Samoa – An Itinerary For A Week In This South Pacific Paradise
If you are looking for a beach vacation on a tropical white sand beach, surrounded by coconut palms, then this is the island for you! 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 one 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. An itinerary for a week is suggested below, the best would be to rent a car for sightseeing. You will want to take 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 towns 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 stroll through town, or try a Vailima beer, around the pool. Find out what night the Fiafia is held. There are usually only one or two nights a week when hotels put them on, so you have to 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
- clothes
- lalavavas
- cloth cap
- carved wooden items, including the traditional kava bowl
- jewelry made from shell, 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’ll invariably tell you that their boss isn’t here today so they can’t do it. It is worth walking to Marketi Fou, the fruit market, where you can wander amongst the locals doing their normal daily shopping. Samoa does not have tropical fruits like pineapples and mangoes throughout the year. They have two seasons of three weeks a year. Bananas and oranges are always available, with other fruits such as passion fruit, guava, and fruit I saw at different times.
Afternoon: If you like to snorkel, Pololo Deep is on the outskirts of town and is the only beach near Apia. You will find it best at mid or low tide.
Day 3- Morning- Visit Vailima, home of Robert Louis Stevenson, on Cross Island Road. He was the much loved Tusitala of Samoa-“storyteller”, and lived here during the last years of his life. You can look through the wonderfully restored colonial home and make the 40-minute hike to the top of Mount Vaea, Stevenson’s final resting place, with magnificent views of Apia.
Afternoon: After lunch, it’s a good time to take a forty-minute coastal drive to Piula to cool off by swimming in the natural freshwater pool, which empties into a cave. Situated in 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 unload their children’s church boarding school clothes and the fish come out of their hiding places.
Day 4 – Full Day – Rent a car and drive down the hill, through the rainforest. Check out the hilltop Bahai temple, 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 make 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 many accommodation options, from beach fales at Stevensons or Janes, Savaii Lagoon…an intermediate 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 so friendly and it was the highlight of my trip.
Day 6- Full day – Drive around Savaii – Plan to stop at
- Saleaula lava fields: an amazing insight into the effects of the eruptions of Mount Matavanu 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 get a better view of the blowholes. These are some of the best you’ll see anywhere in the world! You will pay $5WS each which includes a local guide.
- Continue to the Vaisala Hotel through villages and beaches. This is the best option for a meal, unless you bring a picnic basket.
- Stop at the ruins of the village destroyed by Cyclone Ofa.
NOTE: You will want to allow plenty of time for the 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 in a beach fale. This could be in Savaii, or after taking the ferry back to Upolu, around the coast where you have several options for beach fales. If basics aren’t for you, you may prefer the upscale Seabreeze Resort at Paradise Cove, with excellent snorkeling and probably the best view of living coral on the island.
Day 8 – To the airport
