Car hire Samoa

We are travelling to Samoa for a week in may and would like to do a few days in Savai'i and maybe 2 or three days in Upolu.I was thinking about renting a car with Avis for the week. Do you know if the sell the temporary driving licence at the airport or do we need to go to the police station in Apia first? And is it possible to take the car to Savai'i? (I read that some companies do not allow that) Do I need to reserve a spot on the ferry before arriving in Samoa or is one day in advance sufficient?

And when looking for information on different webpages I found a lot of warnings about driving in Samoa: Kids throwing stones at cars passing through the village, many break ins, destroyed cars when parking in a village without paying, beeing attacked by the locals when hitting a pig or something valuable.
Is it really that bad?

Another question is where to go when beach would be priority no 1? I travelled to the Yasawas in Fiji several years ago and am wondering if there is a beach like those on Samoa. Lalomanu seems to be quite tropical but there are aso quite a lot of Beach Fales / Resorts. Are there also smaller dream beaches without many buildings, stone walls or similar? This was not the reason for choosing Samoa, but would not mind to spend two beachdays during that week.

Thank you very much for all the information!

Don't know about Avis, but I rented with Samoana and they were able to issue a license directly to me, and I could take the car on the ferry. Was a really nice new car too.

You should be ok to reserve a spot on the ferry one day in advance.

Driving's not difficult. The main highways are in good condition, especially on Savaii. Samoan drivers are slow. Villagers walk down the middle of the highway, and there is always the livestock issue - but it's not really a big problem unless you're driving at night. Destroyed cars & break-ins probably aren't that big of an issue, but do be prepared to pay endless tolls and fees any time you venture off a main road. Nothing is free in Samoa...

The nicest beaches are on the south coast of Upolu. Lalomanu & Saleapaga are nice beaches. The tsunami wiped out most of the development along the southern coastline and rebuilding hasn't occurred for large stretches, so there are lots of secluded spots you can head to. Downside is that the tsunami also wiped out a lot of the coral, so the snorkelling is bland (total crap compared to the Yasawas). Ignore any sort reviews, guides, etc that were written more than 2 years ago for that whole area...
The beaches on Savaii are not as nice.

Make sure you book passage for your car on the ferry to Savaii in advance. They only have room for a few cars.

It's been just over a year since we were there.

Hired an RAV from Samoana. Good company to deal with, good rates, license issued at the airport on arrival. No problems, except very minor. (Like, the headlights were poorly adjusted.)

Most drivers in Samoa are fairly slow. Some (minivans etc) drive quite fast. Just let them past.
Stock is a bit of a problem. 70km/hr is generally quite adequate, and provides enough reaction time to avoid hitting stuff. Pay attention. Don't hit stuff. Drive slower - much slower - through the villages.

We didn't have problems with the car being vandalised. Nobody threw stones at it. If you go to a beach via a village, expect to pay a charge.

Mainly we stayed at Savai'i, then a few days on Upolu. (Have also been to the Yasawas- Octopus resort.) I don't know if you'll find any diving or snorkeling of the calibre of the Yasawas. I'd describe it as OK, but not fantastic.

You can pre-book a car on the ferry via the rental company, or direct with the Samoan shipping company http://www.samoashipping.com/ The Lady Samoa three looks like it would take about 50 vehicles; it's a decent sized, fairly modern ferry, built in Japan. Well run. The smaller ferry is reportedly not so much fun, and water sloshing around inside is apparently normal. I don't know how far in advance you should book. I'd think a day might be pushing it. It's usually a fairly busy route, by the look of it.

I've been driving around Samoa for the last three weeks and have not even had the hint of a problem, least of all any sign of hostility. People are friendly (especially Savai'i), and roads are usually very good although there are areas of potholing. My top speed has been 50kph on the open road and 30-40kph through villages - why hurry?, you're there to take in the scenery after all. I haven't come close to hitting anything, except an unpainted speed hump perhaps. I very rarely have driven at night - don't really see the point of it.

I think it's splitting hairs saying that one island has better beaches than the other. On Upolo, Lalamano is pretty, but small, and quite bare since the trees have not returned since the tsunami. I quite like Tafatafa, although had to have a lengthy discusion with a local who wanted to charge me and a friend 40 Tala for a swim - patently ridiculous. They didn't try it again when I was back there.

Yeah, definitely book on the Lady Samoa III to go to Savaii - the seas can get quite a swell on them, and it's comforting being on a big boat.

Thank you for all the answers, I did not really trust the report I was reading, but it is good to have a confirmation. I think I will then rent the car and book the space on Lady Samoa III. Really looking forward to the islands.

When you are writing about "entry fees" to the beaches. How much are they usually? 40 Tala sounds a bit ridiculous, but how do I know if the amount they are asking for is reasonable?

I'm not sure on that, OP. But you should be talking to someone senior in the village, not just some random.
You'll have to use your own judgement, there. Some places have a promulgated fee, with a receipt when you pay. (Waterfalls, jungle canopy walk, slippery rocks, that sort of thing.) Villages asking for payment for the use of "their" beach...not so sure. Maybe 20 would be reasonable.

Start at 5 tala per person, but maybe a little more if they offer extras like a fresh water shower, or if you're there for more than half a day.

I can heartily recommend Lano Beach on Savai'i for a great chill-out time. Beach fale's start at 50 tala, which includes breakfast and dinner (both delicious) and fantasic hospitality.

If you can spare the money, hire a car and drive around All of Savai'i in a day - well worth it.