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Samoa is steeped in natural beauty. It consists of nine islands in all, each one offering something different. Some islands are inhabited; others remain as they did before the dawn of man – inhabited only by vegetation and wildlife.
Interiors of rugged volcanic mountain peaks covered in tropical rainforest, sprawling coastlines fringed with reefs and white sandy beaches, and picture-perfect waterfalls that plunge into idyllic swimming holes hidden within valleys in the hinterlands.
Samoa has often been described as having the most beautiful scenery in the South Pacific. With the rugged rainforests of Upolu – the most inhabited island containing the capital Apia – to the lava fields of Savai’i – the largest island in the Samoan archipelago – you will soon see why there are just so many facets to this fascinating place. It is at the same time rugged yet fragile, and after spending some time here, you will witness the fine balance that allows these islands to exist.
This fine balance extends also to its people. Out in the villages, life is tough and fraught with troubles, yet they are warmly hospitable and never short of a welcoming smile and wave. The first thing you should do when visiting Samoa is to take off your watch, as time really doesn’t have too much significance here. Visitors from clock-watching, schedule-oriented societies may take some time to adjust to the locals’ apparent lack of punctuality, but once you realise that this is the pace of life that has existed here for cent
uries, you will soon get into the groove.
Visually, Samoa is everything you would expect from an exotic South Pacific island, but what truly sets it apart from other Pacific destinations is the Fa’a Samoa – the Samoan way – which remains the most vibrant culture in Polynesia.
  | Where is Samoa?
The Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, is a group of islands in the Polynesian region of the South Pacific. It is roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. To be more precise, it lies between longitudes 171 and 172 west, latitudes 13 and 14 south of the equator, and is just east of the International Date Line.
Samoan Climate
Being a tropical island, there are basically two seasons in Samoa – wet and dry. For visitors from cooler climates, the most comfortable time to visit Samoa is between May and October, during the country's dry season. This is when the southeast trade winds bring a reduction in temperature and humidity. During these cooler months is when most of the Samoan festivals are held, which is a plus for tourists coming to these shores during this time.
The heaviest and most frequent rainfalls occur during the monsoon season, between November and April. Although it is a wetter time of year, the December-January holiday period is when Samoa is flooded with visitors and relatives from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Making reservations for flights and hotels for this time should be done well in advance.
The average annual temperature on coastal areas is 26.5C, with average humidity of 80%. During summer months the temperature will hover between 29-32C, with humidity in the high 80% range.
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