Samoa is comprised of a group of islands in the South Pacific. The two main islands are Savai’i and Upolu. The capital, Apia, is situated on Upolu. That’s where we explored on our Samoan adventure!
Renting A Car
You’ll need to rent a car to get around the island. We got our rental car from Avis at the Apia airport! It was super quick and easy!
SIM Card for Samoa
We also got our SIM cards at the airport, again it’s super easy and cheap. You can get one that lasts your entire stay.
Driving in Samoa
After we got our rental car, we drove an hour and a half to our first resort on the other side of the island, Saletoga Sands Resort and Spa. The drive was absolutely beautiful on the Cross Island Road. The only downfall was, it started getting dark about 20 minutes into our drive, and I don’t recommend driving in the dark. Driving in Samoa in the dark is not easy! Just be extremely aware and cautious.
There are animals and people everywhere! They’re constantly popping out onto the street or walking in the middle of the pitch-black road. So, if you go, you definitely have to drive slow! I had to swerve and veer around pigs, dogs, horses, cows, chickens, people, babies, the list goes on!
Samoans also drive on the left-hand side of the road. So that’s something else to get used to. This was my first time doing that, so that, mixed with dodging every animal and human you can imagine, in the middle of the street in the dark, was challenging to say the least! I was very grateful once we finally arrived at the resort and were able to relax with a few glasses of wine.
Low Season in Samoa
We visited Samoa in the low season, so there were hardly any people there. It was just the two of us at almost every site, hotel and beach we went to. So, if you love beautiful beaches and jungle/waterfall destinations, but you don’t love being around a lot of people or having to wait to get into main attractions, then you’d probably love exploring Samoa too!
Saletoga Sands Resort
The Saletoga Sands is nice. It has a pretty beachfront and cute bungalows on the beach, but it’s a bit too resorty for me. It includes breakfast and has a pool with a swim-up bar, which is nice. I prefer more boutique, quaint beach bungalows though.
It’s located in a good area of the island for exploring the nearby waterfalls, blowholes, and the Tu Sua Ocean Trench.
Day 1 – Exploring Samoa
The first full day we set out on our island exploration, our first stop was Sopoaga Falls. We drove 8 minutes from the Saletoga Sands down the Main South Coast Road to get to Sopo’aga Falls Viewpoint. It’s actually located in someone’s backyard. We quickly realized this was the norm here in Samoa. You just drive into someone’s yard and their child or someone doing yard work will come out and accept the entrance fee from you.
Everywhere in Samoa has an entrance fee, but most of them will be around $5-7 USD, so it’s not too bad. Also, they can and will change the fee whenever they want. So, it always varies on how much it costs to enter. They do this to anyone, not just tourists, locals too, it’s just a fluctuating rate. Sopo’aga is simply a viewpoint, so you cannot hike up to it or swim under it, but it is absolutely gorgeous and worth the stop! The vegetation surrounding it is insane!!! But that goes for the entirety of Samoa. The whole island is manicured to perfection.
Fiupisia Falls
Next stop! Just a few minutes down the road we made it to our next waterfall on our list, Fiupisia Falls. Fiupisia Falls was again in someone’s backyard, but you get to see two falls for the price of one at this stop!
The first fall isn’t far in on your walk, the second one, that’s a bit further in, is incredible! You can also hike through the bushes to the top of the falls, but you have to be very careful! There are no regulations or railings anywhere along any of the falls, so just be super aware and keep your distance from the edge.
Again, the landscape surrounding the Fiupisia Falls was straight out of Fern Gully. It’s the most stunning and lush rainforest setting. The trees and foliage are incredibly green and there are so many beautiful, bright-colored flowers everywhere.
These waterfalls are all in people’s backyards. It’s crazy!
