Travel Series: Samoa
- Maddy Dunn
- Apr 28
- 8 min read
We sold the van and went to Samoa!
In the span of 24 hours, Ronan and I went from stressed on not being able to sell our van before our departure date of April 23rd to having completely moved out of our home on wheels with $11,000NZD in my Venmo balance. We handed the keys over to an American and a German couple and watched Homy in our rearview mirror slowly drift away. It was a bittersweet feeling; we were sad to depart our partner in crime, with whom we shared endless memories, and also knowing that realistically, we would never see it again. But also with the eagerness and excitement of our next adventure. And also a shower.
Another 24 hours later, and we had decided to spend the next 12 days on the cheapest flight option of islands in the South Pacific: Samoa. With a budget of $2,000USD each for 12 days, this is what Ronan and I did in Samoa, and the takeaways from the beautiful yet unforgiving country.
Side note: because we booked the trip three days in advance, we spent $800USD on flights and around $620USD each on accommodation, leaving us with about $500USD for food and activities. Booking ahead of time would probably have saved us some money and given us other accommodation options, but regardless, it worked for us. We also stayed for much longer than your typical vacation to an island like this, and quite frankly, we stayed much longer than our comfort zones stretched, but changing flights home early was much more expensive, hence our decision to stay in “paradise” for so long. We’re ballin’ on a budget here.
Alas, we arrived in Samoa at 9 pm on a Saturday. We quickly made our way to the taxi, which kindly took us across the island to our resort, Mini Maninoa. Throughout the hour-long drive, we were able to get a glimpse of what the country looks like at night. As we came to find, people were up and at ‘em, socializing with their communities. Saturday nights are bingo nights, so many people gathered at each other’s houses and sat in circles chatting and gaming. And it was obvious to see those who weren’t socializing, as many “walls” on houses here are simply curtains or open windows. It was clear on the first night that community was a big part of the culture here.
After a late night finding our way to our accommodation, we woke the next morning at 5 am both keen for a surf. The week before, our Airbnb host had recommended Manoa Tours, one of two surf charters on the island. Neil greeted Ronan and me in the dark and instructed seven other guys and us to get in the boat one at a time. As we cruised through crystal clear water towards the edge of the reef, the sun rose behind us, illuminating the pink sky. And just like that, everyone was jumping out of the boat with their boards without anything else in mind besides the wave in front of them. Timid, I watched as they paddled in. Although I would’ve been happy watching from the boat, Neil encouraged me to at least watch from the channel that was only a few yards away from the reef break. And I’m happy that I did. Eventually, one of the guys peer-pressured me into a wave and I was more than happy with my one wave that ended in a faceplant.
We surfed till about 11 am and then returned to our room on the beach where we were finally able to see it in the light. The rest of the day consisted of snorkeling out front with the turtles and taking naps inside our cool room. This is how most days for the next seven went. I bailed on surfing after day two, mostly because I wanted to keep my cash for things I would actually find worth it, and partly because I dinged Ronan’s board and took that as a sign to stop (sorry Ronan). But Ronan continued to surf every morning while I enjoyed breakfasts playing sudoku and making friends with the kind staff. We ate delicious Samoan food in the evenings and tended to fall asleep with the sun around 7 pm. By the end of our stay, we had become friends with the staff and the local puppy Spot.
Although our time in Maninoa was wonderful, we were excited for the second half of our trip where we would be able to branch out from our area and see the rest of the island. We ended up getting a rental car delivered to us which was the best decision we could’ve made. If you ever visit Samoa, a rental car is absolutely necessary.
Our first drive from the south coast of the island to the one major city, Apia, was filled with the most color I’ve ever seen. Each house is typically painted two colors, both extremely vibrant. On top of this, trash holders, road pillars, churches and schools are all painted and the majority of people (both men and women) dress in skirts called lava lavas covered in flowers or traditional prints. And the forest and mountains are the most vibrant green you could imagine, especially with contrast to the aqua blue water that surrounds the island. It is beautiful.
For the next four nights, we would base out of Apia, which was convenient as it had the best food on the island and you could get to any spot in about an hour. Our first night there we visited the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve – a surprisingly pristine hole that was home to an abundance of fish and other marine life. I only say it's surprising as it is located in Apia Bay which holds many ships and what you would expect to be dirty water.
