Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Samoa - accesible for non-backpack travellers? F.e. familly with kids? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Samoa
ondrejfabian 22:47 UTC 20 Nov 2011 | Hi, I'm planning to visit Samoa in June 2012 and I need to ask You some questions. I'm typical backpack traveller and I travelled a few exotic countries so far, but this time, my mother and my daughter would like to go with me. But they aren't skilled tavellers, my mother has her age and my sister is typical "all-inclusive" tourist. So, if I'm going to make this trip, I can't force them to walk each day with a huge backpack on their shoulders and travel by a local crowded buses. So, I would like to ask You - how it is in Samoa? Is it acessible country even for this type of tourism? How it is with safety, hygiene and so on? We don't want to sleep in five star hotels, we are OK with budget accomodations, but still, I need to know, if I can allow to go with my mother and sister. And second question - are there any tour operators? I made the itinery for 10 days around Upolu and Savai'i, but I don't want to use local buses and taxis, so I would like to hire some guide with 4x4 car via e-mail, I would give him my itinery, we would meet the first day in Apia and then he would stay with us for the whole trip. He would arrange our accomodations, he would take us around the islands. We would have a car, where we could put our luggages. Are there those companies? Did You use any of them? Are they trustworthy? Thank You very much Ondrej |
api 04:41 UTC 22 Nov 2011 | It has been ages since I was in Samoa, but since no one else has replied - I think you will find it does suit you all. There is a good range of accommodation - from backpacker to hotel, to self-catering cottages. It is also very easy to get around - you can rent a car easily, which you may find easiest (it isn't hard finding your way, although I travelled around with a Tongan and visited some areas with local friends). | 1
watsoff 17:57 UTC 22 Nov 2011 | You can also take interesting day trips through local tour operators. | 2
ondrejfabian 11:22 UTC 26 Nov 2011 | Watsoff: yes, the best opiton would be to hire some local guides with a car. But not for one day, we would like to hire them for the whole trip (two weeks). | 3
hardnosethehighway 19:30 UTC 26 Nov 2011 | Arranging for a Samoan to actually show up for work every day for two weeks could be problematical-best to play it by ear and hope for the best. | 4
wksamoa 19:51 UTC 27 Nov 2011 | Ignore the #4 rubbish. You won't have any problems like that. Travel services are usually very reliable and well organized in Samoa. And you would certainly not need a 4x4 vehicle anymore. However, what you have in mind and what might be quite common (and even needed) elsewhere - the independent private driver - is rather uncommon here. Especially when you want that person to arrange accommodation as well. Most people come here and take tours and transfers provided by the place you stay at, as mentioned by Watsoff above. However, when you really want one person only to take you around, you should contact an inbound agent in Samoa, providing full service then. At a cost though. They are used to arrange private drivers as well. There are quite a few of these agents and there are many new, good resorts and hotels by now - you might want to check Tripadvisor too. If you send me a private message with your itinerary I can provide some suggestions. | 5
taranaki_chick 00:18 UTC 30 Nov 2011 | There are a huge number of relatively cheap taxis around Apia these days. Maybe you could just set up a days outing with a taxi driver. Other days you would just need a taxi to drop you off somewhere and you get another one to go back home again if you were near town. | 6
ondrejfabian 21:15 UTC 04 Dec 2011 | I contacted My Samoa Tours. Do You have any information about this company? | 7