This week’s travel piece was chosen by your 2017 Ytravel Travel Writing Competition Judges as our runner-up. Congratulations to Fono Osa from Avondale College – we’re all booking out tickets to Samoa right now!
You’ve snagged an awesome deal including flight and transfers, but haven’t thought about accommodation and you don’t want to break the budget? The easiest and cheapest option? Camping, Samoan style. Imagine waking up to white sandy beaches and crystal clear water at your doorstep without blowing your hard earned cash in one week. If you’ve ever been to a tropical island, you would know that being as close to the water as possible, is definitely a plus. Picture heat, sweat, cool water; repeat. Coastal accommodation is the way to go. The friendly, welcoming people make you feel instantly at home with a big smile and a ‘talofa’ everywhere you go. The sweet island breeze makes the sticky tropical heat durable and you realise that this is living!
A Samoan fale is basically a wooden tent (except you can’t dismantle it and take it with you). Fitted with blinds for privacy and shelter from the elements, it is a simple but effective way to spend your days without spending all your dollars. It comes with a comfy mattress on the floor and clean linen. Sure, it won’t keep out all those pesky mozzies (don’t forget the repellent), it ain’t five star and you may get the occasional gecko seeking shelter, but it definitely ticks the boxes of authentic Samoan living. Most fale accommodation provides meals for guests or you can just check out the local produce at the markets and stock up for the week. All amenities are a stone’s throw away from communal showers and laundry facilities, giving this the ultimate camping feel.
Worried about transport? The local bus and taxi service will take care of that. Keep in mind that there are no set timetables. Island time is real and thriving in Samoa. You can be picked up on the side of the road at any time, anywhere. With every route covered, you can check out the local attractions and make it home in time for dinner. Picture buses pumping with loud reggae music, smoky diesel engines, and bumpy roads. Having ridden on one myself, I can say that a bus ride is a whole experience in itself. However, be warned that you need to be prepared to be sat on or to sit on someone because one person per seat is definitely NOT the norm on a Samoan bus! A 22-seater bus can carry 50+ Samoans and that’s saying something! If you’re travelling with friends – problem solved and no awkward moments with the locals. Buses are usually packed to the brink in the tropical heat, so you’ll be dying to make back to your ocean fale. But for a few tala (the local currency), who’s complaining?
The South coast boasts gems like Taufua Beach fale’s at Lalomanu beach (only $63AU/night) located near the famous To Sua Ocean Trench and Sopoga Waterfalls. There’s Vaiula Beach Fale ($70AU/night) or Matareva Beach Fale ($60AU/night), there are so many options! Located in the middle of villages, you can join a local family for a traditional ‘umu’, buy fresh fruit on the side of the road for a couple of tala, join in on a local volleyball game (there’ll be a game every fifty meters), or just relax on the beach. There’s so much to see and do in Samoa and if you’re on a budget, it’s affordable. Life is chilled, relaxed and all you need to do is to take on the local attitude, faifailemu (take it easy).