choosing in between Tahiti/Moorea/ and Cook Islands and Samoa/American Samoa

HI travellers,

I would like to travel to one or 2 of these islands - Somoa and American Samoa or Cooks and Tahiti and Moorea. I made a search about flights between Samoa and Cooks or Tahiti but they worked out too expensive so I will have to choose either the Samoan islands or the other 2. Even between Cooks and Tahiti flights were quite expensive and as I will be travelling for a long time, starting from central America and finishing in India and Nepal, I wouldn't have a lot of money to spend. Keeping this in mind together with the fact that I'd like to see the most beautiful group of islands, which islands would you suggest please? Also, it's is important for me to find some kind of budget lodging and food that is not too expensive, so that my money lasts longer. The cheaper the accomodation and food the longer I would stay but I wouldn't be there for less than 5 weeks so I will have to watch my money. Sorry but I haven't got the lonely planet yet as I still have to decide where to go exactly

Thanks

travel2cool

Though I have not been there, I am sure that French Polynesia packs in much more beauty than the Samoas - it has many more islands to start with.
It is also much more expensive, both for daily living costs, and for getting around between those far flung islands, so budget issues would favour Samoa.
Mind you, Samoa is my least favourite country in the South Pacific, because of its people, so if you can afford it, I recommend going to French Polynesia anyway.
I loved the other French island territories I've been to (New Caledonia and Reunion) so can't imagine going wrong here either...

Thanks and wow! The insight about Samoa's people came as a surprise... never thought of that so thanks for mentioning it. My heart is somewhat set there more than the other 2 island groups though and as I've suspected, to find budget lodging in French Polynesia would be quiet hard and considerng that I would be crossing over from Central America and then proceeding to Asia, hence spending lots of money of flights. I will have a look at New Caledonia though as someone I've known has been and had good comments about it. I would need to find a affordable flight ticket though out of Costa Rica and then on to Asia. As you haven't mentioned anything about the Cooks, I'd probably rule that out and to be honest, I can't find an affordable flight ticket there whilst both French Polynesia and Samoa work better, flight expenses, wise although as you've mentioned getting around the French Polynesian islands works out to be very expensive and Samoa, is once again, more affordable..... Thanks a lot! I would love to hear from someone who has been to Samoa and knows if budget lodging and eating places are not so hard to find around July and August.

Thanks

There are zillion basic budget places on Samoa's beaches and food is not expensive either - by South Pacific standards, mind you!
Though Samoa can get more expensive if your hosts steal your money, which was a common Samoan custom when I was there, and one main reason I dislike the place.
New Caledonia is one of my fave places in the Pacific.
Beautiful, orderly, safe and friendly, and thanks to abundant campsites can be reasonably cheap if you bring a tent. It is also far less touristy than Tahiti or Samoa.
I put together a set of pages on NC on Virtualtourist:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/2e789/cb9/

Thanks again Laszlo. Was the money stolen from your room or while you were out and roaming or while you were on the beach? I should keep this in mind, thanks.... I am using kayak to search for flights but in just 1 day, price has already gone up as I will be flying from Costa Rica. What do you usually use to do a flight search for the Pacific?

Wow....poor Samoa! Just because Laszlo had such a bad time there, I would not write the place off. If you are wanting a beautiful tropical island then I think Samoa is just as beautiful as French Polynesia. You need to get out into the country of both places to really experience this and way cheaper than FP although not cheap like SE Asia these days. Samoa beach fales are very good for this....but....yes.....do not leave your important things lying around in the open....and use a money belt for your important papers, credit cards etc which you should be doing as an international traveler anyway. "Borrowing" can be a bit of a game though out Polynesia. There is a weekly overnight ferry between American Samoa and Apia. and also a frequent ferry to Savaii from Upolu. Savaii is a must if you go to Samoa.

I doubt there are any flights to Pacific from Costa Rica....you will need to go back to LAX. Maybe Fiji is better for you.....lots of islands and more flight connections.

Overlooked the Q previously.
Money was stolen from my bag next to my bed while I was sleeping.
A German woman I met had it stolen from her bungalow while the owners kindly invited her out to party with them.
A Japanese girl we met also had it pilfered from her moneybelt handed over to bungalow owners for safekeeping.
There is a whole long thread devoted to thefts in Samoa on TT:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/australasia-pacific-pacific-islands-papua-new-guinea/samoa/attention-samoa-travellers
The only way to keep your money safe in Samoa seems to be keeping it on your body at all times.

Even theft apart, I found Samoa one of the least interesting countries in the region, and the people there the most unfriendly and obviously bored of tourists.
With only 2 sizeable islands, comparing it to much bigger and far more diverse French Polynesia is a nonsense.
Even its close neighbours Fiji and Tonga have much more to offer.

Thanks both of you! Nakichick, I might be flying either from India or from somewhere in Australia not from Costa Rica anymore as I found out that it's better to get to Europe first before I proceed to Asia anyways. Are boat transfers between Samoa and American Samoa long distance and just a few hours and are they affordable please?

Laszlo, thanks for the warnings, I will have a look at those threads and take all precautions. Was the problem in both Samoa and American Samoa?

Thanks once again!

I have only been to independent Samoa and all issues repored on TT concerned that country. Boats from Samoa to American Samoa were weekly when I was there and were cheaper than flying.
If you go from Asia, check Fiji Airways fares fro Hong Kong to Fiji. From Fiji you can flt to several neighboring island nations.
From AU, Virgin Blue can fly you to various islands.
Tahiti and the Cooks are not so well connected from this side, but better via New Zealand.

Ferries between Upolu and Savaii island in Samoa are only an hour or two. The weekly ferry to American Samoa is an overnight trip....there are bunk beds if you want to pay for a room otherwise hunker down in the lounge like most people will.

Thanks for the info. Do you know how much the weekly ferry will cost approximately please? Sorry I haven't yet gotten the L.P. of the Pacific yet and there's many things I yet don't know.

Thanks

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