Family Ride
Family Ride
Explore Samoa with the whole family
Whether your children are 4 or 44, riding around Samoa is a great family experience.
It doesn't matter if some of the family don't ride, or if some are triathlon champions, there is something for everyone and a great sense of holidaying as a family.
| Description | Cycling | Beaches | Comfort | Adventure | Culture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Tours of Samoa | Fales and Motels |
| Description |
|---|
| Family Tours of Samoa |
| Cycling |
| Beaches |
| Comfort |
| Fales and Motels |
| Adventure |
| Culture |
Holidays exploring the beaches and having adventures together are the ones we remember forever. Samoa with it's many sandy beaches beside placid lagoons and quiet roads is an ideal place for that special family trip.
For young adults there is plenty of challenge in the hilly parts of the ride and exploring the coral lagoons teaming with fish life. With the water at least 28°C and no nasties the challenge is usually getting out of the water.
Young children often travel in our bike trailers or tagalong tandem bikes, but can travel in the support van if they find that more comforting. We have had 8 year olds cycle nearly all the way, but there is no need to stress over what they ride or don't as the van is always nearby. The kids are also a great way to meet the locals as they tend to be conversation starters.
Take any of the itineraries on this site and use them as the basis to plan a trip. Or just email us with a few details like:
- the ages of the kids
- general levels of fitness (can everyone can comfortably bike 40kms or will you be more comfortable with a support vehicle)
- particular interests (e.g. fishing, caving, mountain biking, cultural interactions etc)
- how long you want to spend in Samoa, 2 weeks is best, and dates if known.
and we will draft an itinerary and quote.
How old do the kids have to be?
Under 8s
We were originally inspired to visit Samoa by Nathan Fa'ave's tale of cycling around both islands towing his one and three year old kids in a trailer. Hi wife, Jodi, who was 7 months pregnant at the time rode all the way as well. They are not quite your average couple - but there are lots of other ways to cycle with young kids. Having a support van means that if the going gets too tough (for adults or kids) the van is always available. Our drivers Sarah and Peter are great with kids and their youngest is only 5.
We have kiddy bike seats and a trailer for those not yet ready to ride. We also have a tag-a-long, which is a third wheel tandem designed specially for riders between 3 and about 6.
Over 7s
The youngest rider we know who rode all the way was 8. But he was pretty outdoor hardened. Rather than focus on the trip as a ride that has to be completed completely under ones own steam, think about it as a series beach holidays linked by some cycling and use the support van to keep it fun. On one memorable and really enjoyable trip we had a 10 year old with spina bifida. She and I would ride the flat bits in the morning before she hoped into the front of the van and lead the trip from the passenger seat.
The roads are quiet - but some cycle road sense is vital.
We have some 24 inch bikes for 7-10 year olds.
How well are kids accepted at the resorts?
The fale resorts in particular are very family oriented. The kids also provide a great introduction the the villagers. So children enhance the experience considerably.
Other Bike FAQs
See Bike FAQs
Family tours are always customised to meet travel dates and times and as much as we can, to meet budgets. It is impossible to give standard prices because in part there is no standard age at which a child is considered an Adult with each resort having different rules.
In planning your trip to stretch the budget as far as possible consider the following:
Airfares are the biggest variable cost
- Book flights early - late bookings can be 2-3 times the price of early bookings
- Avoid July school holidays - or book 11 months ahead. This is the most expensive time to fly to Samoa. The April and Sept/October holiday flights fill a lot slower.
- Christmas bookings are crowded with returning Samoans, but there are often early bargains available flying between Christmas and New-Year. We are working on securing better accommodation prices at this time and the weather is surprisingly good.
Fale Resorts include meals
The fale resorts are particularly good value as they include dinner and breakfast. The cycling and snorkelling provide the activities so there are very few costs bey airfares and the tour cost.
Focus on Savaii
Travelling on Upolu (including visiting Apia) adds considerably to the cost - so just tour Savaii (it's much more interesting anyway).
Support Levels
The support van makes a huge difference to how everyone enjoys the trip, especially on the hilly/longer days. We minimise our margin on the support van for families touring Savaii only to make this work better.
Take any of the itineraries on this site and use them as the basis to plan a trip. Or just email us with a few details like:
- the ages of the kids
- general levels of fitness (can everyone can comfortably bike 40kms or will you be more comfortable with a support vehicle)
- particular interests (e.g. fishing, caving, mountain biking, cultural interactions etc)
- how long you want to spend in Samoa, 2 weeks is best, and dates if known.
and we will draft an itinerary and quote.
How old do the kids have to be?
Under 8s
We were originally inspired to visit Samoa by Nathan Fa'ave's tale of cycling around both islands towing his one and three year old kids in a trailer. Hi wife, Jodi, who was 7 months pregnant at the time rode all the way as well. They are not quite your average couple - but there are lots of other ways to cycle with young kids. Having a support van means that if the going gets too tough (for adults or kids) the van is always available. Our drivers Sarah and Peter are great with kids and their youngest is only 5.
We have kiddy bike seats and a trailer for those not yet ready to ride. We also have a tag-a-long, which is a third wheel tandem designed specially for riders between 3 and about 6.
Over 7s
The youngest rider we know who rode all the way was 8. But he was pretty outdoor hardened. Rather than focus on the trip as a ride that has to be completed completely under ones own steam, think about it as a series beach holidays linked by some cycling and use the support van to keep it fun. On one memorable and really enjoyable trip we had a 10 year old with spina bifida. She and I would ride the flat bits in the morning before she hoped into the front of the van and lead the trip from the passenger seat.
The roads are quiet - but some cycle road sense is vital.
We have some 24 inch bikes for 7-10 year olds.
How well are kids accepted at the resorts?
The fale resorts in particular are very family oriented. The kids also provide a great introduction the the villagers. So children enhance the experience considerably.
Other Bike FAQs
See Bike FAQs
Family tours are always customised to meet travel dates and times and as much as we can, to meet budgets. It is impossible to give standard prices because in part there is no standard age at which a child is considered an Adult with each resort having different rules.
In planning your trip to stretch the budget as far as possible consider the following:
Airfares are the biggest variable cost
- Book flights early - late bookings can be 2-3 times the price of early bookings
- Avoid July school holidays - or book 11 months ahead. This is the most expensive time to fly to Samoa. The April and Sept/October holiday flights fill a lot slower.
- Christmas bookings are crowded with returning Samoans, but there are often early bargains available flying between Christmas and New-Year. We are working on securing better accommodation prices at this time and the weather is surprisingly good.
Fale Resorts include meals
The fale resorts are particularly good value as they include dinner and breakfast. The cycling and snorkelling provide the activities so there are very few costs bey airfares and the tour cost.
Focus on Savaii
Travelling on Upolu (including visiting Apia) adds considerably to the cost - so just tour Savaii (it's much more interesting anyway).
Support Levels
The support van makes a huge difference to how everyone enjoys the trip, especially on the hilly/longer days. We minimise our margin on the support van for families touring Savaii only to make this work better.
