1 week in Samoa

Hi there people

Just want to pick your brains!

I have a week booked in Samoa towards the end of February, I am a backpacker on a small budget, I would like to know where are the best and cheapest places to go, fales etc, just want to relax and maybe trek a small bit, don't need nothing special, not in a built up town either or late nights every night.

Thanks for your time guys

you'll have to pay for the 20 minute hop over to Tutuila but its worth it.

JW

Edited by: emd_four on Mar 29, 2013 11:07 AM

Are you talking Western or American Samoa?

for Danthebushman -

Do you think trip to Samoa in feb-end is possible without facing any cyclones ? I would like to go there for a week from Nadi but only if weather permits.

Hi,

I'm heading to Samoa on 20th Feb and staying in Tatiana's Hostel just outside Apia it's had some great reviews and my friends stayed and said it was really nice.

Are you flying out of Auckland?

:)

Hey,

across the islands you'll find like family run guesthouses (fales) including meals. I have been twice on Western Samoa and paid about 20, 25 $ per night incl. meals. Very nice destination to go...

lilyjen

Really depends what you're after. The only late nights you will find will be in Apia (assuming you mean Western Samoa). You can base yourself there and do day trips to other places (eg. for trekking), but Apia is not beachy, although there are places to swim here. Alternatively you could base yourself in a fale on a southern beach and do trips from there (eg. trekking), although your options for transport, guides, or organised trips will be much more limited. The highlight for me on Upolo was the TuSua Ocean Trench, which is on the southern coast, and easily got to by local bus (very cheap).

The next time I come to Samoa I will be going straight from the airport to the ferry terminal for Savai'i, and staying at one of the fales at Lano Beach - paradise! I had a car and drove around quite a bit which was awesome. Super-friendly, open, lovely people. And the colour everywhere is bordering on hullucenagenic.

Weather here has been pretty good for the last 3 weeks, just one rainy period of 3-4 days.

Whatever you choose, you can't go too far wrong. It's all quite enchanting. Happy traveling.

There are lots of different beach fale type places to stay on Upolu, Samoa. One of the best ones (with the nicest family!) is called Sina PJ's, its on a pretty nice beach, and also about 5 minutes down the road from both Coconuts Beach Club and Sinalei (both really nice resorts). People tend to enjoy this one because you get the cheap beach fale, but can get a ride or walk the beach (like 20 minutes) to a nicer resort for lunch or dinner if you wanted to. There is also a local tour company based at coconuts that also services Sina Pjs called Manoa Tours, I think their email is manoatours@gmail.com, and they do snorkel, surf lessons and hiking tours, so they are a pretty good resource to use on that south coast. For sure stay on the south coast, it has the nicest beaches, if you stay in town it is really hot, lots of people and really busy, South Coast is much better. Hope that helps!!

gumasole2: good luck with Tatiana. If you want to search, there is a topic about them here.
Make sure you take ear plugs, if you don't want to get up at 6am.

There are two Tatiana hostels in Apia. Tatiana's at Fugalei (ranked '27 out of 28 at Tripadvisor) and Tatiana's at Tanugamanono (ranked #2 out of 28 at Tripadvisor). For good reasons the ranking is that different.

So don't get mislead: The topic referred to by #8 is about the one at Fugalei, where ear plugs might indeed be a good idea - the one gumasole2 liked much was certainly the one at Tanugamanono, situated just outside Apia.