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Samoa

7

Reasons To
Visit Samoa

  • Food

    Samoans love their food and that is reflected in their restaurants. Menu's may well be limited by availability but everything they have will be freshly caught that day, often simply prepared the food is rarely gourmet but the ingredients are incredible. Weekends revolve around food with Saturday being almost entirely dedicated to the preparations for the enormous Sunday Umu which is often followed by a long sleep by the beach.

    Food

  • Geology

    Samoa sits on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and there is evidence of this everywhere, with Savai'i still being active. A visit the village of Saleaula which was buried by a eruptions between 1905 and 1911 is a strange experience as you walk through buildings on a thick carpet of solid lava.

    Geology

  • Laid back lifestyle

    Few places in the world can be as laid back as Samoa. There is nowhere where you will feel rushed or pushed along and with that comes a wonderfully friendly approach to every aspect of life.

    Laid back lifestyle

  • Rugby

    It does not take long to realise why this tiny island continues to produce such astounding rugby players. The average physique combined with the fact that they learn to play on incredibly hard pitches or the sharp black lava sand makes for some tough and very quick players!

    Rugby

  • Scenery & Landscape

    Samoa is blessed with incredible natural beauty; the unspoilt islands are dominated by rugged mountain ranges, fringed with coral reefs and blue lagoons, stunning beaches, rainforests, lava fields and blow holes. This diverse landscape is the remnants of ancient volcanic activity, and one of the many things that make Samoa the wonderfully unique place it is.

    Scenery & Landscape

  • Surfing

    Because the beaches around the Southern coasts of both Upolu and Savai’i have very little reef protecting them from the waves, Samoa is a surfers paradise. People travel from all over the world to surf here and there are lots of surf schools dotted along the coast.

    Surfing

  • Culture

    Polynesian people are amongst some of the friendliest in the world and there is no better way to experience this first hand than to stroll amongst the flea markets and fresh food markets. Drink Kava with the local people and learn more about every day life in the Polynesian Islands.

    Culture

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Samoa Travel Specialists

Our Samoa specialists are experienced and passionate about the region - between them they have spent many weeks a year researching new experiences and ensuring everything is of the highest standard. They know these islands inside out.

Photo of Lucy

LucySamoa Specialist01993 838 811

Quote startKeep small change on you when visiting local beaches around the island as all are village owned and you are expected to pay a very small fee.Quote end
Read more
Samoa travel specialist - Lucy
Photo of Christopher

ChristopherSamoa Specialist01993 838 807

Quote startThe best way to soak up every day life in Samoa is by hiring a car and embarking on a self-drive tour, allowing you the opportunity to explore at your own pace.Quote end
Read more
Samoa travel specialist - Christopher
  • Lucy
  • Christopher

Practical Information

With a wealth of places to explore in an idyllic setting, Samoa is perfect for those looking for more than just an island getaway.

From the airport on Upolu Island, the capital and principal port of Apia is just a short drive away and well worth a few nights’ stay.

Upolu itself has some fantastic high quality properties and is easy to navigate by hire car, taking in the wonderful sights along the way. Savai’i, Upolu’s larger, but less populated sister island, is about an hour away by ferry.

The accommodation here tends to be simpler but the beaches are superb and the experience well worth the trip.

Under The Skin

Read

'Leaves of the Banyan Tree' by Albert Wendt and 'They who do not grieve' by Sia Figiel.

Listen

Music is everywhere in Samoa. The best place to hear traditional song is by attending a choir practice or church service.

Watch

'Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree' (1990) was adapted from the novel by Albert Wendt. Pepe is a young Samoan living a life of defiance against his father's search for money and success and the Christianity of contemporary Samoan society in favour of the values and beliefs of "traditional" Samoa.

Eat

Talo (taro) is widely used in cooking throughout the islands and chicken and pork and the meats of choice, mostly because they are easy to rear within the villages. The traditional method of cooking is in an umu; a traditional Polynesian earth oven which is above gound (unlike the Fijian lovo or New Zealand hangi).

Drink

Kava is the ceremonial drink which is taken at the important Samoan ceremonies. This non-alcoholic drink is prepared from plant roots and has the slightly disconcerting of effect of making your mouth go numb! If this does not appeal the local beer, Vailima, is very refreshing and much cheaper than international imports.

Word

Talofa (good morning and/or good evening)

Trademarks

Refreshing Vailima beer, lush landscapes, local `kirikiti` cricket, Robert Louis Stevenson, beautiful beaches, friendly faces, technicolour buses, cooling waterholes and flying foxes.

Shopping

Tradional Lava lava (sarong) and pandanas weavings.

Other countries in Australasia:
AustraliaNew ZealandFrench PolynesiaThe Cook IslandsFiji

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