Samoa - Digitally Disconnect in this South Pacific Paradise
Have you ever heard of Samoa? No, not America Samoa - just Samoa. Well we hadn’t either and that is probably because it is dwarfed by islands like Fiji or Bora Bora. Samoa is easily accessed from New Zealand and Fiji, but also from Hawaii. We didn’t know much about Samoa before heading off, except that it was supposed to be cheaper than other South Pacific islands but with the same amazing beaches and crystal clear waters. Once we landed we were quickly greeted with those crystal clear waters and were immersed in their culture, colors and tropical heat.
the basics
To spare you surprises, we’ve jotted down a few keys bits you should know before arriving:
Cash is king on the island. There were few places we found that took debit/credit cards. Outside of Apia and the airport, ATMs are sparse, like really sparse. So plan ahead and get out all the money you need if you aren’t going to be spending time in Apia. Here’s some examples of prices: local beer ($5-10 WST), budget lunch ($30 WST per person), resort lunch ($50 WST per person), beach fee ($10-15 per person).
Wifi is a luxury. But seriously, only the high end resorts offer complimentary wifi. Otherwise you need to rely on either phone data or purchase wifi cards . However, both the cell service and wifi hotspots are sporadic and slow. Wifi is through a provider called BlueSky/BlueZone, and at a minimum will cost you $20 WST for 2 hours of pretty slow internet. The data you get through a temporary visitor SIM card is definitely not worth it.
Accommodation is basic. Since our travels were disrupted leaving Hawaii we had to book a last minute hotel in Samoa called Return to Paradise Beach Resort. Here the rooms were empty, the beds pretty uncomfortable, and the general amenities were lacking. The free breakfast was also a disappointment. When you spend north of $200 US Dollars per night on accommodation in this small, developing country, you kind of expect something a little special. The rest of the hotels we stayed in were about $40 USD a night and were comparable to what you would expect for $40 USD - shared bathrooms, basic beds, basic meals. We will talk about our specific hotels later on in the article.
Fales are everywhere! A Fale is basically a thatched hut. Some have walls but most are just open aired pavilions made of columns and a thatched roof. A lot of houses have Fales in the front that they use as a hang out space, shade from sun when working outdoors or as a place to hang laundry. You can rent Fales at beaches for the day/by the hour from the locals or there are specific hotels that offer fales that you can rent and sleep in.
apia
Apia, the capital of Samoa, is not a bustling city but in comparison to the rest of the island it may seem that way; there’s even a McDonald’s in town. We stayed at the Outrigger Hotel, which we found perfectly acceptable. The staff at the Outrigger were friendly and the included breakfast was always delicious. There are a number of room options, so be careful when booking - there’s outdoor fales (shared bathroom), indoor rooms (shared bathroom), and indoor rooms with ensuite.
One of our favourite things to do on this trip can actually be found in Apia. The Samoa Cultural Village stood out as educational and fun, as well as a cheap activity (free, except for donations at the end) if you are on a budget (like us!). The tours run from 10:30am to 1:30pm - be sure to arrive on time otherwise you’ll miss the first activity (like we did). Each fale you enter hosts a different Samoan tradition.
Fale #1- Basket making (which we missed).
Fale #2- Tattoos. Tattoo artists were giving real traditional Samoan tattoos to two men while we were there, and for that reason, you must obey the rules of no photography, no standing, no shoes or hats.
Fale #3- Cooking. The guides take the group through the process of traditional cooking, coconut husking, and fire making.
Fale #4- Wood carving. You can buy the bowls that they are making right in front of you.
Fale #5 - Paper making and cloth printing demonstration. One of the Samoan women strip the bark from a small tree and stretches it out through a very manual and physical process, turning it into paper.
You finish up at the main fale where you enjoy a traditional Samoan dance and music show, while eating the food that was prepared in fale three. We would highly recommend this experience to anyone traveling to Samoa.
We also made the 15-minute drive to the Papase’ea Sliding Rocks. We went later in the day so it wasn’t too busy. Later on we enjoyed a tasty pizza from Giordano’s, where you can indulge in everyday pizzas or something a little more unique - e.g. coconut cream chicken.
Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the Robert Louis Stevenson museum because it is closed on Sundays and only open until 12pm on Saturday. But we’ve heard it is a worthy experience and you get to learn more about the history of Samoa.
Note: The Chef John food tour isn’t available anymore. We had read on blogs about this food tour through the Apia produce markets and then to the cave pools where Chef John cooks lunch while you enjoy a dip in the refreshing cave pools. Unfortunately after trying many times to call and contact Chef John, as well as having our hotel try and call, it appears he is no longer doing this.
upolo
Outside of Apia there’s a whole island to explore! We parked ourselves in the south-east corner at a hotel called Taufua Fales. Taufua offer fales (a hut) on the beach or more sturdy housing across the road up against the hillside. Most of the beachside (literally on the beach steps from the waves) fales are just a hut with a mattress and mosquito net. There are shared bathrooms and showers, and by showers I mean basically a hose and cold water only.
