Samoa Travel Guide

Samoa is a compact collection of two large and four small islands with neighbouring American Samoa having one large island and a smaller group of rarely visited islands. Of the three main large islands, all can be explored on a day tour, but to experience the magnificent Samoan way of life and get out on some of the coastal walks, at least two weeks is recommended.


Upolu is the main island in Samoa, with Apia, the capital on the north coast and the international airport at Faleolo, 35km to the east. Apia is a sprawling town of satellite suburbs and villages. Its focus is along its beautiful harbour setting where the major concentration of Samoa hotels and restaurants are found as well as the offshore Palolo National Marine Reserve which is a great snorkelling and diving spot. The south coast is more rural and has some quiet coastal villages and stunning tropical palm fringed beaches, some with good offshore surfing and a few small hotels and resorts alongside pleasant sandy beaches and lots of simple beach fales (bungalows) run by locals. The interior of Upolu is hilly with several villages, waterfalls and lovely forest trails.


Neighbouring Savai'i lies 22km from Upolu's western tip. Ferries take about an hour and a half, and flights from Apia just 20 minutes. Savai'i is larger than Upolu but much of the island is wild. Savai'i is even more traditional than Upolu and many villages operate beach fales (bungalows) which allows visitors to sample their wonderful way of life. The rainforest here is fantastic and accessible by walking trails and guided 4WD tour. There are several active volcanoes on Savai'i (the last eruption in 1911) and parts of the south and west coast are quite rugged with lava flows and blowholes. The best beaches, surfing breaks and snorkelling are along the north and south west coasts where it is custom to pay a small fee to the local village to use them.


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