Samoa: a week-long itinerary in this South Pacific paradise

If you are looking for a beach vacation on a tropical white sand beach, surrounded by coconut trees, then this is your island! Or should I say… islands. Upolu is the main island where Apia, the capital, is located. Savaii, the largest island, is quite a different experience and is not to be missed. There are several much smaller islands scattered along the coast.

While you’ll want to spend much of your time on one of the glorious beaches, there’s plenty more to do in Samoa. Here is a suggested itinerary for one week, best to rent a car for sightseeing. You’ll want to take some time each day to relax by a pool or on the beach. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the wonderful outdoor restaurants and RELAX!

Day 1: Arriving at Faleolo airport, you will instantly feel the heat! Constantly around 26-27 degrees Celsius, night temperatures rarely drop below 23 degrees. It is about a 45 minute drive to Apia. You will immediately begin to relax, with your first experience of colorful villages and crystal clear turquoise waters that stretch to the white foam of the reef. Once you’ve settled in, it’s a good time to take a short walk around town, or try a Vailima beer, around the pool. Find out what night the Fiafia is celebrated. There are usually only one or two nights a week when hotels put them on, so plan ahead.

Day 2 – Morning – Explore Apia, including the markets. There are two markets: the Beach Rd Market on the seafront near the Tusitala (Kitano) hotel is for

  • clothing
  • Dishwasher
  • cloth cap
  • carved wooden items, including the traditional kava bowl
  • jewelry made from husk, coconut shell and seeds

You will find that they generally do not haggle. Ask if they’ll give you a cheaper price for two and they invariably tell you their boss isn’t here today so they can’t do it. It’s worth walking to Marketi Fou, the fruit market, where you can wander among the locals as they go about their normal daily shopping. Samoa does not have tropical fruits like pineapples and mangoes throughout the year. They have two three-week seasons a year. Bananas and oranges are always available, with other fruits such as passion fruit, guava and fruit saw at different times.

Afternoon: If you like to dive, Pololo Deep is just outside of town and is the only beach near Apia. You’ll find it best at mid or low tide.

Day 3- Morning- Visit Vailima, home of Robert Louis Stevenson, on Cross Island Road. He was Samoa’s beloved Tusitala-“story teller”, and lived here during the last years of his life. You can look through the wonderful restored colonial house and make the 40-minute walk to the top of Mount Vaea, Stevenson’s final resting place, with magnificent views of Apia.

Afternoon: After lunch, it is a good time to take a forty-minute coastal drive to Piula to cool off with a swim in the natural freshwater pool, which empties into a cave. Situated on the grounds of a beautifully renovated church, you can enjoy the pool, looking out to sea over the narrow rock wall that separates them. The pool closes at 4 o’clock, when the local women drop their boarding school clothes from the children’s church and the fish come out of their hiding places.

Day 4 – Full Day – Hire a car and drive up the hill, through the rainforest. Check out the Bahai temple on top of the hill, then head down to Coconuts Resort where you can have tea or lunch in the morning. Leaving Coconuts, follow the coast road back to Apia, through the many towns and beaches. If you have time to take a detour to Togitogi Falls, they are beautiful. Or you can return via Papasea – Sliding Rocks. Better when it has rained a lot.

Day 5 – Morning – Take the car ferry to Savaii. There are plenty of accommodation options, from beach fales at Stevensons or Janes, Savaii Lagoon…a mid-range option, or Le Logoto for a more luxurious experience.

Afternoon: Just 2 kilometers down the road is the village of Satoalepai, where you can swim with turtles. This is a very beautiful place, and while the turtles are in captivity, they have a large pool and are well cared for. They are very friendly and it was the highlight of my trip.

Day 6- All day – Drive around Savaii – Plan to stop at

  • Saleaula Lava Fields – An amazing insight into the effects of Mount Matavanu’s eruptions between 1905 and 1911.
  • Alofaaga Blowholes – You will need to check the tides as you will want to be as close to full tide as possible to best see the blowholes. These are some of the best you will see anywhere in the world! You will pay $5WS each which includes a local guide.
  • Continue to the Vaisala hotel through towns and beaches. This is the best option for a meal, unless you’re bringing a picnic basket.
  • Stop at the ruins of the village destroyed by Cyclone Ofa.

NOTE: You will want to allow enough time for photo stops. This is a very photogenic country, and Savaii has some wonderful places for photographers to enjoy their hobby!

Day 7- All day – Experience a night at a beach fale. This could be in Savaii, or after taking the ferry back to Upolu, around the coast where you have several beach fale options. If the basics aren’t for you, you may prefer the exclusive Seabreeze Resort in Paradise Cove, with excellent snorkeling and probably the best view of live coral on the island.

Day 8 – To the airport

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