Getting
to Samoa
Direct flights to Samoa operate from:
Sydney, Australia
Nadi, Fiji
Auckland, New Zealand
Los Angeles, USA
Pago Pago, American Samoa, and
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Connecting flights are available from most
other destinations. Travellers are advised
to check with their travel agent to determine
the best route and to check availability,
but a few guidelines have been outlined below.
From
American Samoa
Direct flights operate between Pago Pago and
Faleolo International Airport daily. Flight
time is approximately 1 hour. Alternatively,
a weekly ferry service operates between the
two capitals, which takes around 8 hours.
From
Australia
The quickest way for Australians to get to
Samoa is to fly direct from Sydney, although
another option is to stop off in Auckland
on the way through. The direct flight takes
around 5-6 hours, while the flight from Auckland
takes about 4-5 hours.
From
USA / Europe / UK
The quickest way to get to Apia from the USA,
Europe and the UK is to travel through Los
Angeles. From Los Angeles, you can either
fly direct to Apia, or transit through Fiji.
A direct flight from Los Angeles takes approximately
10 hours.
From
Japan
Japanese travellers can choose to fly to Samoa
through either Fiji (a total of around 10
- 11 hours in-flight) or through Auckland,
New Zealand (15 hours flight time).
From
Fiji
Direct flights out of Fiji with Air Pacific
operate on Sunday and Tuesday which take approximately
2 hours.
From
New Zealand
Getting to Samoa from New Zealand is easy,
with daily flights operating from Auckland
to Apia, and a choice of carriers. Direct
flights take approximately 4 - 5 hours.
Now,
to drive in Samoa you need to validate your
foreign driver’s license by taking it
to the Ministry of Works Transport & Infrastructure
in Apia, across the road from the flea market
or to the Transport Control Board office in
Vaitele near the Vailima factory. Cost for
validation is ST$12, and some rental car companies
will also assist in getting your license endorsed.
There
are 24 rental car companies to choose from
and you can hire everything from sedans and
soft top 4WDs to 12 seater vans if you have
a big group.
All
vehicles are right hand drive, and drivers
should be cautious if you are not familiar
with driving on the right side of the road.
Another fun way to explore the islands is
to take a map and board a local bus.
Buses
come in a variety of colour schemes and all
the seating is wooden. If the bus is full
when you board locals will sit on a persons
lap, if the bus is heading into to either
Apia or Salelologa, the locals will carry
their produce on board to the markets.
The
are no bus stops around the islands, so just
wave down a bus if you want to get on, and
when you want to get off simply pull the cord
to ring the buzzer. You pay your fare as you
leave bus.
The
Samoa Shipping Corporation runs the passenger/vehicle
ferry between the mains islands of Upolu and
Savaii. The ferry departs from the Mulifanua
Wharf on Upolu near the international airport,
so if you coming from Apia, allow 45 minutes
for the journey. The ferry departs from the
Salelologa Wharf on Savaii for the return
journey. The trip takes one hour each way
and it pays to arrive early at the wharf to
purchase your tickets.
Check
with your hotel for sailing times and one
way passenger fares are ST$5 for child 2-12
years and adults ST$9. Vehicle charges (depending
on the size of the vehicle) are between ST$50
– ST$100 each way.
To
get the Manono Island, boats operate from
the Manono-uta at the western end of Upolu,
just down the road from Mulifanua Wharf. One
way fares cost ST$1 for children and ST$3
for adults one way.
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