Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Cheaper Lodging / Camping Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / American Samoa
bigfoot84 23:27 UTC 17 Jan 2014 | Are there any cheaper options for lodging on American Samoa? Is it possible to camp any place with my own tent? I already know about the no camping in the National Park. Trying to spend three weeks in Samoa and American Samoa but prices seem a little steep! |
budgetkiwi 20:15 UTC 18 Jan 2014 | Yes American Samoa is relatively expensive, prices are in US$ and budget accommodation is about 3 times the price of the same in Samoa. The first 2 trips I made to The Samoa Islands I was coming from the US and I flew into American Samoa, spent a short time there(it is quite a small place anyway) and then flew over to Samoa and spent longer there. Now living in NZ I just fly to Samoa and spend all my time there. Beach side Fales in Samoa start from 50 tala a night fale alone and inclusive with 2 meals about 50-100 tala (average around 70) A cheap guest house with breakfast around Apia starts at 60tala for a single room- way cheaper than American Samoa. The only place i know to camp in Samoa is a place inland called Camp samoa (i havent been because I like somewhere I can swim) You can ask at villages if you can camp but fales are the accepted way to go and with communal land ownership ( there is no public land) it can get complicated check out budgetaccommodationsamoa.com for some info on cheap fales and guest houses The tala is currently running about half the US & AUS dollar but fluctuates a bit. | 1
tch7 21:39 UTC 19 Jan 2014 | I didn't find American Samoa overly expensive a few years back. A little pricier than Samoa, but better value for the money, and you didn't have to constantly deal with the locals trying to take advantage of you. Stayed at Tisa's Barefoot Bar for $50/night including breakfast. There were some cheaper places in Pago, but Tisa's is/was the only fale-type accommodation around. Awesome hosts. Meals I had there and elsewhere on the island were $5-15. Buses are a good way to get around (unlike Samoa) and just a couple of dollars. I don't think camping is available, and even if it were, I'd be very hesitant due to how aggressive the dogs are on the island. | 2
bigfoot84 00:17 UTC 20 Jan 2014 | Thanks for the info. I have a flight that arrives from Hawaii at 930 PM. Do you know if the airport is open 24 hours? I could schedule a flight to Samoa (and maybe from Samoa to Fiji) the following morning and possibly skip one night of lodging? I would check out American Samoa (especially the National Park) on my return. | 3
wksamoa 12:10 UTC 20 Jan 2014 | Staying overnight at Pago-Pago airport is the smallest problem here. The first flight to Apia will leave at 8.30 am and arrive at 10.05 am. The following day though, as you will cross the Dateline. You can arrive at Pago from Honolulu on Friday or Monday evening, so leaving for Apia on Saturday or Tuesday morning, arriving on Sunday or Wednesday. On both these days there are flights to Fiji, but they will have left already before you arrive. When you arrive on Sunday, you can go on to Fiji on Wednesday, 1.40 am; when you arrive on Wednesday, your first option will be on Saturday, 8.15 am. There are three flights per week Apia-Nadi, Wed, Sat und Sun, That flight actually comes from Honolulu and goes on to Nadi. If you have not booked yet you should consider to take that flight with Fiji Airways and go to American Samoa as a side trip from Samoa. | 4