Staying in Samoa

Hi guys, I have several questions about Samoa...

Me and the girlfriend and heading over next week and haven't booked accommodation yet... we were hoping to freestyle it a bit, rent a car and book rooms as we go. Is it possible to do so? Could rooms all be booked out? Are there any places that people would recommend? We quite fancy some nights in basic a fale, but we would quite like to spoil ourselves with one or two nights in a fancy place. Are there any stand out places to stay on the island?

Another option would be to use a place as a base and explore the island on a daily basis as Upolu seems pretty small... What are peoples opinions on Savaii? We quite like the idea of exploring over there.

What have been everyones favourite experiences in Samoa? Restaurant, beach, reef, hotel, mountain, walk, etc?
And snorkelling... Best spots, and what are you likely to see?

Just trying to get a feel and an itinerary together so any info would be apreciated!

Cheers
J

Have just heard from a friend who is there now that the tourist spots are pretty quiet at the moment, so you should be fine just winging it.
You dont say how long you are staying. I really like Savaii and often go straight there, I think its worth a visit- but it depends on the total length of time you have.
Both Islands are only about 200kms in circumference but the driving time is slow (25-60kms an hour)and a lot of the interesting places are down small side roads off the main road so although you could drive around in about 6 hours I would recommend taking at least 2 days on Savaii and about 3 days on Upolu.
You could base your self in Apia when you travel around Upolu- check out Amanaki Hotel for good value.- they have 220 & 330 tala rooms with a good value restaurant onsite .
Or you could spend a few days in each area.
For Fales on the South Coast check out Taufua Fales at Lalomanu Beach or Faofao at Saleapaga beach. Faimafili Village Resort along by Return to Paradise has just been rebuilt after a cyclone and is quite good value. All are about 80 tala per person including breakfast & dinner. For a good value lunch Lupes down the same road as Coconuts Resort has good local food about 20 tala a main
To Sua trench is good for a vist...you can swim in the trench, I think the entrance fee was 20 tala

Fales on Savaii ...both Lauiula & Joelans at Lano are good on a nice beach, (about 60 tala pp)Vacations, Tanes & Janes at Manase are good (about 70 pp)Snorkelling is ok at both those beaches, Dive savaii does a good trip
Hotels on Savaii...The Savaiian is good value at Lalomalava ( 120 tala no a/c and about 180 with) and does good value meals, about 15-20 tala , at Salelologa Lusias has good meals
You can take a rental car over on the ferry but must pre book or rent another car at Jet over or Salafai car rentals on Savaii, rentals are normally about 100-120 tala a day and you shouldnt have a problem getting one.
There is a good cultural display in Apia behind the info centre on beach road (it was 9 am thursdays last year when i was there but check with the info centre)
Great fish and chips at the Apia fish market, fresh fish and chips about 8 tala
Hope you have a good trip.

Snorkelling was poor everywhere I tried it.

Favourite experiences:
- To Sau Trench
- Saleapaga/Lalomanu
- Alofaaga Blowholes
- Being followed at night by two local guys who struck up a conversation, then summoned a taxi with a prostitute calling herself Aggie Grey who offered up playing with her breasts for 20 tala (I declined), and ending up at a bar where they talked about their banana plantation, then wanted me to pay for their beer, and then eventually give them money to buy bread.
- Getting on the plane and leaving

When I visited Samoa a "Palagi" is treated like family. You will be invited to stay with a family when you're there.The islands are beautiful of course Savai'i is more unsploit then Upolu if you want to stay in a hotel in Apia then Aggie Greys would be the choice.The hotel was once a hamburger hot dog cafe for the Seabees & US Navy personnel in the South Pacific during World War II. Mt.Vaea is worth a day trek bring rain gear as it pours there. Its where Robert Louis Stevenson was buried as well.On the south side don't miss Sopasaga Falls.Try a local Vailima Beer which is produced by German Distillery there.A lot of people forget that Western Samoa was once part of Germany.The Samoans are truly wonderful people you'll have a blast.Should you be invited to a family Hanga Feast never refuse food that's offered to you even if youre not hungry just play with the food.

#3 - that must have been quite a while ago. The Western in the name of Samoa is out of use since 1997 and Samoa had never been part of Germany. A colony only - which typically is just not sharing the rights they would have if being part of the country. But that was more than a 100 years ago. Nothing left of it.
Vailima Beer is good but the brewery is owned by Coca-Cola. The brewery was founded in the late 1970s, long after the colonial time. A German company was involved, until 2000, so there was stated 'Brewed and bottled under German Management'on the label - however the guy was a Swiss. But who cares so far away from Europe :-)?
Aggie's is still closed due to Cyclone flood damage. Yes, Aggie Grey had made money by selling hamburgers to American troops in WW II, but the hotel came later only. Hanga is not Samoan - maybe #3 means Hangi but that is Maori. And don't expect to be invited to a Samoan family. These times are over too.

I suggest to mainly follow #1s suggestions. Consider as well Vai-i-Moana in Vaisala/Savaii and have a look at Seabreeze and Aga Reef Resort in South Upolu, at least for remarkable meals. Look at Le Uaina at Faleapuna, near Falefa, too.
Samoa has more and more family-owned middle range accommodation now, usually start-ups by Samoans returning from Australia or New Zealand. Most are really well worth a stay. The Beach Fales are certainly not the main choice anymore.

Have a good time!

There is a website you might find useful, its called budgetaccommodationsamoa.com . It has photos and contact details of a lot of places under 100tala pp per night (about 30 euro or $50 US) Also a useful map with names and phone numbers you can download for free.
I'm envious of your trip, winter has just hit hard here in Christchurch NZ.

I use the expression Western Samoa to differ it from American Samoa even though it has been years. The first time there was in 1994 .I was invited by a Samoan family drank Mango Wine they called it Talofa Wine.I took Polynesian Airlines to Fale'olo Intl.Airport then left on a Sunday Morning arriving in Tonga Monday Morning after an Hour Half flight.Now Samoa is "Where Time really Begins as its the Easternmost point to the dateline as of the beginning of 2013.Aggies is still closed??? Is the Mount Vaea Club still open???I remembered it as a Real Roughhouse kind of place.The girls there were mostly Fahafines at that joint.