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Samoa
In December 2011 Samoa jumped the date line and deleted 30 December from its calendar.
Samoa spent a century on the American side of the International Date Line and switched sides at the end of 2011 to trade more easily with New Zealand and Australia. Thursday 29 December was followed by Saturday 31 December; the thirtieth simply did not happen, and nobody worked it.
The country is two large islands and a few small ones. Upolu holds the capital, Apia, and Vailima, the house where Robert Louis Stevenson spent his last years and above which he is buried on Mount Vaea. Savai'i is bigger, quieter and younger geologically, with lava fields from eruptions around 1905 to 1911. Village life still runs on fa'a Samoa and the matai title system, which is worth knowing before you swim off someone's beach.
Quick facts
Currency
WST
Samoan tala
Language
Samoan
+ English
Power
—
Driving
Left
UK-style
Airport
APW
Faleolo International
Emergency
—
Police · Fire
When to go
Monthly breakdown
Storm risk: HighJan
Rain
Feb
Rain
Mar
Rain
Apr
Rain
May
Best
Jun
Best
Jul
Best
Aug
Best
Sep
Best
Oct
Best
Nov
Rain
Dec
Rain
Major events
Independence Day
Samoa was the first Pacific nation to gain independence, in 1962. Celebrations run several days with fautasi longboat racing and traditional ava ceremonies.
Teuila Festival
A week in Apia of siva dance, fire knife competition and choir contests, named for the red ginger flower that is the national flower.
Palolo Rising
On specific nights after the October full moon, coral worms spawn en masse and the reefs fill with people netting them by torchlight. Treated as a delicacy and impossible to predict precisely.
Hidden gems
To Sua Ocean Trench
A collapsed lava tube on Upolu filled with seawater, entered down a 30-metre wooden ladder. The surrounding gardens are privately owned and the entry fee is collected at the gate.
Afu Aau Waterfall
A fall on Savaii dropping into a deep freshwater pool you can swim in year round. It sits on customary land, so a small fee is paid to the village that owns it.
Mount Vaea and Villa Vailima
Robert Louis Stevenson's house outside Apia, now a museum, with a trail behind it climbing to his tomb on the summit. The steeper route up takes about 45 minutes.
Local food
Palusami
dietary_tags.veganTaro leaves layered with coconut cream and onion, wrapped in breadfruit leaf and baked in the umu until they collapse.
Oka ia
Raw fish in coconut cream with onion, cucumber and chilli, cut coarser than most Pacific versions.
Koko Samoa
dietary_tags.veganCocoa beans roasted and ground on the island, then boiled thick with water and sugar; drunk at breakfast, closer to melted chocolate than cocoa.
Safety tips
Cultural-Etiquette
Sunday is strictly observed and many villages hold an evening prayer curfew called sa, during which you stop and wait where you are. Ask before crossing village land or using a beach.
Water-Safety
Reef passes on both Upolu and Savaii carry water out fast on a falling tide. Swim where locals swim and ask which end of the beach is safe that day.
Health
Medical facilities are limited to Apia and evacuation means New Zealand. Check that your insurance covers medical repatriation from the Pacific specifically.
Sustainability
Eco rating
Reef: At riskPlan Your Trip
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