Samoan Islands Directory

© Lonely Planet Publications 131 Samoan Islands Directory PRACTICALITIES CONTENTS Samoa’s main newspaper is the Samoa Accommodation 131 Observer (ST2), published daily except Activities 133 Monday. In American Samoa, the Samoa Business Hours 138 News (US$0.50, Friday edition US$1) is Children 138 published daily Monday to Saturday, while the Samoa Post (US$0.50) is pub- Climate Charts 139 lished Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Customs 139 Dangers & Annoyances 139 The monthly magazine Tapu (ST5/US$3) Disabled Travellers 140 declares itself the ‘magazine from the Discount Cards 140 Samoas, Niue and Tokelau’ and has Embassies & Consulates 140 an interesting mix of current affairs, Festivals & Events 140 culture, sports and business. Another Gay & Lesbian Travellers 141 monthly is Pacific Magazine (US$3), Holidays 141 though it spreads itself across all Pacific Insurance 141 nations. Internet Access 142 In Samoa, listen to popular music on Legal Matters 142 Magik 98FM or the government-run AM Maps 142 station Radio 2AP. In American Samoa, Money 142 the main stations are Radio KHJ 93FM Photography & Video 143 and Radio KSBS (FM 92.1). Post 144 TV Samoa broadcasts mainly overseas Shopping 144 programmes in Samoa. The American Telephone 144 Samoan government-owned station, Time 145 KVZK, is responsible for Channel 2 (local Toilets 145 programmes, noncommercial US Tourist Information 145 fare) and Channel 4 (commercial US Visas 146 programmes). Women Travellers 146 Transport in the Samoan Islands 146 Use Australian-style three-blade plugs to access Samoan electricity (240V, Air 147 50Hz AC). USA-style plugs are used in Bicycle 147 American Samoa (110V, 60Hz AC). Boat 148 Bus 148 The video format used in both Samoas Car & Motorcycle 149 is NTSC. Hitching 150 Samoa uses the standard metric system, Taxi 150 while American Samoa uses the Ameri- can version of the imperial system. SAMOAN ISLANDS DIRECTORY ACCOMMODATION Compared to more developed Pacific is- Good-value tourist accommodation in Am- lands such as Hawai’i and Fiji, accommoda- erican Samoa is disappointingly scarce. tion options in the Samoas are fairly limited. The accommodation options listed in Samoa offers a range to suit all pockets, but this guidebook for Samoa and American budget accommodation outside the ubiqui- Samoa are given in order of author prefer- tous fale (traditional thatched house) is not ence – leading each section are the places necessarily cheap. Also, though there are our author recommends the most. In Sa- several expensive resorts to choose from, moa, we generally treat any place charging don’t expect European pleasure palaces. up to ST100 as budget accommodation. 132 SAMOAN ISLANDS DIRECTORY •• Accommodation www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com SAMOAN ISLANDS DIRECTORY •• Activities 133 Sleeping mats and mosquito nets are village for failing to invite the strangers in. beaches can be indulged in. Note that in BOOK ACCOMMODATION ONLINE supplied in all fale, which can cost any- Be warned, however, that the hospitality Samoa, a number of top-end hotels quote For more accommodation reviews and rec- where from ST30 to ST90 per person. The of the people should not be construed as a prices in US dollars. This is not always ommendations by Lonely Planet authors, more expensive ones come with oil lamps cheap means of ‘doing’ the islands. Even the obvious, so it might pay to double-check check out the online booking service at and occasionally electric lights, a table and most welcome guest will eventually become whether a rate is being quoted in tala or www.lonelyplanet.com. You’ll find the true, chairs, and sometimes a bed as opposed to a strain on a family’s resources. It would US dollars. insider lowdown on the best places to stay. a mat. Bathroom facilities are usually pretty probably be best to move on after a few Reviews are thorough and independent. basic, with cold water being the norm. The days, but of course that will depend upon ACTIVITIES Best of all, you can book online. fale price often includes at least breakfast the individual situation. The Samoa islands have plenty of outdoor and dinner (eaten at communal dining When it’s time to leave, gather the fam- activities to offer visitors, but whatever you tables in the more social places), but self- ily together and offer your sincerest thanks do – whether it’s hiking up volcanoes, snor- Midrange places usually cost between caterers may have the option of foregoing for their hospitality, then leave a mea alofa kelling in lagoons or even surfing offshore ST100 and ST250, while we regard any- meals and paying less; check this before you (gift) as a token of your esteem. Don’t call breaks – be