Why Samoa for a Honeymoon
Samoa delivers the classic Polynesian scenery without the crowds or prices of Tahiti. Lagoons are clear, reefs come close to shore and big waterfalls drop through rainforest in the interior.
The swimming spots are the real draw. To Sua Ocean Trench is a deep, sea-fed pool reached by a long wooden ladder. Piula Cave Pool is a freshwater spring under a church college. On Savai'i, the Alofaaga blowholes fire seawater high into the air.
Accommodation spans a wide range. Simple open fales on Lalomanu Beach include dinner and breakfast with your bed, while kid-free boutique resorts offer private villas and spa treatments. Most honeymooners mix the two, spending a couple of nights in a fale for the experience before moving somewhere with a proper bathroom and air conditioning.
The culture stays present in daily life rather than in shows, from matai chiefs leading village councils to the tattooed men selling coconuts by the road.
Best Time to Visit
The dry season runs from May to October and is the best time to visit. Expect warm sunny days in the 80s Fahrenheit, lower humidity and steady trade winds. The lagoons are at their clearest and roads to waterfalls are easier going.
The Teuila Festival, Samoa's biggest cultural celebration, usually takes place in Apia in early September, with dance competitions, fautasi longboat races and food stalls. It's a fun week to be in town if you book early.
November to April is the wet season, also cyclone season. Rain tends to come in heavy bursts with sunshine between them, humidity climbs and some inland roads get rough. Fewer tourists visit and lodging is easier to find. If you go then, buy travel insurance that covers weather delays and keep plans flexible on the day you cross to Savai'i.
Where to Go
Upolu is the main island and the base for most trips. The south and southeast coasts hold the best beaches, including Lalomanu with its row of family-run fales, plus the cluster of resorts near To Sua and the Aleipata district. Apia, on the north coast, is worth a morning for the market and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum at Vailima, the author's former home.
Savai'i is one of the largest islands in Polynesia but has a far smaller population than Upolu. A ferry crosses from Mulifanua wharf, near the airport, in about an hour to ninety minutes. It is the place for lava fields, blowholes, the Afu Aau waterfall and long, nearly empty beaches on the north coast.
A common plan is four or five nights on Upolu followed by three or four on Savai'i, or the reverse to end on the quieter island.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Land at Faleolo Airport and transfer to a south coast resort on Upolu.
Day 2: Rest, swim in the lagoon and have dinner on the beach.
Day 3: Swim at To Sua Ocean Trench in the morning before groups arrive, then spend the afternoon on Lalomanu Beach.
Day 4: Drive the cross-island road to Apia. Visit the Stevenson museum, hike up Mount Vaea to his grave and finish with a fiafia night of dancing and food.
Day 5: Stop at Papase'ea Sliding Rocks and Piula Cave Pool.
Day 6: Take the ferry to Savai'i and check in on the north coast.
Days 7–9: Explore Saleaula lava fields, the Alofaaga blowholes and Afu Aau waterfall, with beach days between.
Day 10: Ferry back to Upolu for your flight.
Budget and Costs
Samoa is among the better-value island countries in the Pacific. All figures here are approximate.
A traditional beach fale on Lalomanu or Savai'i often costs well under US$100 a night per couple, usually including breakfast and dinner. Midrange beach resorts typically run about US$150 to $300 a night. The top kid-free resorts and villas with private pools start around US$350 and climb from there.
Local food is inexpensive, particularly at the Apia market and small roadside stalls, while resort meals cost more. Custom fees to visit village-owned beaches, waterfalls and pools are small but add up over a trip, so carry cash.
The big variable is airfare. The weekly Honolulu flight can be pricey and connecting via Fiji or New Zealand adds time. A rental car for a few days costs less than private transfers and gives you freedom to explore.
Getting There and Around
Faleolo International Airport sits on the northwest tip of Upolu, about 40 minutes from Apia and closer to an hour from the south coast resorts. Fiji Airways runs the only nonstop from the US, a weekly Honolulu flight of just under six hours. Other routes connect in Nadi, which Fiji Airways serves nonstop from Los Angeles and San Francisco, or in Auckland on Air New Zealand.
The Mulifanua wharf for the Savai'i ferry is just a few minutes from the airport. Cars can go on the ferry if you book ahead.
Renting a car is the easiest way to explore. Samoa drives on the left. Visitors need a temporary local permit, which rental agencies can arrange. Local buses are colorful, cheap and run on a loose schedule, mostly from Apia. Taxis are available for shorter trips, but agree on the fare before you set off.
Culture and Etiquette
Fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way, centers on family, church and respect for village chiefs. Visitors are welcome but expected to follow a few customs.
Sunday is for church and family. Many businesses close, some beaches and attractions shut and swimming near villages may be discouraged. Plan a quiet day, join a church service or enjoy a Sunday umu lunch at your resort.
Many villages observe sa, an evening prayer time usually around dusk. If you hear a bell or conch, stop walking or driving through the village and wait quietly until it ends.
Dress modestly outside resorts. Cover shoulders and knees in villages and town; a lavalava wrap works for both men and women. Swimwear is for the beach. Ask before taking photos of people or entering private land. Pay custom fees cheerfully. Say "talofa" for hello and "fa'afetai" for thank you.
Public affection is kept low-key here.
Quick tips
- Many beaches, waterfalls and pools sit on village land and charge a small cash custom fee; carry small tala notes.
- Samoa sits just west of the date line, so you arrive a calendar day after you leave Hawaii.
- If you drive, ask the rental company to arrange a temporary local driving permit; traffic keeps left.
