Maximum ATM withdrawal amount?

Is there a maximum amount that you can withdraw from the ATMs per transaction or time period?

There are limits on both. But I thought these limits are set by the card-issuing bank, and might even be specific to the customer -- or, more specifically, to the size of the customer's bank account.

Individual ATMs might have limits on what can be withdrawn in one transaction. While I've never experienced this myself, I've seen ATMs where it was not possible to type in your own withdrawal amount.

I have come across ATMs which refused my card when I attempted to make an immediate second withdrawal, although not in the region of this branch.

Don't know about Samoa, but as I think you are also going to Tonga, I do remember there being a bank limit (ATM limit) on the amount I could take out at the ANZ Bank ATM. It was something like 300 Pa'anga. As I was renting a car from a private person and needed 500 Pa'anga in cash, the bank officer just came out and did something to re-set the machine, so I could do it again.

Geez, I can't remember what the limit was on an ATM in Samoa. I do know that I did draw up to 800 Tala on ocassions.

I do know my bank in Canada has a daily limit of $500CAN per day and $1500CAN per week on my card.

You can get out in local currency about the same amount that you could get out in your own currency per day, week or month. So when you have an $500CAN limit per day you should be able to get about the same in Tala, Pa'anga or whatever as well. This personal limit is set on your card! Besides that the local bank may have additional limits. For example at Westpac in Samoa the limit is 1000 Tala, because they give you 50ies and not more than 20 of them can be given out at a time due to the size of the slot ....

Thanks, I asked because in French Polynesia there's a limit of approx. $240 US per week! (30,000 cfp) if you have a card that works there.

It is certainly more in Samoa, around 800 Tala at minimum. That depends on the limit you have on your card. Regarding the internal limits set by the banks, as I said WESTPAC has a limit of 1000 Tala due to technical reasons. ANZ indicates that you can get up to 4,000 Tala but I never met someone who actually got that much. With a VISA card and a high personal limit you get up to 2,000 Tala - that is what I witnessed.

Be aware of the following:

When you use an ATM from ANZ, it shows you some amounts up to 200 Tala and the option "Other services". To get out more than the apparent limit of 200, you have to press the button for the other services. There you get an option called "Cash withdrawl" which leads to a screen where you can type in the amount you want to get. The screen says "up to 4,000" but you won't get that unless that refers to the limit on you card.

When you use an ATM from Westpac, you get straight to the option cash withdrawl. You can type in the amount. Watch out that you type in the cents as well, like 80000 for 800 or 100000 for 1,000 - as if you would get anything else than multiples of 10 Tala . If you would type in 800 it would be regarded as 8 Tala (and refused of course). For the input 1000 you really get 10 Tala delivered.

Have fun!