Essential Samoa: Upolu and Savai'i
Duration : 10 days
Route : Apia (3 nights) → Upolu south coast (2 nights, To Sua) → Savai'i ferry (4 nights) → return Upolu (1 night)
Custom travel to Samoa
Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) is one of the South Pacific's most authentic Polynesian countries — 2 main islands (Upolu and Savai'i), 200,000 inhabitants, fa'a Samoa culture preserved for 3,000 years. Apia, tropical capital on Upolu, houses Robert Louis Stevenson's grave (the author of Treasure Island, who lived there his final years 1890-1894). Fiafia evenings (traditional Samoan dance show), Savai'i diving (To Sua Ocean Trench, one of the world's most iconic natural pools, accessible by ladder into a collapsed crater), traditional villages with fale (wall-less houses). Secondary destination for Western tourists but heavily visited by New Zealanders.
Highlights
- Apia: Robert Louis Stevenson's grave
- To Sua Ocean Trench: iconic natural pool
- Fiafia evenings: traditional Polynesian dance
- Savai'i: volcanoes, waterfalls, diving
- Upolu beaches: Lalomanu and Aganoa
- Fa'a Samoa culture: fale and traditional villages
Sample itineraries
Diving and fa'a Samoa culture
Duration : 12 days
Route : Apia (2 nights) → Upolu south coast (3 nights, diving) → Savai'i (5 nights, Aganoa diving) → return Upolu (1 night)
Relaxation: beach and lagoons
Duration : 8 days
Route : Apia (1 night) → Sinalei Reef Resort Upolu (6 nights) → return Apia (1 night)
When to go
Dry season (May-October, austral winter): ideal climate (24-28 °C). Wet season (November-April): frequent rain, sometimes cyclones January-March.
- Dry season (May – October) — Upolu, Savai'i, diving
- Wet season (November – April) — Tighter budget trip
- Transition (April and October) — All sites accessible
- Cyclones (January – March) — Off-season
Practical information
Very safe. No visa for French citizens < 60 days. Modest dress in villages (shoulders and knees covered). Left-hand drive since 2009. Tap water drinkable in Apia, avoid elsewhere. Tipping not mandatory.
Frequently asked questions
When?
May-October (dry season).
How long?
10 days for Upolu + Savai'i.
Budget?
€2,800-€3,800 per person for 10 days in comfort, excluding flights. Premium: €4,800-€6,500. Flights: €1,600-€2,400.
Visa?
No for French citizens < 60 days.
Getting there?
Paris-Auckland flight (1 stopover), then Auckland-Apia (4 h).
To Sua Ocean Trench accessible to all?
Vertiginous 30-m ladder — not recommended for vertigo-prone or children < 8. Moderate level required.
Family?
Yes, from age 8 (To Sua, beaches). Total safety.
How many days in Savai'i?
3-4 nights minimum to enjoy (volcanoes, waterfalls, beaches).
Combine?
Yes: Samoa + Tonga, Samoa + Fiji, Samoa + New Zealand.
Tips?
Not mandatory.