cheap??

Gidday,

Thinking of stopping by Samoa on thge way to New Zealand. What ar the prices like cos the finances are looking pretty sad! What are the best things to see? 5 days is plenty right?

Cheers

Prices in Samoa are among the lowest in the Pacific, though not as low as in, say, SE Asia.
There's little to "see", it's more about beaches and scenery.
5 days plenty??? Well, depends on how you like it, I guess...
But in theory you could even rush around both of the main islands in that time.
If planning to stay in budget fales (huts) on the beaches, note the Samoa warning thread linked in my signo line.

thanks for this. Yeah, it makes sense that it is a good place to take in the atmosphere. I did Fiji a few years ago, and although it was lovely, it was way to expensive. Can't risk the fales... will try to find a hotel.
Should I spend time in Apia, or is it best to hit an island?

Samoa is not like Fiji it only has the 2 main large islands. You dont "hit an island' in Samoa.
Apart from Apia most accomodation in Samoa will be at fales or at a few upscale resorts.
If you want to stay in a hotel you could stay in Apia and do day trips around the island.
If you want it real cheap take the local buses but they just go to a destination and back again only the tour companies like Green Turtle do "round the island" tours or day trips to Savaii.

Dont skip a stay in the fales ! Its a part of the Samoan experience and so lovely to spent your nights in a fale on the beach ! Very basic but worth a try for sure !

Apart from good value motels in Apia (I recommend Valentine's), the only budget accomodation are the fales.
So stay at them, just keep your valuables with you (or within sight) at ALL TIMES.

However your comment about Fiji being "way too expensive" makes me wonder... actually Fiji is, if anything, cheaper than Samoa!
Along with Tonga, these are the cheapest Pacific countries.
Surely 5 days in Samoa won't make you bankrupt though.
As there are only 2 sizeable islands, you don't spend much on getting around, for example.

So I am not allowed to 'hit up an island'??

It-s just an expression... I don't intend to literally 'hit the island'... thanks for the advice though.

I Know its just an expression, its just unlike Fiji there are no islands to hit!!!

Regan,

I'm also wondering how you intend to get to Samoa on the way to NZ?
It is really a trip of it's own, and unlikely to be a cheap stop-over en route from "here" to "there".

#8 There is (or was last year) an Air NZ flight that goes LA/Samoa/Tonga/Auckland, but as Regan lives in Thorn Tree World I don't know where she's coming from.

Those Air NZ flights with optional cheap or even free Samoa stopover have long been on offer for those coming from Europe, too.

Yes I am from Europe and when I travelled from Europe, they booked my ticket as a return ticket to Auckland with Fiji as a stop over on my way to Auckland and Samoa as a stop over on my way back home. Fiji and Samoa were my main destinations.......but this was "cheaper" ticketwise.

Yep... I am travelling central america, and to get to NZ, I have to fly via LA, which has a stopover in Samoa... so it works out rather well!

Samoa is not like Fiji, it clean and tidy and well organised for a quiet pacific island.

The fales are lovely and are well kept, I love the place and intend to visit again this year.

It feels like a million miles from big city life.

Just an update...
Decided on 10 days, not 5...

We want to spend time at the beach... breathe in a bit of the culture.... and stay in the fales...

Any recommendations on islands... (on the cheap side...)

Cheers

My all-time favourite Safua Hotel at Salelologa, on the eastern end of Savaii.

Rob

falealupo beach fales are cheap, (50 tala incl breakfast and dinner) clean and well run. a lovely place to chill.