Samoa Created by: Ailona Masoe
Samoa
- FAMILY ITINERARY
- HOTEL
- FOOD AND BEVERAGE
- RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT
- Reference
Introduction
Location: SAMOA
Samoa is an island located in the south of the equator and about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean. Samoa had been known as German Samoa then Western Samoa from 1962 to 1977. Western Samoa became simply Samoa, leaving out the word “western”.
The total land area is about 2,842 km2 (1,097 sq. mi) with a population of 198,909. The country consists of seven islands with two main islands which are known as Upolu and Savai’i and with four other small islands. The Apia City is located at Upolu and the Salelologa Town is another small city on the big island of Savai’i.
History
The oldest Samoa’s human settlement was created about 3000 years ago as a part of the Austronesian expansion and it is considered that the first people to settle Samoa were voyagers from Taiwan. These ancestors traveled in long canoes relying on the stars, clouds, birds, wind, and lands as their compass to finding new lands. They finally discovered an island which is now called Samoa.
Many years ago, Samoa was colonized by several countries like New Zealand, Germany, and the United States. After years of the civil war, the islands of Samoa were divided between the United States and Germany in 1899. The United States took what it is now called American Samoa and the Germans took Western Samoa. Not long after the outbreak of World War I, New Zealand took Western Samoa from a small group of Germans stationed on the island and at the end of the war, New Zealand took administrative control on behalf of the UN from the year 1918 to the year 1962 when Samoa became independent.
The Mau was a group formed by the island chiefs. The group of chiefs did not support the idea of foreigners taking over their country. Mau stood up for the country and fought for the freedom of its people. Freedom did not come easy. Many lives were lost in order to gain the independence of the nation. Samoa was the first Independent country in the entire Pacific islands.
Weather
The weather in the islands is warm and tropical all year round. Its climate is hot and humid with an average daily temperature of 29 degrees Celsius. There are two distinct seasons in the islands, the dry season and the wet season. The dry season is from May to October while the wet season is from November to April. Most of the time in Samoa, it is humid therefore wearing light clothing is highly recommended. The best time to visit the islands is during the dry season, but if the rainy days are your kind of weather then take a light coat with you and enjoy your visit.
Tourism
There is no place like Samoa. Samoa had been visited by many people and mostly by tourists from China. They love the country for various reasons and one common reason is because of Samoa’s abundance in natural resources like lands and timbers. They keep bringing more and more of their people to the islands and they have established stores and many successful companies.
Second are tourists from New Zealand, Australia, and America. These people enjoy much of Samoa’s accommodations, times at the beaches, sightseeing places, and hiking on one of Samoa’s famous mountain where Robert Louis Stevenson an English writer is buried. Tourists usually stay for more than two weeks when they visit the islands. Samoa also has one of the Pacific’s greatest Tourism enterprise called The Samoa Tourism Authority. This enterprise had been successfully marketing Samoa as the best holiday destination because most of the tourists leave with real satisfaction from Samoa’s friendliness, hospitality and especially its beautiful nature.
FAMILY ITINERARY
| Thursday / Day of Arrival | Adults | Teens & Children |
|---|---|---|
6:00pm
-
8:00pm | -Check In -Registration | -Top Golf -Cooler Ice and Roller Skating (the location is just around the hotel) Friday 10:30am |
Friday | ||
10:30am-4:00pm | Centennial Olympic Park Activities | Centennial Olympic Park Activities |
6:00pm | Free Time | Free Time |
Saturday | ||
11:00am-4:00pm | Picnic at the Wills Park | Picnic at the Wills Park |
Sunday | ||
09:30am-11:30am | Closing Breakfast Prepare to check out | Closing Breakfast |
Hotel / Accommodation
Types of Accommodation in the Country of Western Samoa
In Samoa, there are various types of accommodation on the Upolu and Savai’i islands. There are ten hotels in Savai’i and eleven on Upolu – 2 or 3 stars rated hotels depending on their size and service. Most of these hotels are located in urban areas. These hotels are great hotels but they lack reviews because the guests forget to rate them.
The Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort Hotel and Taumeasina Hotel are the two highly-rated hotels in the country. These hotels have almost all the amenities needed for a high rated hotel except for a few differences. Taumeasina Hotel does not have free parking while Sheraton does. Taumeasina offers free breakfast while the Sheraton Hotel does not. The tourists usually stay for several days to several weeks. These 4-star hotels are also the biggest hotels in the country.
Accommodation - the travelers choice
Accommodation choice depends on the guests’ purpose of visit. If they visit for special occasions like conferences or special events, the hotels near the town center are mostly booked. The business people usually book at the Taumeasina hotel. If tourists want to explore the islands, then they usually book hotels near the sea or beach or near the mountains because that helps them fulfill the purpose of their visit. Choosing a hotel is the travelers choice depending on the purpose of their visit.
