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Samoa Accommodation
Samoa Islands, South Pacific

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Samoa Accommodation Guide:

Samoa accommodation is found mostly on Upolu Islandand Savaii Island in Western Samoa, with some business orientated hotels in Pago Pago Town on American Samoa. However, unlike its South Pacific neighbours of Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands, tourism is very low key and you won't find any of the large international hotels here. There are a handful of hotels in the capital Apia in Western Samoa, and several boutique beach resorts along the south coast of Upolu, but more common are traditional beach fales (bungalows) with thatch roofs and basic facilities.

Upolu Island is the most populated island of Samoa, with Apia Town, the capital on the north coast and the international airport at Faleolo, 35km to the east. Apia is a sprawling town of satellite suburbs and villages. It's focus is along its decent beachfront where the major concentration of Samoa's hotels and restaurants are found as well as the offshore Palolo National Marine Reserve which is a great snorkelling and scuba diving spot. The south coast is more rural and has some quiet coastal villages and tropical palm fringed beaches, some with good surfing and a few of small hotels and resorts. The interior of Upolu is hilly with several villages.

Neighbouring Savai'i Island lies 22km from Upolu's western tip and is larger than Upolu being the largest Polynesian island outside of Hawaii and New Zealand. About four car and passenger ferries depart each day form the western tip of Upolu and arrive at Salelologa taking just over an hour. Flights from Apia take just 20 minutes. Savai'i is even more traditional than Upolu and many villages operate guesthouses which allows visitors to sample their wonderful way of life. The rainforest here is fantastic and accessible by walking trails and guided 4WD tour and there are dormant volcanoes that errupt about every 150 years, the last erruption being in 1905-11. Parts of the coast are quite rugged with lava flows filling in the lagoons and blowholes along rugged cliff coastlines. The best beaches and snorkelling are along the north east coast although it is custom to pay a small fee to the local village to use them. Many villages operate basic fale bungalows for travellers wanting to stay there.

American Samoa Hotels are very low key and cater mostly to businessmen and Samoans visiting from overseas. There are a couple of small hotels, motels and bed and breakfast homes in Pago Pago Town, including the infamous Rainmaker Hotel, the county's institution of tourism which is a run down hovel with eccentric charm. There's only one large hotel which has recently been completed near the International Airport, complete with air-conditioning, satelite TV and internet dial-up and nearby are a couple of smaller more intimate lodges. However, outside these areas, there is virtually no accommodation. A few small lodges along the south coast of Tutuila and a motel or guesthouse on the outer Manu'a Group but that's about it.

GENERAL (click for info)	Upolu Island Western Samoa	Apia Town Western Samoa	Savaii Island Western Samoa	American Samoa
Proximity to Airport	road = 5min - 2hr	road = 45min	air = 10min ferry = 1hr	air = 40min ferry = 4hr
Choice of Accommodation	good	excellent	poor	average
Restaurants & Bars	poor	the best	poor	good
Tours & Sightseeing	the best	excellent	excellent	good
Sunshine	good	good	good	good
Beaches	the best	poor	good	average
Uninhabited Islands	average	poor	poor	poor
Weddings	good	average	poor	poor
Romantic Holidays	good	average	average	poor
Family Holidays	good	average	average	poor
Backpacking	the best	good	good	average
ACTIVITIES (click for info)	Upolu Island Western Samoa	Apia Town Western Samoa	Savaii Island Western Samoa	American Samoa
Water Sports	good	average	poor	poor
Snorkelling	good	good	average	average
Scuba Diving	average	poor	poor	average
Surfing	the best	good	excellent	poor
Game Fishing	excellent	excellent	poor	good
Sailing	poor	poor	poor	excellent
Golf	poor	good	poor	average
Hiking	the best	good	average	average
Village Visits	excellent	poor	good	average

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