sure to ask the local owners where charging over ST250 as top-end ac- commit to a place. Fale will be unattended it ‘payment’ or your hosts may be offended, beforehand for permission to use their commodation. in more remote places, but if you hang thinking you may consider them guilty of land/beach/lagoon. In American Samoa, budget accommoda- around someone will eventually come out selling their kindness and friendship. Many beaches are subject to day access tion peaks at US$50, midrange places charge of a nearby residence to attend to you. Gifts most gratefully received include fees levied by the village that owns them. between US$50 and US$100, and top-end Theft from open fale can sometimes be a money and goods that can’t normally be Sometimes a signpost will tell you how facilities levy over US$100. Prices are fairly problem. If you’re worried about this, ask obtained without money (as a general rule, much this fee is and where to pay it. At consistent year-round in both countries. the owners if they can provide a secure stor- goods or money to the value of about ST30 other times there’ll be someone waiting in An excellent source of information on age area for valuables. will be adequate thanks if you’re staying a day fale or a nearby house to collect your accommodation around ’Upolu and Savai’i The only place that currently even ap- with a family for two or three days). Store- cash. Don’t pay the fee to anyone else (cer- in Samoa is the Samoa Hotels Association (Map proaches traditional fale accommodation bought foodstuffs will always be appreci- tainly not kids). Standard fees in Samoa are pp62-3 ; %30160; Beach Rd, Apia). in American Samoa is Tisa’s Barefoot Bar ated, while clothing such as printed T-shirts ST2 per person (on foot), and between ST5 (see p117 ). will also be enthusiastically accepted, as will and ST10 per car. In American Samoa, only Camping photographs of the family, picture books, a couple of beaches east of Pago Pago on It isn’t really worth bringing camping gear Guesthouses musical instruments, simple toys for the Tutuila tend to charge access fees (between to the Samoan islands unless you intend, There is a handful of guesthouse options in children or any type of gadgetry unavailable US$2 and US$5 per person). for example, to hike up Mt Silisili on Savai’i, both Samoa and American Samoa. These or expensive in the islands. spend a couple of days in the O Le Pupu- are often secluded, fairly luxurious mod- In Samoa, more formal (and generally Diving Pu’e National Park on ’Upolu, or trek into ern homes with plenty of conveniences more expensive) village stays can be or- SAMOA remote corners of Ta’u in the Manu’a Is- on offer, though sometimes they involve ganised through Safua Tours ( p90 ), based at Although diving in Samoa isn’t as spectacu- lands. More than 80% of land in the Samoas a more relaxed stay in a contemporary the Safua Hotel on Savai’i. The National Park lar as in some other Pacific countries, it’s is under customary ownership and if you dwelling in outer villages of main towns of American Samoa also operates a homestay still pretty good. Many of the popular dive wish to camp on any of it – even a seemingly like Apia. There used to be a lot of budget programme; for details see p108 . sites are close to the villages of Maninoa secluded beach – you must ask permission guesthouses in Apia, but these have more and Si’umu on the south coast of ’Upolu; from the traditional owners. or less disappeared from the local accom- Hotels, Motels & Resorts ask the local dive operators for more infor- modation scene. Breakfast is often included There are quite a few smaller hotels, motels mation. Some of the popular sites include: Fale in the price of a guesthouse stay. and bungalow-style resorts (in the Pacific, Christmas Tree Rock This large boulder rises from Across Samoa, the cheapest and often the the term ‘resort’ can refer to any accom- a white sand bowl at 25m. A giant pink gorgonian sea fan best accommodation is in traditional thatch- Homestays modation anywhere near the sea) that cater with a sprinkling of black coral at its base perches on the roofed shelters called fale – sometimes these Samoan hospitality is legendary and some- to the needs of budget and midrange trav- boulder, and titan trigger fish and red snapper can be seen are enclosed but usually they’re open-sided. time during their visit travellers may have ellers in both Samoas. These range from around the site. Fale are almost invariably planted on the the opportunity to stay in the home of a bare-bones accommodation in dilapidated Elephant’s Arch The elephant-like rock formation that edge of a beach, where the occupants are Samoan family.

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