Post #455800 by BigToe on Sat, May 23, 2009 1:16 PM

On 2009-05-18 03:08, tikineekie wrote:
Samoa is amazing! I went there in February. Stayed at Tanu's Beach Fales in Savaii and just loved it. If you want adventure & excitement Tanu's probably isn't for you. It is definitely the place to relax. It doesn't have the kitsch factor but it is pretty authentic -
Also stayed at Aggie Grey's in Apia for 3 nights. Very expensive for what it is but also very cool!
Samoa is definitely worth the holiday. It is dirt cheap there. Picked up some fab masks and war clubs.
Will definitely go back to Samoa. Get there before it's ruined by commercial tourism!

i went to Samoa a few years back and heartily concur. compared to any hawaiian island, the several tahitian islands i have been to or even Fiji, Samoa offers a much more authentic natural polynesian experience. i would compare it to tahiti in the 80's. dont expect honolulu amenities! Tanu's IS really nice, and they can probably arrange for as much excitement as you want. we stayed in the small resort attached to Salani's in western Samoa and surfed the excellent reef pass there...and also canoed up the river and took great excursions to waterfalls and stone slides.
great energy there, so it IS a great place to relax...hell, we were only allowed to share the village phone for 1 hour during the week.
a fun fact is that Aggie Grey's is HELLA haunted. my catholic mom even saw ghosts when she was there in the 80's!! robert louis stevenson died there and his gravesite is nearby, which is pretty damn cool to be able to visit!
not for those used to 5-star travel...it's all 'rustic' in Samoa, but a trip that will stay with u forever.
let me know if u have other questions!
toesy