For us, Taufua Fales was a highlight of our trip. For $30 a night for 2 people we had crystal clear warm water at our footstep and were served family-style meals for breakfast and dinner. We also got the chance to meet a lot of different travelers of all ages (don’t think hostel, it was a mix of families, young and older adults). They offer massages ($20 WST) and kayaks ($20 WST), but other than that most people just kickback, relax, enjoy a good book or work on their tan.
On Wednesday evenings the village put on a FiaFia show after dinner. Their FiaFia show is a traditional Samoan dance and music show, however Taufua have blended it with some more modern elements - for example one dance was performed to the Footloose soundtrack. They do ask for donations at the end, and since the show was entertaining it's worth a small donations that goes directly to the family and boys performing in the show.
Samoa’s scenery is what you would expect. There are many deserted sandy white beaches that edge up to crystal clear water and towering waterfalls in dense rainforest to explore. However, the beaches, rainforest, waterfalls, and every other part of nature belongs to the closest village. And that means you’ll have to cough over a few Samoan Tala (WST) to enjoy it. We drove by an empty white sand beach and decided to stop. Seeing no one around we made ourselves comfortable. Next thing we know, we were startled by a local man that approached us. He was there to collect the fee. The fee to these natural beauties range from $10-20 WST per person. In some cases we felt a little ripped off - but this is how their villages make money.
Two of these paid attractions we really enjoyed were To Sua Ocean Trench and Namua Island. To Sua Ocean Trench is the very instagrammable water hole; similar to a cenote in Mexico. The Trench costs $20 WST per person, but the grounds are very well maintained and you can enjoy a nice picnic there before/after a dip in the Trench. The Trench itself is down a quite steep wooden ladder, that can also be slippery, so be careful when going up or down. But when you get down there it is truly spectacular. It is suggested you go when the tide is low, otherwise the Trench will have a strong tidal current that drags you back and forth.
The other must do is Namau Island. Namau Island is a small island off the east coast of Upolo. To get there you must get a rinky-dink boat across the clear blue stretch of water, where you can spot sea turtles up close. Once you hop off the boat you must pay for access to the beach (which includes the roundtrip boat fare)- $40 WST per person and $10 WST for the car park. Enjoy the quiet secluded beach, and don’t forget to bring your snorkel and mask so you can go swimming with the sea turtles!
savai’i
Our time spent on Savai’i was not how we intended and that’s why we had a pretty disappointing experience. We were originally staying on the island for the first two nights of our trip but flight delays/cancellations altered our plans. So instead we tried to see the island in one day - really a half day. Doing this is not recommended!
First off, the only way to get across to Savai’i (pronounced Sava-ee) is by ferry from the wharf on the west coast. The ferry, which is for both passengers and vehicles, is more for vehicles - so those going on foot don’t expect to be comfortable for the hour and 15 minute trip. The ferry runs about five times a day, once every two hours; make sure to check the schedule well ahead of your expected departure. Also, even though you can pre-book your cars place on the ferry of your choosing, it doesn’t seem like there is a system in place at the wharf and it is on a first come first served basis. And don’t rely on getting the last ferry back to Upolo if that’s your plan, and if you do, then ensure you get there at a minimum one hour before the scheduled departure - you don’t want to miss the last ferry because it is full.
We got to Savai’i after about a 75 minute journey, and on the other side you have very little choice (if you didn’t bring your car over), hire a taxi to take you around the island, figure out the local bus system, or rent your own car for the day (these are not at the wharf). The local buses looked charming but also slow, and we were tight on time already. We begrudgingly opted to hire a taxi to take us to a couple of sights and around the island back to the wharf in time for the 4pm ferry. It cost us 250 WST (or about $130 USD).
We spent most of the time in the back of the taxi. Since we were tight on time we chose to see the lava fields and the canopy walkway. At each sight we spent about 10 minutes, one because of our tight schedule but also because there wasn’t really that much to see or do. The lava field cost 5 WST per person, while the canopy walkway cost 20 WST. Neither of which we would highly recommend, but if you have time then why not.
final thoughts
Before heading to the airport for your departing flight, the Sheraton Resort near the airport is a nice place to hang out. To use the pool it’s 20 WST per person, otherwise you’re free to lounge and order food and drinks.. There’s also complimentary WiFi!
As a result of reading many blogs about a trip to Samoa, our expectations that the Samoan people are super friendly were high - on our trip we were sorely let down. The famed Samoan hospitality that we had read about was nowhere to be found. This left us feeling like we don’t have a need to revisit this island, when normally we leave a destination itching to go back.