Samoa - Accommodation Recommendations - Will I Get Bored?

I'm considering a beach holiday some time this year and am quite attracted to Samoa. The only information I have has been gleaned from the Samoa Travel website. I guess I will rent a car to get around, but I'd really like to find decent accommodation that is close to a beach, with private bathroom, but not too expensive. Can anyone recommend anything? I'm not on a backpacker budget, but don't really want deluxe either. Ideally I'd like to stay somewhere where I can walk to the beach, but which is within striking distance of sightseeing and shopping.

Also, are there other activities besides golf, surfing, diving and fishing? Anywhere I could go horse riding? What's the shopping like? I usually go to Hawaii for my beach holiday so I'm worried that I might get bored, although the idea of vegging on a pristine empty beach for a week is very tempting. Sorry to ask such basic questions, but any info would be appreciated.

Most of the accommodation in Samoa is either resort style of beach fale type without private bathrooms.
There is no shopping apart from in Apia.
Most accommodation will be within walking distance of a beach but you may have to drive back to Apia to shop, this may be some distance and over the mountain.
Samoa is very different to Hawaii.

I certainly wouldn´t think of Samoa as a destination to go with shopping in mind.
If you like Hawaii and shopping, you may indeed find Samoa "boring".

Just compare a few facts:

Size
Hawaii 11,000 sq mi (28,300 sq km)
Samoa 1,100 sq mi ( 2,830 sq km)

Population:
Hawaii 1,300,000
Samoa 180,000

Average Income:
Hawaii US$ 63,750 p.year
Samoa US$ 5,500 p.year

So there is very little purchasing power in Samoa ;-)

Does Tourism help? Not really ...

Visitor arrivals:
Hawaii 7,500,000 p.year
Samoa 120,000 p.year

You can have a nice time in Samoa, relaxed and with a real local touch. But do not expect any shopping malls, nightspots or developed touristic facilities. Even your very understandable hope for a decent place to stay with a private bath and close to a beach can only be fulfilled in Savaii, a half-day trip away from Apia which is the only place you might be able to call a town (approx. 30,000 people ... -)

Would you like to holiday in a small village somewhere in your home country or would you expect to get bored there? Then you would get bored in Samoa too.

How about sea kayaking?

How about horse riding? Bush walking? Hiking? Sailing?

If you stay at Aggie's Beach Resort & Spa they have a Sailing operator there - as far as I see there is nothing in or around Apia though.

Nobody offers horse riding.

Some hiking and bush walking might sometimes be organized through the resorts but don't rely on it to be available just when you are there. There usually is one guy doing that and if he is gone somewhere else or just not in the mood there will be no offers.

But yes - sea kayaking should be possible again. I just met people who did a beautiful Namua tour. Islandexplorer.ws is their website; Taufua Beach Fales has kayaks too.

It sounds like your expectations may be a bit high... If you enjoy Hawaii type tourism with all the glizt, shopping, conveniences, activities etc, than may I be as bold as to suggest Samoa will bore you to tears.

The combination of nice accommodation with consierge, good food, etc. is very expensive in Samoa and, I believe, poor value.

If you are willing to come and "slum it" for a few weeks, a lovely culture, great beaches and fine people will fill your desire for hitting the links or wearing your American Express card out at overpriced shopping venues.

Take the leap.