Vavau Beach:
Our next stop was Vavau Beach. It’s about 14 minutes down the road from Fiupisia Falls. Once you get there, it’s a very steep, rocky road down to the beach when you turn off the main road. You’ll need to take the rocky road very slowly and carefully until you come to a beautiful little opening onto the beach. Vavau is a locals beach, but they are very welcoming and love having you there. Parking at Vavau was a little pricy, around $10, but it’s worth the trek and the few bucks. It’s filled with locals playing music and BBQing and the water is beautiful. It’s a great place to pack a picnic and just chill and swim for a while.
To-Sua Ocean Trench!
Next stop! We decided to turn back towards the direction of the hotel, because we wanted to make it to the To-Sua Ocean Trench at high tide, which is when the locals told us to go. It was only a few minutes from our hotel, so we made it our last stop of the day before returning home. To-Sua is Samoa’s most well known and famous attraction. It’s a giant ocean trench and natural cave. The water comes from underground springs and the ocean. You have to be careful of the current when jumping or diving in, because it can get very strong depending on the tides.
If the locals are around, they will inform you of the tide situation at the time. It’s absolutely beautiful and a must-see! There’s a ladder to climb down and a platform to dive off into the clear blue water of the trench! On the other side of the caves, there is a lava beach where you can go to watch the super cool blowholes. There are also cave pools on this beach, but those are only accessible at certain times and extremely dangerous at high tide.
Day 2
On our second full day, we decided to drive from our hotel around the entire island and ended up in Apia town by nightfall. We checked out every gorgeous beach and site along the way. I booked an Air B&B near town for the night, so we just needed to make it there before dark.
Lalomanu Beach
First stop! Thirty minutes from Saletoga Sands, just straight down the main beach road, was one of the most stunning beaches, called Lalomanu beach. Again, the parking at this beach was quite pricy, but worth it. You can also rent what’s called a Fale for the day. A Fale is an open-air hut. They line the beaches in Samoa. Some are much nicer than others. The Fales on Lalomanu are called the Taufua Beach Fales. They have open-air ones you can rent to chill in during the day or to sleep in at night.
They also have Fales that are a bit more upscale, like the ones above. They actually have walls and a little porch, these are a bit pricier, around $45/night. These are basically beach bungalows with the absolute most prime waterfront setting. It’s a relatively cheap option for exploring Samoa on a budget, without having to sacrifice location and beauty.
There’s also a little restaurant right on Lalomanu Beach that’s connected to the Fales. We had the best poké here for lunch with an insane beachfront view.
After we swam for a while and had lunch, we continued around the island, stopping along the way at places we thought looked interesting.
Our next stop was Falefa Falls. It’s a beautiful little hike down to a river that empties into the ocean with a small waterfall in the background. We honestly didn’t think it was super worth the stop or the money to go to, but if you need a swim break along your drive, this would be a good little stop.
Pulia Cave Pools
Next, we tried to make it to the Pulia Cave Pools, which I really wanted to see. Unfortunately, since it was a Sunday, it closed right before we got there. So, just be aware of your timing getting to places, especially on a Sunday. Things are either closed all day or they close a few hours earlier than normal.
FYI: They do not sell alcohol on Sundays, except for in the little cafes, so plan accordingly for that! Stock up ahead of time!
If you can make it to the Pulia Cave Pools, they look gorgeous, so I’d do it! It’s an underground cave made up of freshwater pools. The entrance is not noticeable at all and can be easily missed. It’s located on the grounds of a school and only has a very small sign on the gate.
Apia Town
Our next stop was Apia town. The Apia Market isn’t open on Sundays, so we went to get groceries at Farmer Joe’s. It’s the biggest and best grocery store in town and they have great deals, so we stocked up here before heading onto our next destination.
Tree House Air B&B
I found a cool tree house up in the mountains above Apia town on Air BnB. It was only $45/night, quite similar pricing to the Falés. So, if you’re looking to do something a bit different for the night, you may like it! It was extremely challenging to find from the directions provided, but somehow I stumbled upon it right before it got dark, thank goodness!
