Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Samoa and American Samoa for double New Year's Eve 2012

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Samoa

I'm going to be traveling to Samoa and American Samoa Dec. 29 to Jan. 2 to experience Samoa's move across the International Date Line and it's first NYE in which it will be among the first countries on earth to welcome the new year. On Jan. 1 I'll fly to American Samoa, crossing the date line and arriving on Dec. 31 in time to celebrate New Year's again (in the last territory in the world to celebrate NYE). Wondering if there's anyone else out there planning the same... would be fun to meet up!

Oh it'll be fun for sure...just can't make it until later in 2012.

1

Are you sure you cross the International Day Line when you fly from Samoa to America Samoa?
Can you provide a link confirming it?

BTW, talking about the International Day Line, there was a time when Kiribati was crossed by the International Day Line. It was 22 hours earlier in Tarawa than in Kiritimati. Nowadays, It's two hours earlier in Kiritimati than in Tarawa.

2

What about here and here and here?

We are all preparing for it, here in Samoa. Skipping a date is the easiest - having no Friday next week is a bit confusing though.

OP - do you have booked and confirmed all flights already? Everything is heavily booked for the season, even though the airlines increase their number of flights.

Just found this one. Now the place to go for the last sunset of the day will be Palagi Beach on Tutuila. How appropriate, as all this dateline stuff only exists because of having made Greenwich/London the center of the world in the old times of the British Empire. Palagi means "Foreigner" in Samoan.

3

@wksamoa (#3): Oh, I see. The change occurs this year. I didn't read the OP properly as I understood Samoa was already "on the other side" of the International Data Line. Thanks for the info.

4

We've been associated with the Samoas since 1965, Never heard of Palagi Beach???

5

Neither did I. But apparently there is one. Google the name and you will find ;-)

6

Found "palagi" beach, still must be a fairly "new" name. Asked 3 Samoans and they had never heard of it.
Actually, we always saw our last sunsets at Leone.

7

Google Maps has it too, even quite prominently. So it might be more of an 'official' name but not necessarily one that is commonly used.

8

We will be doing this This year, 2013/2014.
How did it work out?
Any suggestions?
How did you get to American Samoa from Western Samoa. i cant seem to find a way by boat, is it only by air?

9

How did you get to American Samoa from Western Samoa. i cant seem to find a way by boat,

There's at least one sea option. Take a look here.

10