Where to Start if off right? Apia Accomodation?

Guys, Im starting my three month South Pacific holiday in Samoa, Looking to find my way to Apia from the airport (hopefully i wont be too jetted from my flights from Canada). Wondering if you can recommend the Apia place to stay where there is a decent backpacker vibe, im looking for a place where the dorm or shared room accom. is under 20$us a nite and there are people around who i can sip a beer with and bounce questions off of- I dont want to end up in a hotel like situation, as many of the websites ive come across are outdated or its tough to tell if they are just trying to get backpackers or if their place is a real travellers hang out, hope you guys can help, thanks, Chrissy

Chris, I sent you a private message back on August 31st.

Did you not recieve it?

In general, there are not that many "real travellers/backpackers", anywhere in the South Pacific - maybe Fiji still gets the most, having a stopover there on their RTW trip. The region attracts many more of the "1-2 weeks on the beach" type of holidaymakers.

Most people don't hang around in Apia too long, so you'd be more likely to find the company you are loking for on the most popular beaches, notably Lalomanu on Upolu or Manase on Sawaii.

In Apia, I thought Valentine's Motel had a nice bunch of people staying there, including some backpackers, as it offers dorm beds (in triple rooms).

apologies, can't remember the name, but there is a hotel at the western end of the waterfront where peace corps vols used to go. we stayed there-was reasonable & pcvs are a great resource.

there was another spot a few streets back-again, name escapes me-that had fales you slept in & a prepared communal b-fast.