Booking fale by Fagaloa Bay

I think that I'd like to visit Fagaloa Bay while I'm in Samoa.

I found Akoi Beach fales which are in Lona (on the bay according to the map) on the Samoa Hotel Association site. I also located Sinas Beach fales which are in nearby Uafato on the Pacific Travel Guides site? (Are they part of the defunct Green Turtle site?)

Any thoughts on which might be a better choice?

I'd love to walk around the bay Would I be free to do that, just walk around by myself?

Any suggestions on how to book the fale? Can I book via the tourist office in Apia? (I'm reluctant, if I choose Akoi, to book through the hotel association web site as I need to arrange transport and as far as Sinas goes I'm assuming that it's being marked up considerably by the site it's on. )

Although I have not stayed in either, you should be able to book these through the tourism office in Apia.
You could also ring them yourself.

I would tend to avoid these middle men. Sometimes beach fale prices are as much as doubled through them.

As for getting out to this region, you will be taking the bus?

Hoping to get some sort of public transport. Heard about a pickup truck to one of the places.

Where would one find the numbers? Just use the Samoa phone book (they are not listed in the Lonely Planet)?

They may be in the phone book. Also ask where you are staying in Apia. Samoans are very helpful. Someone is sure to find out some contact information for you.

Hi Silvanocat - you may refer to my report i have made on my Samoa trip. I stayed in Akoi and visited briefly Sinas directly in Uafato.

Trust me you dont have to book either of them in advance, if you book something through other subjects you may pay some extra as even the samoan tourist authority blurted out...some other info for you below:

Akoi beach fale (Lona village) - phone 40416, mobile 7730514, the owners live in Lona village, which is actually 10 min walk from the spot. That said, the fales are secluded a little abandoned and not directly in the village Lona. Owners bring food over to you. You dont have to bother walking.

Sinas (Uafato) - dont know the number neither do samoan tourist authority know. Its still run though - the owners live in fale just against the property, just ask around

beach - much better and nicer in Akoi
snorkeling - much better and nicer in Akoi
nature - a little better and nicer in Akoi and Lona (waterfalls are in walking distance etc...)
food - mediocre in Akoi - i recomend to bring your own bottles of water if you dont like drinking rain water or coca cola (same for Sinas - shops in that area dont sell bottled water!!!!!!!!!!!!!), as for food i dont know Sinia
people - same friendly

AS I SAID BEFORE THE FAGALOA BAY IS FOR ME MOST PICTURESQUE SPOT IN SAMOA AND UAFATO IS NOT THAT SPECTACULAR AND BY LOCATION ACTUALLY FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT BAY

Directly in Uafato is one more house which you can stay in, i can tell ya more info via email or private message if you want

BTW: ignore that stuff of the website you refered to - some info, prices and mainly photos are incorrect and misleading

should you need more info just call

have a nice trip

one more thing: walking distance between Uafato and Lona is approx 1.5 hour in hot, around 1 hour in less hot :)

take into consideration that food in Akoi includes in the price of accommodation comprises mostly meat product made on BBQ - sausage, lamb chops and chicken thighs, chineese noodles and other "fast foods". Only two meals a day so bring your own food if you want to avoid stomach incidents

Jirikoo - Thanks so much for the detailed response!

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>the owners live in Lona village, which is actually 10 min walk from the spot. That said, the fales are secluded a little abandoned and not directly in the village Lona. <hr></blockquote>

So you were there all by yourself with nobody about? What did you do with your stuff when you went for a walk? Did you leave most of it in Apia?

Is it possible to walk around the bay?

Did you feel comfortable around the village(s)? Did the locals seem friendly?

Silvanocat, well the fales are actualy below and further off the "road" that leads you from village Lona to Uafato. You can see them indistinctly of the road - they are completely detached.
All the time I had been there bymyslef but some of the owners sometimes came down to see me whether i was ok :) otherwise nobody else is around except rarely passing cars above you. Sometimes they slept in other fales through night.

I thought People vere geninely friendly there not only in Lona but also in other neighbouring villages above all in Uafato.
Maybe downside for someone: lots of dogs around but i didnt care, even though sometimes heard at night a dog came to seek food - never came to my fale though. When i did the trip from Lona to Uafato i all of a sudden in the middle of nowhere ran into a pack of dogs. They were barking and aproaching me (not in a rage)- you bet i recalled all the negative post about incident with dogs in here on TT but i used the technique of throwing stones. It worked an it turned out they were realy scared of me.

I left unnecessary stuff in a hostel in Apia and took only what i needed. My most precious valuables i had almost all the time with me and the remaining clothes and other things were in a fale in Akoi. Never felt unsafe or scared.

Bay is well accessible.

Overall I hesitate to recommend Akoi for a single female traveler. You can visit it as a part of a day trip or with someone else.

Sina's are more lively - more in a village enviroment.