Local Knowledge

THE SURF

Most breaks in Samoa are reef breaks. Waves can get very sucky and powerful. It is not recommended for beginners to surf here because of the nature of the breaks. Good working knowledge of reef breaks is essential in order to see your way around safely. If you've never surfed reef breaks before and are comfortable with beach breaks then all is not lost but there are differences to be aware of. With Samoan reef breaks you usually deal with shallow coral bottoms and very fast waves. No real dramas if you've surfed decent waves before. Oh, the coral is also bloody sharp. Some breaks are further from shore than others but if you're a keen bugger like us locals, we paddle to the breaks. A far away break will take about 15 mins to paddle so its not too bad, remember you've also got to paddle back. If you can't be bothered then you can negotiate with some of the local fishermen to drop you off and pick you up. Also if you're wondering what the water temperature all I can say is its very warm. Unlike any water you've been in before. Also the water temperature does not fluctuate no matter what time of day it is or what the weather is like.

EQUIPMENT

If you can bring more than one board then do so. One for your usual shredding and one for larger waves. You may encounter a cross section of waves. Anything from 2 ft up to 15 ft. If not bring one board that you have total confidence in. If you're wondering what the chances are of breaking boards - there's a very good chance.

Also bring a ding repair kit if you can because we get plenty of those. Maybe throw in a spare leg rope. There's like 1 or 2 surf shops in Apia so if you're in the outer areas make sure you're prepared.

It is a good idea to include a set of booties for the trip to save the agony of filleting your feet on the coral. Also if you are worried about getting skid marks on your thinker bring a helmet too, if you've never used one before it can make you feel a little claustrophobic. So stick with what you're use to. Us local guys don't use such things. We try not to stand up or bang our heads (with little success too).

Make sure you bring a few bars of warm water wax, a decent rash guard, plenty of sun screen and some solarcane for those sore days. Also maybe some eye drops if you're prone to that kind of stuff. Also do not bother to bring any kind of wet suit whatsoever.

FIRST AID

At least bring some anti-biotic cream and probably some plasters and cotton. They are readily available at the pharmacies here in Apia if you forget. In the outer villages you will need your own supplies for the more trivial stuff. There's public hospitals in both Upolu and Savaii, hopefully you wont have to visit them. There's also plenty of private clinics in Apia if you need to see a doctor. It generally costs around TALA$20. I recommend Dr Atherton (my doctor) in Apia if you should encounter any dramas.

DRINKING WATER

It is not recommended you drink the local tap water. There's plenty of bottled water available and sold in local shops all over the place.

TRANSPORT

To become completely mobile the best option is have a rental car. This will set you back about TALA$90+ a day. There a numerous rental car companies in Samoa which are locally owned. The best type of car to have is a jeep and there's plenty of those to rent. Here's a few names of rental car companies in the Apia area:

Funway Rentals, Apia Rentals, Juliana's Rentals, Myna's Rentals, LE Car Rental, Avis to name a few. You will see that they are not hard to find upon arriving. Ask your hotel customer service for more information. If you are travelling to Savaii there is a ferry service available and if you are taking a car across then you have to pre-book it with Samoa Shipping Co usually a day or so in advance.

The bus service to the outer villages can be infrequent at times. It can also get very full at the start and end of the working day because it is a popular form of transport for the locals. Another problem is that the bus service finishes at the end of the business day about 4:30pm - 5:00pm. It can be a bit of an inconvenience if you're scoring good waves around this time. If you're wondering about hitch hiking then that's another possibility. It is not prohibited in Samoa.

MONEY

The most widely used type of transaction are cash transactions. Major credit cards are accepted at hotels and some rental car agencies. However, you can not use it draw cash. Travellers cheques can be cashed at any bank. Personal cheques however are not accepted especially for overseas accounts. There are three banks in Samoa - ANZ Bank, Pacific Commercial Bank, National Bank of Samoa. ANZ bank is the biggest with the most number of branches across Samoa. The other two banks are only in the Apia area. See Travel page for exchange rates. All banks have branches at the airport so you can exchange currencies there when you arrive or leaving. Tipping is not encouraged nor expected so keep that in mind if you're wondering.