we come from,” reads its website.

“The story of our land begins far before the birth of our resort. Dating back to the days of Malietoa (The Samoan King), Le Ufi Sa was considered a place where the King and his warriors would come and feast on the sacred yams that grew wild.

As the tale goes, they believed the yams gave them special powers that would prepare them for adversaries that threatened their precious islands.”

“Some 200 years on, this sacred ground would continue to serve as a source of empowerment as a young Samoan merchant with a dream to free his beloved nation from foreign rule began his fight for Samoa’s independence.

This young man was the grandfather of Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale, the co-owner and founder of Sinalei.”

“As history has a habit of repeating itself, Joe and his wife Tui, who was tragically lost in the 2009 Tsunami, would in 1994 draw on the mystical properties of this land, to begin a fight of their own. A fight to honour the good works of their forefathers.

A fight to realise a dream against all odds. A fight to create Sinalei.” 

“With little more than a vision of a small mom and pop retreat, Joe and Tui went to work on the land. For two long years they lived in an open fale on the property with no gas, no running water, an open fire for cooking, simply living off the land. Every day inching closer to their dream of a tropical themed escape.”

“Fueled by a yearning to pay homage to their Samoan heritage and inspired by memories of plantation life, Joe and Tui would finally open Sinalei’s local and picturesque doors in 1996.”

“From its humble beginnings, a dream held by this loving pair of a few shacks along the beach has evolved into 29 beautiful abodes. A dream no longer theirs alone but one that is shared by family and community alike. A dream brought to life by the people of the villages who have stood by the resort through thick thin. Through cyclones, tsunamis and personal hardship, Sinalei and the people that make this special place, stand as one.”

“So when you visit with us, you visit the people of Samoa. You visit the people who make up the villages of our great island home. You visit family.”

“To this day, our sacred land and family continue to empower Sinalei for the battles at hand, constantly evolving our beautiful story. Our hope is that when you visit Sinalei, the healing powers of our shores and kindness of our people, relax, rejuvenate and prepare you, for your very own endeavors. That when you visit, you become a part of our story, as much as we become a part of yours. “ 

Visit www.sinalei.com

22 February 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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