The following day we drove over a pass to the east towards the To Sua Ocean Trench. The trench is a 30-meter deep natural swimming hole with green vines and plants surrounding and hanging into it. It is the most popular tourist destination but certainly worth a visit. Neil had mentioned to me earlier in the week that you were able to swim under one side and end up in the reef. I quickly found what he was talking about but it looked a lot more intimidating than he had explained. There was a small blue light glowing at the bottom of the wall and our blurry masks offset my depth perception. After Ronan and I chickened out a few times, I finally went for it and five large strokes later I ended up in a blue cave. It was thrilling and rewarding. After heading back, there were three Irish men and an Aussie dad asking for tips and courage on how to do it. It was pretty funny watching an Irishman swim directly into the rock before realizing he had to swim down first. Safe to say we had some good laughs that day.
The next day we visited “The Sliding Rocks”. Expecting some short waterfalls and a tourist-infested location, our expectations were exceeded. Not only was there nobody else in sight, but the sliding rocks were four levels of steep waterfall around 15ft long each. Again, Ronan and I were timid to attempt. All I was thinking about was how my mom mentioned to be smart as healthcare in Samoa is not so dependable and how I didn’t want to have to tell her I did something stupid. But I also can’t be a wuss especially after Ronan cleared it successfully. So of course it had to be done. One and done was good for me. But the waterfall itself was a refreshing mermaid fairy land and by far my favorite activity of the trip.
On our fourth day we cruised back to the South Coast to the Lava Field Coastal Walkway. This short (and overwhelmingly hot) walk took us to a massive exposed lava field with rugged cliffs and blowholes eroded by the ocean. The landscape resembles volcanic eruptions from thousands of years ago, but it is exciting to think that the volcano is still active.
Driving around the island is an activity in itself. The natural landscape is mesmerizing, but even more entertaining is the people. When I say everyone smiles and waves, I mean everyone smiles and waves. Additionally, as you drive, you pass through many villages. The villages are as frequent as it would be to drive through neighborhoods however it is clearly marked when entering a new one. Even more obvious are the churches that hold the central location to each village and that tower over the homes overwhelmingly. In Samoa, every village has its own Chief and its own government. This means that different laws are implemented in each village even though they are quite small. If something major happens, the greater Samoan government will intervene, but their Constitution clearly states that, at the end of the day, it comes down to the law of each village. Quite a unique way of life!
So, as you can tell, our extended vacation was extremely fulfilling. However, it would be dishonest if I didn’t account for the realities we saw while being in the country:
Food and supplies importation is extremely limited. When visiting their version of a grocery store, we found there to be one (maybe two) aisles of food all of which was either canned or boxed. The price of fresh fruit and veggies was not worth the money for us, and I think the majority of Samoans feel the same way. Quite surprising considering the lushness of the island but it is what it is. Therefore, the veggies we ate were either from frozen packs or fried taro. Being there for over a week with nearly no fiber in our stomachs left Ronan and me extremely backed up (sorry for the TMI).
Like most developing countries, water is undrinkable to tourists. With the mass consumption of bottled water, plastic bottles, along with lots of other trash lined the roads and streets.
On the second night of our stay in Apia, we woke to a 6.2 magnitude earthquake. Neil explained how earthquakes occur every two weeks on the island due to the active fault line, as it sits on the Ring of Fire in the Pacific. In fact, the last tsunami occurred in 2009 and caused significant damage to Samoa and the surrounding Islands. Tragically, more than 189 people were killed. Something to keep in mind.
Lastly, the heat is no joke. You don’t find the majority of people out during the day. The heat can be truly unfathomable and as a tourist, heatstroke is much easier to attain than expected.
Our comfort levels of temperature, non-nourishing food, and dehydration were certainly maxed out by the end of our trip. However, it is important to note that we felt extremely safe the entire time, people were inclusive and helpful, and the happiness levels of locals exceeded any culture I have yet to see. This is just my personal experience in Samoa! I feel extremely grateful to have experienced it and I would recommend to anyone looking for a faraway, cultural, tropical, and fulfilling trip.
We drove to the airport in the evening and on our right was a vibrant sunset over the water and to our left were the locals playing ball games and enjoying each other's company. It smelled of sweet smoke and it was one last reminder of the great beauty of the Island, both the scenery and the people.
All for now,
Maddy
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