You may not have heard about the small Pacific country of Samoa, but it is a place that shouldn’t be missed. For two tiny islands, with a population of just 170,000, the country has a wide range of activities to offer travellers.
Samoa is easily accessible from the main centres of Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, and flights to either Australia or New Zealand can usually easily incorporate a stop over in Samoa.
Samoa is also great as a budget travel destination, and you can learn some more great Samoan budget travel tips, and see my daily expenditures over at my website, OurOyster.com.
Top 5 Things To Not Miss In Samoa
Elaborate Churches
A church in a village near Apia
Samoa is a deeply religious country, with catholicism being the main religion in the country. Every village seems to be constantly competing with the next to build a bigger, and more flashy church than their neighbours, and the preachers often live a life of luxury. This competition between villages has resulted in some amazing architectural feats, which should not be missed.
On Sunday’s in Samoa, basically everything shuts down. The best thing to do is to go down to the local church and join in with the service. Just remember to dress conservatively, and if you are lucky, you may be invited to join a local family for their traditional sunday lunch… the umu…
An Umu Dinner
Coconut cream dips for taro
Umu is the name for the traditional Samoan stone oven which is built on the ground. Cooking an Umu dinner is no easy process, with most families rising in the early hours of Sunday morning to built the coconut husk fires which heat up the rocks.
The usual suspects in an Umu dinner include taro, grilled bananas, and dipping sauces. It is an incredibly delicious and filling meal, and something I was very lucky to experience during my time in Samoa.
Snorkelling
I was lucky to swim with turtles in Samoa
Samoa is famous for it’s crystal clear waters, which are relatively calm in most places thanks to a protective reef which surrounds almost the entire country. Some of the fale’s and hotels have snorkelling gear that you can rent, but it is probably better value to bring your own.
Lazing On Beautiful Beaches
Beach fale's on Lano beach
After a bit of snorkelling, there is nothing better than relaxing on the beach. Samoa is blessed with many beautiful spots. Many beach spots are owned by local families who rent out simple beach fale’s, and your night’s accommodation also usually includes breakfast and dinner, making it a very affordable choice. One of my favourite beaches in Samoa was at the small town of Lano.
Fire Spinning
Fire spinning is a famous, and traditional art form in Samoa. The best way to catch a fire spinning show is in the capital of Apia, where many hotels, most notably Aggie Gray’s have a weekly fire spinning performance and dinner.
To read more about my experiences in Samoa, you can visit my Samoan information page on OurOyster.com
Tags: beaches, Samoa, Snorkelling
