vegetarian cycle touring in Samoa

Hi,
From what I have read so far about cycling in Samoa, it is very do-able and a great way to see the Island. We are keen to come over during the NZ winter this year, and are experienced cycle tourers with our own gear. However, it seems that the best/easiest option of staying in Fale's includes breakfast and dinner. We are both strict vegetarians with some other dietary requirement stuff and as such prefer to self cater. Would this be an option at some Fale accommodation? If we brought our camp cooker would we find butane/propane gas on the Island? Or, would the meals be included no matter what and our hosts would think us rude not to eat their food?
Thanks (and other recent touring tips appreciated also!)
Claire

Samoan fale hosts might not really understand what determines someone to be a vegetarian (I never met a Samoan being one) but they are certainly well prepared for them. So getting vegetarian meals would be no problem at all at most if not all fale accommodations. Other dietary requirement - well, it might help to consider that the traditional Samoan cuisine is completely gluten-free, for example, as there had never been any grain growing on the islands. Same goes for lactose-free - there has never been any local dairy food ...

You can cater for yourself even though I doubt that you will find gas bottles of less than 4.5kg size and refill an own one only works in Apia (elsewhere its exchange of bottles). But I strongly suggest to explore the suitability of especially breadfruit, taro, plantains, coconut, seaweed etc for you dietary needs. As other visitors I witnessed you might be surprised about the variety of food choices you never experienced before that Samoa might offer you.

Some of the lesser known Fales will rent just the Fale, then meals are optional...cycling you will be in a good position to ask as you travel, most I have talked to charge between 30 and 50 tala without meals then around 10 a 15 tala for breakfast and around 20 for dinner.
I have looked around for gas canisters and never found any but there is plenty of meths, I did bring a small methhs cooker one visit but it can get complicated finding places to cook and carrying food, utensils etc.There are often rodents around ( everything being open)
I actually found I could always find plenty of crackers, cucumber, tomatoes, taro in coconut, palusami, paw paw, coconuts etc in small shops and roadside stalls along the way, I found it useful to carry a small rodent proof container to store fruit etc in ( I carry a foldable zip up chill bag)
You will find at many Fales food will be served communal style and there will be at least rice and taro, but it may be harder to get vege stir frys and curries that don't already have chicken or fish in them. You may find the website budgetaccommodationsamoa.com useful for info on where the small lesser known fales are situated and costs, there is also a downloadable map which is quite useful.

I have different dietary limitations ( my system doesn't like wheat, milk and eggs) - but I love fish which makes things easier.
One thing I found worked really well for me was making up a mix of my own granola/ meusli with lots of nuts, dried fruit and other grains - amaranth, linseed, oats etc to take with me ( customs is'nt a problem, just declare it)
I then add bananas, paw paw and coconut liquid( plus any of the creamy or chunky bits)
These ingredients are always easy to find and together make a substantial meal substitute - the weather is so warm you don't miss cooked food.
If you eat bread you will be less limited as there are quite a number of bakeries and most local shops have white fluffy bread and a biscuit thing with coconut in it and pies with pineapple- amongst other sweet bakery items. Samosas are also popular but they probably have meat .
You will find breakfasts at the fales are mainly vegetarian anyway , there is often either a tapioca and paw paw mixture or a rice and cocoa mixture, then always bread and paw paw and bananas and often an egg or two or pancakes.
A few places in Apia have a guest kitchen ( Taumesina Hideaway, Outrigger, Lynn's Getaway, Hotel Elisa) then around Salelologa the same at Salafai Backpackers and The Savaiian Hotel Backpacker rooms.
Along the South coast of Upolu you will find many bed only Fales ( at Lalomanu, Saleapaga, Matatufu and Siumu) in most instances there is some sort of restaurant and shop nearby.
On Savaii Faga and SAFOTU fales have the fale only option but there is only a shop in the vicinity and VAISALA Hotel has a bed & breakfast option with a restaurant on site. I found I could always get hot water, so I carried rice noodles as an option - if you eat wheat, pot noodles ( 2 minute noodles) are available everywhere.
Hope you enjoy your visit, Samoa is great for cycling. I suggest taking a squirty bottle you can fill with water as a deterrent for dogs( one cyclist I met carried a specially holstered stick) the dogs can be a bit territorial - just around Apia and the villages, but are easily dissuaded by a squirt of water.

Thanks! this is all extremely helpful :) sounds like the gas is a no go but we could look at a meths cooker... yes, vegetarian, gluten free, egg free and just a preference to cook our own food can provide a challenge - but sounds like with some planning it is workable in Samoa... cheers for the dog deterrent tip also!

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