Any preference on Island?

I am stopping over on the way to Australia. I am going to have five or six days in Samoa in May. I am trying to figure which island to go to. I have read some positive things on Lusias Lagoon Chalets on Savaii and Litia Sini's Beach Resort on Upolu, any comments? Also is it easy to get around on the islands without renting a car? I would like to explore as much as possible but we are on a tight budget.
Thank you!
Lynn

I found Upolu much prettier than Sawaii, and the beach itself at Lalomanu (Litia's) the finest in Samoa - even if somewhat over-commercialized to my taste.
It is fairly easy to get around Upolu by public bus, but at some point you will probably have to return to Apia to make connections.
Public transport is scarcer or Savaii - it will get you to most villages at least once a day, but not really handy for exploring.

Thank you very much for the information. Do you have any personal recommendations on beach fales at a budget rate that we should look into on the Upolu Island? We are very laid back travelers and as well tend to look for noncommercial places.
Thank you!

I visited Litia Sini's but stayed next door at Tafua for 4 days. Found the beach in front Tafua better than Litia's.
The cheapest way to travel wud be by local bus and make sure u allow time for delays.

I couldn't see any difference in the beach between Tafua and Litia's given that the two places are side by side on the same beach.
The main difference is that the acccomodation at Tafua is much more popular and busy, while Litia's is quieter.

Actually the entire Lalomanu area was too busy/commercialized for me, so I moved on to Saleapaga about 10 kms west along the south coast. The beach there is less fine (but still pretty good) and it's a lot more relaxed and friendly, as well as cheaper. If you like laid-back places, this is worth looking into.

Hey JP

If I can throw my 2 cents worth in. Your main entry point into Samoa will be Upolu and with a 5-6 days stay do you want to spend extra time travelling between Upolu and Savaii (Maybe 1-1.5 days worth i.e Airport to Wharf, Upolu to Savaii, Wharf to Manase and then returning and all based around the ferry schedules?)?

In that situation (in my humble opinion) stick with Upolu. It is a fantastic spot;
Apia:
R L Stevensons house
Sliding Rocks
The marine reserve
There is a day tour you can do Upolu
The Markets
Restaurants - My Picks are Tatau Bistro (on the corner across from the main market in Apia) a more upmarket restaurant. Apaula Heights - Fantastic food/bar - deck overlooking Apia (no fatty food at these restaurants)

Lalomanu: I like Taufua Beach Fales - Great snorkelling off the beach. They have the Moanalei dive business for scuba trips and snorkelling trips. The food is some of the best we had around Samoa and the communal style of dinner means you get to meet all sorts of people (that for us was a highlight). The hosts, Tai and Sili are great hosts and Tea/Coffee was provided complimentary to guests at the bar (this was unique in our travels). The beach is safe and sandy so good for relaxing.

There are more than enough things to do and see in that relatively short time frame on Upolu that will give you a good feel for Samoa.

Getting around is pretty easy as well; Buses - never did the bus thing but they say it's easy enough. I prefer Taxis for basic trips around Apia and we have used a specific driver that we organise before arriving in Samoa to do our transfers. They're all inexpensive ways to go in my opinion. If you need contact details for the driver I have them

Cheers