| Name (Accommodation name) | Category (Resort /mid-range / economy / etc.) | Cost (Cost per night) | Amenities (what kind of services would attract the guests) | Audience (Who does this accommodation appeal to?) | Stars (usually reported as 1- 4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taumeasina Island Resort | Resort | WST179.00 | Ocean View Rooms,
Free Breakfast Fitness Gym Bar and Restaurant Fiafia Evenings(island shows) | To Leaders, Business People, Tourists
Couples Families Artists etc. | 4-star rated |
Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel | Hotel | WST181.00 | Great breakfast Suites and bungalows Fitness Gym Free Wi-Fi | Business people Tourists Families
etc. | 4-star rated |
Le Vasa | Resort | WST123.00 | Great location, isolated from the crowd. | Tourists Couples | 4-star rated |
Return to Paradise | Resort | WST137.00 | Great Spa Airy rooms | Tourists Couples
Individuals/Locals | 4.3-star rated |
St. Therese Samoa Retreat and Accommodation | Hotel | Check Availability | Good for Kids Bar outside | Tourists Families | 4-star rated |
Tanoa Tusitala | Hotel | WST151.00 | Free breakfast | Families Tourists | 4.2-star rated |
Food & Beverage / Restaurants
Summary of Food and Beverage in Samoa
Samoa has been populated not only by its citizens but also with immigrants who bring their traditions and cultures to the country. These traditions and cultures are mostly expressed through food and this is the reason why the growth of restaurants in the country has increased. They convey their traditions through food at their family restaurants or through the local restaurants.
Now the popular cuisines we have in the islands are Italian, New Zealand and of course Samoan cuisine. The food available in Samoa is mostly the plantation food and ocean food such as seafood, tropical fruits, and root crops. Its most popular beverage is from the fruits of the “tree of life” – the coconuts. The Coconut juice is well known not only in Samoa but throughout the Pacific islands.
A favorite food of many Samoa visitors is the tasty palusami (baked coconut cream in taro leaves) cooked in the umu” (Beautiful Samoa). This dish is very popular because of its taste and the richness of coconut cream in it and it is always consumed together with taro or breadfruit, two of Samoa’s most consumed starch which is used as a replacement of rice. This dish also happens to be the local’s favorite as well. In the islands there isn’t much danger when it comes to consuming food, the only thing that the travelers should be careful of, is eating food that is not fresh but other than that, the food is safe to consume.
3 Quick Service Restaurants:
| Name | Cuisine | Meals | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Paddles Restaurant | Italian, Seafood, Mediterranean, European | Dinner, Drinks | Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service | $6.00-$23.00 |
Amanaki Restaurant | Bar, Seafood, New Zealand | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late Night | Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Validated Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service | $$-$$$ |
The Deck Restaurant | Bar, Pub | Lunch, Dinner, Late Night, Drinks | Seating, Parking Available, Television, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Highchairs Available, Table Service | $9.00-$18.00 |
3 Casual Restaurants:
| Name | Cuisine | Meals | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pinati Restaurant | Polynesian | Lunch, Dinner | Take out, reservations, car parking, self-service, accepts credit card | $-$$ |
Taumeasina Restaurant and Bar | Polynesian, Bar, International, Sicilian | Dinner, Drinks | Has waterfront views, outdoor n indoor seating, offers catering and much more. We provide Sicilian Mediterranean and local Samoan cuisines; oka, taro, sashimi, poke, fish, fish n chips, burgers, chicken, salads and a variety of pastas, gnocchi and arancini. | $5.00-$14.00 |
Scalinis Restaurant | Seafood, Fusion, New Zealand, European | Lunch, Dinner | Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free Off-Street Parking, Serves Alcohol, Wine and Beer, Accepts MasterCard, Accepts Visa, Reservations, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Wheelchair Accessible | $7.00-$26.00 |
3 Fine Dining Restaurants:
| Name | Cuisine | Meals | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sheraton Feast Hotel | International, European | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch | Reservations, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Table Service | $20-$100 |
Bistro Tatau | Mediterranean | Lunch, Dinner | Seating, Street Parking, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts MasterCard, Accepts Visa, Reservations, Wheelchair Accessible, Table Service, Accepts Credit Cards | $10-$30 |
Rokos Restaurant | European | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Late Night | Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Street Parking, Free Off-Street Parking, Accepts MasterCard, Accepts Visa, Table Service, Takeout, Parking Available, Wheelchair Accessible, full bar | $$-$$$ |
Recreation / Entertainment
Recreation Section
The most attractive activities that draw people to the islands are sightseeing and visiting the beaches. There is more to experience on the islands like swimming, relaxing at the geysers while watching the sunsets or sunrises, snorkeling, the road trip around the islands and experiencing the ride on a ferry that goes from one island to the other (Upolu to Savaii and Savaii to Upolu) and making new friends wherever the traveler may stay. The hiking is also popular at Mt. Vaea. The mountain Vaea is also the place where the writer Robert Louis Stevenson is buried.
During June, the country celebrates the independence day and many local and world-known entertainers perform on this day. This is usually the busiest time of the tourism industry in Samoa because the tourist industry organizes almost everything about this event, even accommodation, and transportation. Most of the tourists have the opportunity to visit historic sites which is the best thing to do when you are a tourist. There are many historic places in the islands, such as giant Moso’s Footprint at Falealupo, the Dwarf’s Cave, Robert Louis Stevenson’s’ grave and many more. These sites are “not to miss” sites for people visiting Samoa for the first time. Visiting Samoa is surely an unforgettable adventure for everyone.
Activities Found in the Islands
Water Activities:
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Snorkeling
- Diving
Natural Wonders:
- Sunset sight
- Blowholes
- Isolated islands
- Tosua
- Dwarfs cave
Sports Recreation:
- Volleyball (beach and land)
- Rugby
Arts, Culture, Entertainment:
- Teuila Festival
- Independence Day