We couldn’t find a place to sell us wine on a Sunday, so the owners of the Air BnB drove us up the road to a little hole in the wall store that discreetly sold us beer.
Neither of us drink beer, but we tried the Samoan beer (Taula) and loved it!!! It’s extremely strong, around 20% alcohol, but it tastes amazing!!! You have to try it!
Day 3-5:
Old Apia Market
The next day, we made it into Apia town pretty early and went to the Old Apia Market. This market is filled with local crafts, clothing, and assorted Samoan foods. On the day we went, the food was very limited, but the clothes, jewelry, purses, kitchenware, souvenirs, etc. were plentiful, colorful, and a great place to pick up a few things to take home. Also, remember to haggle for the price you want!
Right behind the market is the local bus station. Here you can find buses of all different colors with big murals painted on them. These buses are very well known and an extremely affordable way to get around the island. They are always packed to the brim with locals and blasting club music. It’s awesome!
Papase’ea Sliding Rocks:
Next stop! From town, we needed to get back to the other side of the island where we were staying for the next night, so we took the Cross Island Road again. On the way, we stopped at the Papase’ea Sliding Rocks. This was one of the places I couldn’t wait to see! These rocks are very steep and super slippery because algae grows on them, and the countless years of water running down them have created super slick, distinct slides down the rocks.
Disclaimer: You do have to be careful. At certain times of the year, it’s quite deep at the bottom and good to slide off of, and at other times it’s very shallow. So test it out before you slide, because no one will be there to tell you not to, even if the conditions aren’t worthy of sliding. Either way, it’s a beautiful stop and worth it whether you can slide or not.
Coconuts Resort and Spa
The next few nights we stayed at The Coconuts Resort and Spa. If you want to stay in an overwater bungalow, this is the only place in Samoa that has them, so you’ll want to stay here. Although, it was too resorty and overpriced for me. It has a beautiful beach and waterfront, and the grounds are pretty.
There are giant sea turtles that come around dusk every night, so I liked getting to hop right in and snorkel with them! The only other place I’ve had an opportunity like this is the Gili Islands in Indonesia. You can snorkel next to nurse sharks here as well. One thing that I saw a million of and loved were bright blue starfish! They are beautiful!
Pāpāpapaiti Waterfall
We were able to check out a few more waterfalls before heading to the airport on our last day. Pāpāpapaiti Waterfall is just a viewpoint, and not my favorite, but it’s crazy tall, so you might like to see it.
Our last one was called the Togitogiga Waterfall. It’s made up of multiple waterfalls pouring into crystal clear pools that you can swim in and cliff jump into. The local guy, manicuring the foliage around the waterfall, escorted us to the falls wearing nothing but his sarong and swinging around a giant machete, haha! It was amazing!
Fia Fia Show
The traditional Samoan dance and music performance is called the Fia Fia show. If you’re interested in watching one, most of the resorts put them on. They will also include a full dinner and drinks with the performance as well if you’d like. I’m not a huge fan of these types of shows but the fire dancing portion was exciting!
In Short!
If you LOVE jungle-like lush vegetation that’s straight out of Fern Gully and endless stunning beaches, then you’ll love Samoa! For the Hawaiian Island lovers especially, this is the perfect place for you. When you’re tired of the crowds and you want some tourist-free island life, Samoa is the answer! This driving trip is the perfect way to navigate the island from waterfall to beach to bungalow. We did this trip in conjunction with a week-long trip to the Cook Islands, and the two together make an awesome unique two-week island-hopping adventure!
FYI: Be mindful when booking your tickets to the Cook Islands and/or Samoa. You will be traveling across the international dateline, so you may gain or lose a full day with only a short flight.
If you have any more questions about Samoa, or if I left anything out, let me know! And when you go, don’t forget to drive with caution and drink Taula Beer! Not at the same time of course! Can’t wait to hear about your experience!
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