Expectations

Samoa is much more than just an excellent place to cycle or kayak. It has coral sand beaches with safe swimming and dramatic coral outcrops teaming with colourful tropical fish. Much of Savaii has a near subsistence economy with strong traditional customs such as mat and tapa cloth making. Fiafias or dance nights in the small villages are events not to be missed.

Cycling

The 200km ride around the coast of Savaii is a great way to see and experience traditional Samoan village life.  Savaii is much less developed than Upolu and cycling provides a natural introduction.  Stop and talk to villages, get involved in a game of kilikiti (local cricket), join a weaving group or just chat to locals in the fresh water pools or small village shops.   Every night is on a sandy beach beside a calm lagoon with good, safe snorkelling.

The coastal route is sealed with a few hills but little traffic and the road passes the main attractions of the Alofaaga blowholes and the Afu Aau waterfalls.  

Alternatively cycle the 160kms around Eastern and Southern Upolu.  It's a little more developed but can be combined with kayaking, waterfall and coastering challenges to create as much excitement as you want.  The route takes in To Sua Trench, Togitogiga Falls, the Coastal Walkway and the Giant Clams.

At present there are no formal downhill mountain bike tracks.  There are a few rough back roads and routes on Savaii and we are slowly negotiating and building routes on Upolu.

Kayaking

With 29 degree open water temperatures and extensive lagoons Samoa is a warm and exciting place to kayak.  The offshore islands of Manono, Nuusafee and the Aleipatas provide a range of trips for all abilities.  Manono is a very traditional Island that can be reached entirely with the reef system, Nuusafee is uninhabited, remote, spectacular and accessed via a sheltered trip over the reef.  Namua is a classic island retreat with just the small fale resort on the sandy beach as the only habitation.  Nuutele island is outside the reef and often involves negotiating large swells and a challenging surf landing.  

Kayakers will almost always see turtles, have opportunities to snorkel over the coral and will usually see a good variety of birdlife including frigate birds, ganets and shearwaters.   We sometimes see whales, dolphins and eagle rays.

Swimming

It was the pristine white sand beaches with fale accommodation on the beaches that first attracted us to Samoa.  Waking up with the waves lapping within a few feet of the fale and the sun streaming over the water and peaking through the matting walls is still a highlight.  Its a few steps from bed to the sea for an early morning swim in warm, sheltered and safe water.

There is no better place to learn to snorkel and when I work as a tour guide I spend at least an hour a day in the water.  Look down and study the coral and colourful tropical fish or look across and hunt for turtles and manta rays, either way there is always lots to discover.  The coral has suffered damage from bleaching and the 2009 tsunami but there is still some good coral on Savaii.

Culture

Samoa is intensely proud of its traditional culture with the village still the centre of activity for most people living away from Apia.  Most families in these villages still regularly cook on an umu and rely heavily on fishing from small boats and on crops of taro, yams, banana etc grown on their family plantations.  Preparing an umu is a labour intensive  and skilled activity that is well worth watching.  Eating the palusami and other delicacies that emerge is a delight.  A small pig is cooked in under 40 minutes in these very hot ovens made by covering hot rocks with banana leaves.   Visiting a plantation and seeing cocoa and coconuts processed is also an activity not to be missed.

Women in the villages tend to meet for at least one day a week to weave fine mats.  We often stop at these and I suspect that while the mats are important, it is the gossiping and laughter that keeps the village together.   There are also opportunities to see Tapa cloth (Siapo) being made.

Adventure

Besides the cycling and kayaking Samoa has plenty more to offer.  Our favourites are the Waterfall Tour (4 hours with as many and as high a waterfall jumps as you dare) and the Coastering Challenge (whole day of climbing, scrambling, bush bashing and swimming).  

Other attractions include:

• sliding rocks 
• Diving (4 Padi places)
• Big Game and regular sport fishing
• Surfing
• kite surfing

We can often arrange these as part of your tour.

Getting there

There are flights 3-4 times a day from Auckland with Air New Zealand, Virgin and Samoa Airways (flight times are under 4 hours). Increasingly Air NZ flights are on wide bodied jets.

Virgin and Samoa Airways  fly several times a week direct from Sydney and Brisbane (5 hours) and most days from Australian cities via Auckland.

Fiji Airways has flights from several countries including the USA, Australia and New Zealand.  These flights mostly overnight in Fiji. Fiji has recently committed to flying 737s/A320s on the Samoa leg, which should improve reliability. 

See Planning for more details on Flights.

Bikes especially for touring

We have a fleet of 70 GT  touring bikes available for hire. Bike hire is included in our structured tours, however the bikes can also be hired for freedom tours.

You have a choice between conventional mountain bikes and women's low bar frames.

The Bikes

Most of the bikes are GT Aggressors, but we have an increasing selection of other styles - see the pictures at the bottom.

Each bike hire includes

• Comfortable Gel seat
• Handlebar bag (much better than a backpack in a hot climate)
• Helmet
• Pump, spare tube, basic tools
• Rear Carrier
• Lock

Optional extra:

• Rear Panniers

All bikes are cleaned and serviced between hires and fitted to you.

More bike photos at bottom

Electric Bikes

We have a fleet of 10 Electric bikes available for hire.  First preference for these will go to groups of regular cyclists who have some members of the group who want or need more assistance.

The bikes are regular GT mountain bikes modified for electric power.  The larger motor/battery units will cover more than 50kms on a single charge and climb the steepest hills on the coastal roads around both islands.   The smaller units are lighter and even easier to use. All can be pedalled as well. 

Childrens Bikes

We have a range of childrens bikes, a tagalong, kiddy seats and a bike trailer for children.

The tag-a-long, bike trailer and child seat are only hired in conjunction with an adult bike hire.

Rates

New Zealand Dollars

Samoan Tala (WST)

Other Bikes

Womens low-bar bikes

Hybrid Touring Bike

The Transeos have more efficient tyres,but require a sports riding position and are not suitable for gravel tracks.  They suit regular touring riders but occassional riders will be more comfortable on the Aggressors.

Aggressor Mountain Bikes

These have hydraulic disc brakes and off road tyres.  They are intended to be used on mountain bike trails as we develop them around Mulifanua, but some riders will enjoy trying the gravel tracks and roads found on the general tours.

Child carriers/Trailers

We have 2 of these trailers.  They can take two children each (max loaded weight of trailer 45kgs).  They can be used as luggage trailers.

Suitable for children from 9-20 Kgs or 1-4 years old.  

Tagalong

Best suited to 4-8 year olds.  

Kids Bikes

24" bikes for kids 6-10.  We find that kids from 8 up can generally ride the XS 26"Aggressors and appreciate the extra efficiency they offer.  We hire these aggressors to people under 12 for the kids bike prices.  Our youngest person to ride all 200kms around Savaii was 9.

The Kayaks

All kayaks were made by Q-Kayaks in Ashurst, New Zealand.

Singles

We have a mix of  Shearwaters and Penguins

Shearwater

Penguin

 These boats are remarkably stable in a wide range of sea conditions - but still remarkably efficient, making them ideal for everyone from beginners to experts.

Doubles

Southern Endeavour

These are large volume, very stable boats with a hull shape similar to most modern doubles in regular hire use.

Included with Hire

Each boat comes with:

• paddle(s)
• PFDs (Lifejackets for kayaking)
• Spray decks (spray skirts)
• bailer and sponge
• map

Each group also gets:

• split paddle
• pump
• tow line

Rates

Kayak hire is included in tours - rates below apply only to freedom hires.