Kyla

Anyone have any helpful hints on shopping, eating out, sights, best swimming places also snorkeling we are there in Oct 2002. Holiday/wedding/relaxtion. Staying 17 days at kitano Tusitala, Sinalei, Tanu Beach fales and then 4 days spare to bunk around so we would love to know where to go where to shop for gifts/food shopping etc...thanks

Peggy

Kyla,
Saw you answered my other post from "99. We went to Coconuts & loved it. Visited Sinalei & it was nice but you must go the bar at Coconuts, it is usually a lot of fun, more active than Sinalei. Mika, the bartender/restaurant overseer was great. Their food is the best on the island. There aren't really any other places along the south coast to eat. Apia the captial is a big city but on the north coast. In between there are many areas of waterfalls & great sites. Best to get a tour guide at Sinalei or a good map to go venturing. Stop at Aggie Greys in Apia, shop next door has the most soveniors. Sinalei can arrange a trip to Apia to see Cindy, the island famous fafalina (?) stage show. The culture still raises some boys as girls if there are not enough in the family to do "womens" work. Cindy is a product of that & you will recognize others. The rest of the island is a throw back to the natural culture & very interesting. Ask the locals for entrance to the various beaches, each area has it's own chief. It's not a big thing, just a courtesy. Kayak the mangroves around Coconuts. Snorkeling was great there but better at the southeast beaches. With that much time are you going to the northern island? Enjoy, we went in October & got some incredible lightning storms at night.

Ralph

I stayed at Aggie Greys and spent a lot of time snorkeling a half mile or so north of there. It is a preserve of some kind and the snorkeling was very good. At least stop at Aggie Greys, a wonderful historic hotel. And read Michner's Tales of the South Pacific. Aggie is said to have been the model for Bloody Mary.

Ron Koenig

Hi

James Michner was a big Samoan fan but Robert Lewis Stevenson lived out the last four years of his life there.

Suggest you read "The Wreckers" and "The Beach at Falise" before you go. He wrote both is Samoa. Although they're not his most recognized works, they do set the tone for a visit to his former estate outside of Apia. Another good book is Fanny's (his wife) diaries of their life on the island.

Ron

Geoff

Kyla you've already got great advice, I'd concur on all of it. I just wanted to add on the reading list might be Margaret Mead. And another idea since you'll be there for such a good long stay is to venture over to American Samoa as well.

Peggy

Hi, I had responded to this post earlier & now that it is brought forward I wonder if anyone has infor on the northern island Savaii. We are thinking of maybe returning to Samoa next spring, staying again at Coconuts but would like to see more sites. Are there interesting areas on the other island? I know there is not much there in the way of accomodations. Any info would be helpful.

Ron Koenig

Hi

Suggest you buy the Lonely Planet travel guide "Samoa" for $20. It covers all the Savii topic, hotels, falies etc.

Very accurate from our experience.

There is a car/passenger ferry from the western tip of Upolu to Savaii. Just ignore the panhandlers trying to extract money from the "rich" tourists.

Ron